In His Grip: Christmas in February

Our family finally was able to celebrated Christmas with Ryan and Paula last week. It just seems hard to find a time when we all can be together. Of course my fantasy as a mother is to have all my kids live close to me the rest of my life so we will always be able to spend every holiday and family event together and live happily ever after. {Pop} goes the fantasy bubble and real life is where I am forced to live. Darn! Although, I cannot complain, Ryan and Paula only live in Lincoln, NE, just 3 1/2 hours north of us, its not like they are in another country. But that distance, at times, feels too far. The time we do have as a family is very precious to us and I will take all that we do get.

To say that the wait for our Christmas presents was worth it would be an understatement. Ryan and Paula out did themselves with their creative, craftiness. Look at these great tables/foot stools/benches/what ever you want to make them, repurposed vintage suitcases they made for Lindsey and Anna. Seriously, they are awesome and in super shaped on the inside too.

They made this fabulous “S” to hang on our front door. They could not find an initial that they liked that was big enough so Ryan cut one out of styrofoam and then Paula decorated it. Oh my heck, just look at those handmade flowers. Does this gal fit perfectly into our family or what? Not only that but she whipped up some homemade shower scrub as well. She is a gal after my heart, I just have to say. Making things pretty and smell good too, who can go wrong.

We also received this set of tile coasters that they made using their wedding pictures. I was trying to figure out how I would display a bunch of their pictures without making it look like some kind of Ryan & Paula gallery. The girls already accuse me of having Ryan as the favorite, so a bunch of pictures on the wall, shelves, etc. would only perpetuate such a myth. But coasters, now that is something that is very useful and if they display eight different wedding shots so be it.

Look how perfect this looks on my pink front door. I thought that I would be changing the color of the door soon, but who am I kidding? This “S” just made the decision, the door is pink for now at least through Summer.