Tag: holidays

2019, family, holidays, New beginnings, New Year’s Day, Personal

Happy 2020: word of the year and New Year’s Resolutions

by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment on Happy 2020: word of the year and New Year’s Resolutions

Happy New Year, dear friends! I hope you are doing well and have had a wonderful week. We are doing well…and still trying to clean up from Christmas.

We were very blessed and had a great Christmas filled with family and sweet memories.

Now that the new year is upon us, I have been taking some time to reflect on what I need to do better this year. I don’t like to call them “new year’s resolutions,” as I feel that is somewhat cliched and, if I’m honest, I have a better chance of keeping them if I don’t call them that.

So… in no particular order, here is what I’d like to improve in the year 2020:

1. Money

I’m probably not the only person who plans to spend less and save more in the new year. I’d also like to be a little more intentional with my spending and purchase less.

2. Live with less

Less is more, and we have a lot of things we don’t need or use. I’ve been on a personal quest this week to clean out and clear away all of the unneeded items in our home. Our house feels cleaner and brighter and it’s great. If you have something in your home you don’t need, donate or give it away so someone else can enjoy it. I’ve gone through and purged every room except our playroom, our closets and our dressers. That’s happening this weekend.

3. Spend time with my family more

Together is my favorite place to be, yet I feel like I didn’t spend enough time with my family this year. Those are moments and memories you can’t get back, so enjoy them while you can.

In fact, one of my words of the year is going to be “together.”

4. Continue my fitness journey

I made a commitment to get healthy by exercising more and eating well. I’m really glad I made those changes and I look forward to improving my health even more in 2020.

5. Lastly, and most importantly, I want to improve my walk with Christ.

I have seen time and time again that when you put God first, everything else falls into place. I want to be sure to put God first and stop struggling with things that I need to trust God to handle.

Tomorrow I will share my two words of the year. What are your “New Years improvements” for 2020?

Advertisements
2019, Christianity, holidays, seasonal

Christmas Traditions You Can Do With Your Family

by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment on Christmas Traditions You Can Do With Your Family

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we are excited! We wanted to share some of our favorite traditions with you all, as we prepare for Christmas Day.

1. We read The Night Before Christmas every Christmas Eve night.

This has been a tradition since the oldest Lumber was a tiny tot. We make it a point to make popcorn or hot chocolate and read this classic story together. If you’d like to own a copy of this beautiful book, you can get one here.

2.

2. Ride around and look at Christmas decorations and lights

Get some hot chocolate and ride around your town looking at the Christmas decorations. This cute set up was spotted while we were headed to see The Nutcracker.

And you never know, you just might find a cute photo op (if your kids will cooperate, that is).

3. Get your elf on

We have a blast with our elves on the shelf. You could always read the Elf on the Shelf book or watch the movie. If you don’t have them, you can get them here.

4. Turn off all the lights and simply enjoy your Christmas tree

This is one of my favorite things to do, and it doesn’t have to be Christmas Eve. Just enjoy the peace and quiet and bask in the soft glow of the lights. This leads me to my next thing.

5. Read the Christmas story in Luke.

This is my favorite tradition. There is no Christmas without Jesus, and He is definitely the most important part of the Christmas season.

What are some of your family’s traditions?

We will resume regular schedule on December 26. Have a wonderful Christmas Day!

2019, Blogging, christmas, family, holidays, photography, seasonal, seasonal decor

What’s happening with Lumber in My Minivan

by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment on What’s happening with Lumber in My Minivan

The Christmas season is upon us, and we are doing well. We have made some wonderful memories and have spent lots of time together as a family.

Our Christmas pictures were beautiful and I couldn’t be happier with them!

Photos by Hildaberry Creatives

My oldest lumber child and I went with some friends to see The Nutcracker. It was a blast and we loved it! We also got to take pictures with the stars of the show.

