Life with Dylan

Category: Christmas

  • A glimpse of our Christmas 2013

    A quick glimpse of our Christmas holiday …
                      in other words, a glimpse through my iPhone camera lens.

    We hung ornaments and sent out Christmas cards …

    We spent time at the San Diego Zoo celebrating Jungle Bells and getting in the holiday spirit

    We patiently awaited Santa’s arrival … 

    and were excited to see what he left under our tree on Christmas morning … 

    Santa was good to us this year and we thanked him.

    Then Mom went shopping with her Christmas money … 

    Considering that I am almost a year behind on edited my pictures, I thought it only right to use Instagram pictures for this post. However, now that I have a new camera I may be posting a lot more pictures in 2014!

    We hope you had a wonderful holiday and were able to spend time with the ones you love.

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

  • A Christmas Wish message from Dylan

    Just 3 short weeks ago Dylan shared his Christmas Wish for the Leopards at the San Diego Zoo. His goal was to raise $500 by Christmas and as of today he has raised $475! 


    Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared his wish, and supported his dreams to save endangered animals.




  • We’re Sending Out Recycled Christmas Cards This Year!

    I decided not to do a Christmas card this year. To be perfectly honest, the main reason is I just don’t have the time.  I should have started planning months ago and I didn’t. Why? Because I have been so busy over the past few months cleaning out closets and cupboards and purging like crazy every weekend, that Christmas cards just were not a priority!

    While doing this I came across a ton of Christmas cards from the past. Some full boxes and some only a few of each design. Either way, they are perfectly good cards!

    So I got an idea to recycle my cards this year. Rather than worry about creating the perfect card to send out, I decided to use the cards I already have.

    One year I ordered a few too many, another year I bought one box too many, and one year I just bought a box because it was 80% off at an after Christmas sale.

    Either way, these miscellaneous cards have just been sitting on a shelf. Serving no purpose except to take up room that I could use for something else. I now have an empty shelf and plenty of Christmas cards to send out.

    I may add a Christmas letter (which I haven’t done in years) to some of the cards, or a school picture of Dylan for family far away … who knows, either way I feel good about recycling old things to make them new again.

    No, I did not buy cards that were made from recycled paper … Nor did I make cards from recycled items. I recycled things that I already had in my home. You see friends, there are many ways to recycle. You just have to give it a little thought.

    What can you recycle this holiday season?

  • We’re taking a little vacation

    With Christmas only a week away and a two week break from school and work starting this Friday, we have decided to take a vacation of sorts. Not your typical vacation – no planes or hotels involved. Rather, we are taking a vacation from writing and blogging and posting and tweeting and … well, you get the idea.

    The tree is up and the stocking are hung. We’ve decorated the house with some cherished memories and now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the time together as a family.

    Maybe do some baking and start a new book.

    Who knows, I might even get crafty and start a new project – the type with needle and thread.

    We’ll for sure take some day trips to see our friends at the Zoo and Safari Park – oh, and the lovely school project of making a California relief map out of salt and flour dough. That should be fun.

    I may get the desire to write every now and then, but until the new year there won’t be any postings for the regular features like Endangered Species Monday or Sunset Sunday. They aren’t going away, just taking some time off. Who knows, I may even come up with a new weekly feature or some special posts that have been whirling around in my head for some time now.

    Enjoy the holidays and we will see you in 2013

    Michelle and Dylan

  • Giving makes Christmas the most wonderful time of the year

    Christmas is probably my favorite time of the year. As a child, Christmas was a time filled with excitement and hopes of getting everything I asked Santa for. As a parent, Christmas became a time of making memories and hoping that my child’s wishes came true.

    Christmas is about more than just Santa Claus, but Santa does remind us about giving from the heart.

    Aside from all the marketing, Black Friday sales, Cyber Monday sales, and what seems like the never-ending slew of commercials for this years hottest toy, Christmas remains a special time of the year for me. A time that I can sit on the couch at night and gaze at the Christmas tree. A time when I feel more relaxed. I take the time to reflect on all the good things that have happened over the year.

    I even find myself getting lost in the memories of Christmases past – especially when I see ornaments that my son made when he was just a toddler. 

    I can remember the look of pride on his face when he gave me that ornament, wrapped up in green tissue paper and tied with a red piece of yarn. It didn’t cost a lot of money, but it was made with love and given with love. The giving is what Christmas is all about to me. 
    So the other day when my son came to me in tears because he didn’t have money to buy me a special Christmas present, I reminded him of the snowman ornament he gave me when he was just 3 years old. The same popsicle stick ornament that hangs front and center every year on our tree. This is what brings a smile to my face. I told him to make me something special – a card, a drawing, anything that he made would be the best present I could ever ask for. 
    The gift of giving is what makes Christmas the most wonderful time of the year. 

  • Enadangered Species Monday – Giving the gift of hope

    One of my favorite ways to help save endangered species is to symbolically adopt and animal and give it as a gift. This holiday season, why not take a look through the World Wildlife Fund virtual Gift Catalog and give someone more than just a present – give them the gift of hope and inspiration to save endangered species.

    You can choose from 100 different animals and they offer six levels of adoption ranging from $25 – $250 so there really is something for everyone. World Wildlife Fund makes it easy to search through the different animals too. You can sort your searches by most popular, by threat level, and by region.

    Selecting an animal might be difficult for some people, but World Wildlife Fund has made this easy too – you can purchase a Gift Adoption Card and let the recipient choose their own animal to symbolically adopt.

