Holidays Archives - Small Things Are Big Things

March 28, 2016 by: Kara Noel Lawson

He Has Set Eternity – Easter at our House

The resurrection changes everything.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart: yet no one can fathom what God has done from the beginning to the end.”

-Ecclesiastes 1:11

Our Easter from beginning to end:
Brad woke up early to make 400 breakfast burritos with the guys at church. Then we met him before church in our coordinating outfits. Obviously.

This was a special day for our family because Cora Jane chose to be baptized.
This girl knows the Spirit.
Her prayers are honest, bold and reverent.
She was ready to be baptized.
And we couldn’t be more proud!

Then we hopped home to see if the Easter Bunny came.
He did.

The Easter Bunny doesn’t cut corners around at our house.
Easter is a big day for us Christians. It’s the day that changes everything. We base our lives on the reality of this day. Brad and I have always wanted our children to be more excited, or at least, just as excited about Easter as they are about Christmas. A few years ago we brainstormed a bit and picked out a few things that make Christmas so exciting for the kids… fun food, traditions, and of course… presents!

A few of the favorite gifts were a real bow and arrow… (Bear Archery Scout Bow Set)

And Pie Face Game…

We made these lovely cupcakes this Watermelon Cupcake Mix! They taste just like a jolly rancher.

We closed out the day with dinner and great conversations with family.
It was a good day.

We live because He died.

December 11, 2015 by: Kara Noel Lawson

Thanksgiving wrap-up {Christmas Prayers for Bedtime}

We hosted Thanksgiving.
It was fun and relaxing and we had a blast!

I was only in charge a few dishes. (Just the way I like it!)
Ham (easy… thanks Costco), cranberry sauce (homemade, obviously), and green bean casserole (I did the fresh version from this book, added bacon, and swapped out the crumble on top for fancy pie crust).
Yummers.

This was our Thanksgiving feast:

It was lovely and hard because I miss my mom.
But it was mostly lovely.

Then it was time for Christmas!
Last month came across this book:

It’s called Christmas Prayers for Bedtime and it was an impulse buy at CVS (while waiting for a prescription). Little did I know how amazing it would be. My kids LOVE reading it together every night and I love that it carries us through all of December to really prepare our hearts for CHRISTmas. Every night has a verse, a devotion, a prayer, and ends with a traditional Christmas carol. We usually try to sing it for the kids (they get a kick out of that), then we look up the real version on youtube on our phones and the kids love it.
(It’s only $6 and on Amazon Prime. Link above, order now!!)

That’s a wrap Thanksgiving!

November 26, 2015 by: Kara Noel Lawson

Giving Thanks Always {Printable for YOU!}

I have so much to be thankful for…

When my mom died she left this note on her kitchen chalkboard:

“Dear God,
Thank you for this beautiful life, and forgive me if I don’t love it enough.”

Sometimes gratitude seems to slip between our fingertips.

But today I’m giving thanks.
Always.
And for everything.

{Download and print the PDF here.}

I hope this “Giving Thanks Always Printable” fills you up like it fills me up.

October 30, 2015 by: Kara Noel Lawson

Minimalist Halloween Printables – Spooky Quotes

Happy Halloween!

I made these adorable Minimalist Halloween Printables for you with some of m favorite spooky quotes. Two different printables per 8×10 page. They will fit in a 5×7 frame or used for Halloween goodie tags!

Get some hot apple cider.
Print out the minimalist Halloween printables.

Read a excerpts from Harry Potter. (I want this set for Christmas!)
Enjoy Emily Dickinson poetry. (Poetry for kids book!)
Finish the evening with spooky Shakespeare.

And if you want to read about why we think its important for Christians to celebrate Halloween read all about it here!

Minimalist Halloween Printables

Each set of two minimalist Halloween printables on 8×10 pieces of paper, and will fit in 5×7 frames.
Click here or on the image above to print!

Happy Hallows Eve!

October 31, 2014 by: Kara Noel Lawson

Happy Halloween from Small Things!

I started this blog over 6 years ago.
For my business.
And for local events.
Then it got personal.
Now I share my heart and you read my words.
Lots of you.
Thanks for walking this journey of words with me!
Happy Halloween!

Have a great Halloween!
Love, Unicorn, Ninja, Cheerleader and Cloudy with a chance of Showers.

April 10, 2013 by: Kara Noel Lawson

Prepping for Easter {ways to prepare your heart, yo!}

This Easter was a first for me.

The first Easter without my mom.

