Creating An "I Love You" Journal

We love our children deeply, but do our children know how deep our love is for them? Why not create an "I love you" journal to let them know just how much you cherish them.

Here's how to get started:

Get a lovely little journal, perhaps this adorable "Mommy Journal", and each day write down one thing that you love about them. I also like to include a prayer of thanks for that special something.

Here are some examples of what I have written in my boys journals...

Noah-the-Pooh, I love that you are curious and that you ask me a million questions. Thank you Lord for making Noah-the-Pooh curious of the world you created for him.

Jack-Jack, I love your sparkling eyes that you bat at me. Thank you Father for giving jack-Jack beautiful eyes that make me happy,

Carlitos, I love how you caress my face as I nurse you. Thank you Jesus for making Carlitos so cuddly and loving.

Try to do it as often as you can, even if that means just once a month. When you've filled the journal, wrap it in a pretty ribbon and give it to your little one to cherish for a lifetime.

Christmas Treats and Fun

Here some idea's to put an extra bright smile on your little ones faces for Christmas:

When it's time to go buy the Christmas tree, stay behind and have some hot chocolate and freshly baked cranberry muffins waiting for them when they return.

Have commercial free holiday music playing in the background all day long (try iTunes radio or music on demand via cable or satellite).

Have some freshly mulled apple cider (or apple juice) ready in the morning. The warm spice scent will fill the house and will warm their tummies.

Place a tiny candy cane under their pillow to enjoy in the morning everyday in December (after morning chores of course!)

Have an assortment of homemade jams and marmalade's to choose from to top waffles, pancakes, biscuits and muffins.

Pop their pajamas in the dryer for a few minuets right before they dress for bed for extra coziness.

Buy a Christmas mug for each child so that they may enjoy their hot chocolate, yummy tea's and warm milk from their special mug.

Check your local TV guide and list all the holiday movies you must watch.

Okay, so this next one may not be fun, but it could be! Go through the children's toys and toss all the broken ones in the trash. Set aside the toys that they no longer play with to donate. Tell them they must make room for all the new toys they will get for Christmas!

Make it a tradition to donate toys or money (their own $ preferably) this time of year. If the donation is a gift have them choose and deliver it if possible, or have them browse a catalog to choose what type of donation they want to make. Our favorites are Samaritans Purse, World Vision and Toys for Tots.

Purchase an heirloom quality book of The Story of Christmas and read it aloud on Christmas Eve over peppermint-hot chocolate.

How do you make Christmas extra special for your little guys and dolls?

It's The Little Things That Say I Love You

Some people care too much. I think it's called love. ~ Winnie the Pooh

It was less then 2 years ago that Noah-the-Pooh was an only child and I seemed to have mounds of time to do those little things that said "I love you". Like snuggling on the couch and taking a nap together, throwing all our pillows and blankets on the floor and rolling around in them, or cutting his cheese sandwiches into dinosaur shapes.

The other day Noah-the-Pooh reminded me of how I used to decorate the house for every season. "I miss that..." he said as he poked at an earthworm. So even though it was tough with my two little guys, we made the trek to a beautiful farm to pick out some pumpkins (which will do a lovely job of bringing some ambiance until we bake some pies and muffins with them) and we gathered some pine cones and lovely red,yellow and orange leaves from our nature walks. I also found my precious caramel strudel grubby candle that I love to light during the fall (alas, Country Passion Candles are no more). Viola! Autumn and love have filled the Poblano home.

How do you decorate with love?