    The San Diego Zoo also offers animal adoptions at various levels from $35 – $1,000 and a few limited edition holiday adoptions. The San Diego Zoo monthly Wish List is another place I like to shop for gifts. Although these gifts can’t be wrapped up, it sure is nice to give two gifts at once. This year I purchased several gifts for the animals in honor of family members. Their gifts will be the gift of giving and I think that is the best kind of gift.

    If you are an ocean lover, check out the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Adopt and Animal program where you can symbolically adopt penguins, sharks, otters, sea turtles, seals, and more starting at only $10.

    Most zoos, aquariums and other non-profit organizations offer animal adoptions. Contact your local zoo or support an organization that you like and give the gift of hope this holiday season. 

  • Mommy, Is Santa Claus Real?

    As the holidays approached this year I had a heavy heart. Knowing this could very well be the last year that Dylan believes in Santa Claus and wanting to make it the best Christmas ever was something that I struggled with for the past few days. Financially, I just couldn’t afford the iPad we both wanted – although it would have been the perfect gift to both of us. I knew that he would be happy with whatever he got Christmas morning, but as single parent I always worry if he is getting everything he needs.

    So last night when Dylan asked, “Mommy, is Santa Claus real?” I almost told him the truth.

    However, after a wonderful sermon at church about believing in the spirit of Christmas and the wonderful gift that God gave to us, I had a change of heart. As Dylan lay tossing and turning in bed – unable to fall asleep because he was so excited for Santa to come – I asked him if he wanted me to tell him a story.

    I read him The Night Before Christmas (our annual tradition) and then told him about believing in Christmas magic. The magic of Santa. I told him that if he believed with all his heart in the magical spirit of Santa Claus, then Santa would come. I told him that Santa was whatever he believed him to be. I told him that Santa had been watching him all year long and was very proud of him – and that I knew for a fact he was on the nice list. All of this was true. I was not lying about anything.

    Santa Claus is a magical belief that brings joy to children of all ages. The spirit of giving something that is so special, it only comes once a year. A gift that will bring happiness and love to whoever receives the gift.

    We cannot see God, but we believe in God and that he gave us a gift, the gift of his only son.

    Nobody has ever seen Santa Claus – and I doubt they ever will. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t believe in him. Believing in something gives you hope. Hope that tomorrow will be better than today.

    Presents – yes, Santa Claus brings presents. But is it the presents that get us excited or is it the anticipation of finding out what’s inside of them? Does it matter who gives the presents to you or how much they cost? No, what matters is that someone thought of you and decided to give you something special.

    I don’t think this was the story that Dylan had in mind, but I do believe he enjoyed it. I ended the story with asking him the same question he had asked me … “Dylan, is Santa Claus real?”

    “Yes Mom, if you believe.”

    This morning after opening presents, Dylan came over to me as I sat on the couch drinking my coffee and gave me the biggest hug. I think it was hug #6 (I only gave him two presents, the others were from Santa) and he said, “Thanks Mom, I believe in you.”

    Does this mean he knows who Santa is? I’m not sure and I didn’t bother asking.

  • Gingerbread Inspirations

    Most of us think of a gingerbread house as a simple house with four walls that is decorated with candy and frosting. Until recently, this is what I always aspired to create when making my gingerbread house.

    But why stop at just ordinary – when you can make extraordinary!

    Think outside the box and use sugar cubes to make an igloo, use candy corn to make a hauntingly cute house – Jack Skellington style, or maybe you like fairies – make Tink’s house … the possibilities are endless.

    After visiting the Science of Gingerbread Exhibit at Discovery Science Center, I have been inspired to go beyond the ordinary. Who knows, maybe I will make a gingerbread house for Valentines Day and Easter next year. With enough practice and creativity, I may even attempt to make one like the penguins and igloo theme I saw at the exhibit next Christmas.

    https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

    Forget the kits and start using your imagination. Anyone can build their own gingerbread house with a little help from the gingerbread men and these simple step-by-step instructions.

    What will your next gingerbread house look like?

  • Wordless Wednesday – LEGO Santa

    Even though Snow Days was a bit of a disappointment, this LEGO Santa was awesome!
    The first real smile from Dylan with a Santa.

    And the LEGO creations were pretty awesome too.

    I only wish the entire park could have been decorated for the holidays instead of just the small area in Fun Town.

  • Gingerbread Houses are a Fun Holiday Tradition

    The smell of ginger and molasses filling the kitchen is something I look forward to every year.  Ever since I was a child and read the story of Hansel and Gretel, I have wanted to make my own gingerbread house.

    These edible houses are quite popular at classroom parties (usually made from graham crackers) and endless amounts of frosting. Many families will buy a kit from the local craft store and attempt making a gingerbread house of their own.

    We used a kit one year because I was short on time, but it just wasn’t the same. Last year, Dylan decided he wanted to make a big house, but just a flat one, so we we got creative.

    This year, we went back to the family tradition of making the house from scratch – and it was so much fun. Friends are always asking me, “How did you do that?” It’s not hard, really it’s not. And you don’t need to use a glue gun – royal icing works great!

    So, with the help of the graphics department, I have created step-by-step instructions for you and your family to build your very own gingerbread house over at OC Moms. Check it out and let me know if you decide to make a gingerbread house of your own this year.

    Be sure to take a look at the printable version of the instructions too.