We also took random pictures at our town Christmas tree. These could have been good pictures, but the littlest lumber wasn’t having it.

This one is kind of funny though.

Our Christmas season has had some rough moments. Our sweet yellow lab mix passed away last week. We had him for 13 years and all four of us miss him terribly. Despite how much we miss him, we are in no way ready for a new pupper. Please keep my family in your prayers as losing fur babies is tough.

The kitties have been getting some extra love, as they miss him too.

https://lumberinmyminivan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/59832821044__6ec3fac8-874a-49e2-9b87-1a716d1cda66.mov

Our next few days will be busy, as we are celebrating Christmas with both sides of my family and both sides of Mr. Lumber’s family.

Someone didn’t want us to leave.

We will be posting one final Christmas post on Monday and will then resume regular schedule on December 26. Have a wonderful and safe week!

2019, christmas, five friday favorites, holidays, seasonal, Seasonal art, seasonal decor

5 Friday Favorites: Christmas edition

by LumberInMyMiniVan2 Comments on 5 Friday Favorites: Christmas edition

Copy of Simplify tips

The big day is finally less than a week away! I am trying to finish my Christmas shopping, packing for travels, and cleaning my house. School has been out for a week now for my oldest daughter, and today, my school let out for winter break. Bring on the Christmas movies and sweet girl cuddles, the Christmas gifts and the downtime!!

It’s been a long time since I did a “Five Friday Favorites” post, so I am going to share a Christmas themed Five Friday Favorites with you today. I hope you will enjoy these and even comment with a few of your own favorites.

1. DECOR: Tree Farm Truck Christmas Countdown Plaque

208298_1.jpeg

This countdown plaque is absolutely adorable, and it contains my favorite red truck! I absolutely love it! I want one.

2. Clothing: Christmas leggings

leggings

I don’t often wear leggings, but these adorable and cheap leggings from Walmart are some of the comfiest things I’ve encountered in a long time. I bought mine for a little over $5- there are certainly more expensive options, but as little as I wear them, the cheaper option works just fine. You really ought to check them out!

3. Christmas movies: Home Alone 

home alone

Does this movie ever get old? Not in my house, where we watch it several times during the Christmas season. My children love it as much as I do, and they have a blast laughing at it and even quoting the lines. Do you have a favorite Christmas movie in your home?

4. Christmas traditions: baking and decorating cookies 

cookies

In our house, we have many favorite Christmas traditions, but baking and decorating cookies is a big one. My girls are now old enough to help mix the dough, roll it out and cut it out. We enjoy the bonding time, but we also enjoy the tasty cookies. Maybe someday I’ll even share my recipes.

5. Christmas song: “The Christmas Waltz” by Karen Carpenter 

carpenters

It isn’t even Christmas time in my opinion until I hear this song. And what’s more fun than belting it out while you’re decking the halls? Or wrapping presents? Try it- it’s fun!!

What are some of your Christmas favorites? Check us out next week for some final Christmas fun 🙂

2019, christmas, crafts, holidays, Pin-spired projects, seasonal, Seasonal art

Easy Christmas Crafts: sweater trees

by LumberInMyMiniVan2 Comments on Easy Christmas Crafts: sweater trees

Sometimes you just need to make a cutesy, fun and girly craft. These little sweater trees definitely fit that description.

Awhile back, I got into making scarves. I’m not very good at crochet and I didn’t have the time to get really good at it. I made a few of them and then I got stuck with all this yarn I’d bought .

I was able to find another use for almost all of my yarn, but what on earth was I going to do with this pink?

I may have mentioned my girls each have a pink and white themed Christmas tree.

What if I make something Christmas themed and pink with this yarn? I went to my local big box store and perused the craft section. I came up with this.

Source

I used a hot glue gun to attach my yarn to the cones and then I had this:

These adorable little yarn trees look so cute in my girls’ rooms. I may just have to make some more!!

What yarn crafts have you created recently?