My mom always hosted Easter in a big way (see 2012, 2010 & part 2, 2009). She had a way of bringing all sorts of people together. It was pretty amazing actually. (My mom and I below, Easter 2009)

Our Easter day ended up being quite lovely and I think a lot of it had to do with the way my church prepares for Easter – we take a weeklong “journey” together with a corporate fast and daily devotions. Below are the cliff’s notes version of what we gave up for the progressive fast everyday. So each day you are adding to what you have already given up the days before. We started the Sunday before Easter. (click here for the complete details, it’s worth a click)

Sunday: All media… TV, movies, video games, phone apps… (oh how I missed Instagram!!)

Monday: Caffeine. (Don’t you agree that it was pretty cruel to make people cut caffeine so early in the fast!?!?!)

Tuesday: Snacks and desserts.

Wednesday: Remove one meal.

Thursday: Remove two meals.

Friday: Everything but bread.

Saturday: Everything but water.

Sunday: Prayer walk at 6am and breaking fast together with yummy breakfast burritos after the prayer walk.

Although Easter without my mom was tough on my soul, I feel like my heart was prepared.

Prepared to mourn.

Prepared to celebrate the resurrection.

Prepared to bask in the truth that I will be in heaven with my mom someday.

Prepared to offer that opportunity to my children. (Because God doesn’t have grandchildren.)

Because if Christ didn’t rise from the dead what is there?

Really.

What’s the point?

We woke up at 4:30 to be at the prayer walk by 6am. We were in full Easter garb. (Oh you know how I LOVE to match!!) It was hard but we wanted to go big. We wanted our children to understand the gravity of this day. Christ’s resurrection is everything.

Everything.

I had the kids sleep in their clothes. YEP. Whenever we have to go somewhere early, my kiddos have slept in their clothes. And on bath nights I have them put on their shirts for the next day. (Free Big Family tip for ya!)

Here we are walking and praying…

We watched the sunrise and prayed with our friends for every aspect of the day and service.

It was powerful.

Then our pastor shared a few words.

I have no idea what, because I could smell the homemade breakfast burritos and was starving from the fast.

Then we had our service…

Then home for Easter baskets…

Each kiddo got a book, a toy (except Tess got shoes because she LOVES shoes) a chocolate bunny, peeps and a bathing suit (all hand-me-down suits this year. Yay for saving $$$).

My mom’s best friend hosted us for lunch and an Easter Egg hunt and one of my mom’s other friends made the girls’ dresses and the boys’ bow ties (the same one who made their St. Patty’s Day dresses and watched my kiddos while my mom was in the hospital). I can’t even begin to tell you how much it means to me that so many people have stepped into my life. Doing the little things my mom would have done for me. Little things are big, because they matter.

Not one decent pic of the kids together this year. I may stage something this week. For posterity’s sake.

Here is last year’s Easter service (video from the audience) I love this one!!!

Think Dr Seuss meets urban poetry meets interpretive dance meets inspirational preacher.

I’ll be honest though, I’m not usually a fan of modern dance at church, but the words in this piece give me the chills every time.

November 26, 2012 by: Kara Noel Lawson

Win your holiday gifts!

This is our first holiday season in our first home. And we’ve discovered our neighborhood doesn’t mess around when it comes to outdoor decorating. The weekend BEFORE Thanksgiving, die hard decorators were on their roofs hanging lights.

So we hung ours too.

Peer pressure.

We have slowly been buying outdoor Christmas lights at Sam’s Club (of course) so we were ready anyway. Now I just have to do the indoor décor. Doesn’t it feel like the fall stuff is hardly up at all? It’s like we are changing the decorations like crazy for 3 months then – Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, BAM – then it’s just our usual stuff for the other 9 months.

The holidays are a whirlwind.

Again, my mantra is to be present.

Halloween and Thanksgiving are over and Christmas is in full swing.

Anyway, it basically Christmas tomorrow so I hope you have all those gifts worked out. And if you need a little help… I’m running a giveaway with some of my bloggy friends and it’s pretty rad. In fact, I wish I could win. The kitchen aid mixer would look great on my counter really help me prepare healthy meals for my family. (though I’m not sure how I could decide on a color…bayleaf, pistachio, majestic yellow, aqua sky and green apple… oh my!). And the Keurig premium brewer… yes please!!

There are two winners. One for the mixer and one for the brewer.

Good Luck friends!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Two winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter (powered by Random.org). The first prize winner will have the option of choosing between a KitchenAid Artisan Mixer – winner’s choice of color – (MSRP $429.95) or a Keurig Platinum Single-Cup Brewer (MSRP $179.95). The second prize winner will be awarded the item that was not chosen by the first prize winner. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to the owner of this Facebook page and not to Facebook. This promotion is powered by Rafflecopter. Metric Feat LLC (“Rafflecopter”) does not sponsor, administer, or endorse this promotion. Participants must read and agree to Rafflecopter’s Privacy Policy before entering and participating in this promotion. This is a non-sponsored post.

And I’ll leave you with this ecard that cracked me up…

I can’t stand Elf on the Shelf… I know I’m the only one on the planet. Sorry. Don’t hate me for it.

November 22, 2012 by: Kara Noel Lawson

Indescribable Gift

Sums it up for us…

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! ~ 1 Corinthians 9:15

November 11, 2012 by: Kara Noel Lawson

Halloween rant and giveaway at the end

This year we made a new Halloween tradition. As traditions go, this one was born from necessity and not forced. Every night we have raw spinach salad, usually rice or potatoes and some sort of meat… we were out of everything. So I made breakfast for dinner. And it was yummy and fun and different (for us). And that’s all it takes to make kiddos happy. Tess kept putting bacon on her head. She is a ham… pun intended.

Then we be bopped on over to the Pumpkin City pumpkin patch with Push Cakes in hand. YUM!!! We got our pumpkins for a deal. YAY!

(I love everything about this picture. Everything. Ev-ery-thing.)

We all dress up for Halloween, and I love putting together a family costume theme. Unfortunately, the big kids get to pick their own thing (darn free choice) and my plan of Fred and Wilma and Pebbles and Bam Bam for the littlest was just too pricey. I don’t mind spending a little bit of money for the big kids (ninja and Cinderella) because they use their costumes all year long for dress-up, but the littles grow out of theirs in what feels like just a few weeks.

Days before Halloween I was browsing Party City for ideas and came across a baby Darth Vader costume for $10. Tess. Done. The I came across some adorable skull and crossbones suspenders. Cy = punk rock greaser. Done. Then a skin colored tee that makes the wearer look like they are covered in tattoos. Hubby as a bad boy? Yes, please. But I couldn’t find anything I liked for me that was cheapie cheap cheap cheap. When I got home I took a quick assessment of what we had around the house and I had had the best idea. Where’s Waldo!! We have loads of big black glasses from our Fedorable shoot and I just added a bit of flare to a white beanie and spray painted stripes onto an old shirt. Done. And for free!

So our family couldn’t have been more random. Tattooed man ($15). Where’s Waldo (free). Ninja ($20). Cinderella ($15). Punk rock greaser ($7). Darth Vader ($10) and I love it!

To make Where’s Waldo. Dig an old white shirt out of your closet (you know the one with the deodorant stains…) tape stripes with painter’s tape then spray the heck out of it! Cut strips of red felt then safety pin around a white beanie and bunch up thin red strips and safety pin to the top of the beanie (or make a yarn pom pom or use a pre made craft pom pom).

I really enjoy Halloween. I think it’s a lot of fun to come up with clever costume ideas and I love getting creative to bring ideas to life. I know people can get a little touchy (understatement) about the holiday. But I think Christians have failed their communities by not celebrating or by doing “safe alternatives.” It’s no surprise to me that Halloween has become so evil as Christians have completely removed their presence in their own communities. Halloween is the ONLY holiday that requires you to visit your neighbors. You know, those people who live 30 feet from you, who you’ve only waved at once. Hell-o outreach!! What if Christians gave out the best candy? Maybe with a lil’ invite you your Sunday service attached. What if Christians opened up their garages and served warm chili to trick-or-treating parents? Hot apple cider for Jesus, yo! I’ve had awesome Christian friends tell me they just go out to a movie or growing up they would shut off all the lights and hide from trick-or-treaters. I believe that’s what the enemy wants you to do. A major victory for Satan. Stop stepping back and start stepping in. Into the battle. Turn on your lights, literally and figuratively for the LORD. Be present in the home God has placed you. Be present for that one person who might need your encouragement that night. Be present to ~~strangers~~ your neighbors. Halloween would be different. Could be different.

(side note: Halloween is also a great time to teach your children the truth about death, demons and ghosts.)

Other great costumes of the evening…. (yep, we’ve got some crazy-awesome aunties around here!!!)

And I have another lil’ guest post over at According to Kelly. I’ll post it here soon too! And below is how to enter her great giveaway!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway