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Elle Bowes | Charlotte Based Blog | Heart & Home

Heart & Home: Stories from a heart warrior's mother who attempts to keep it all together, including her formerly put together home.

Holidays

A Simple Christmas | How to make gifts, wrapping, and the season merrier!

simple Christmas

Simple Christmas

Christmas for most people is anything but that… SIMPLE. We decided years ago that we would make Christmas about memories and being together and less about spending money we didn’t have on gifts. I’m excited to share some easy ways to make the holidays less stressful, more merrier, and all around simple. These can be applicable whether you celebrate Christmas or another holiday.

A few years ago I shared about our Christmas plans and ya’ll loved it! This was WAY before Remy ever went to the hospital or was even born so I love reading it and seeing how we focused so much on decorating Levine Children’s Hospital and helping the kids. You can read that post here 🙂

Gift Wrapping

I loved this polka dot wrapping paper from Target! They had a few prints but the gold one went perfectly with my next idea, to wrap the boys gifts in blue ribbon and the girls gifts in pink ribbon. You can of course keep the tradition of red and green for Christmas!
 

Gift Giving

The first thing we did when we started this “new” simple Christmas was being HONEST. With friends, family, neighbors, etc. We simply (pun intended) explained our ideas of not going into debt for Christmas and putting to rest the stress and anxiety that the holidays brought on… not to mention the stress of paying off credit cards for years to come. Everyone loved it. Since then, we ask others to not give us gifts (some insist and that’s ok!)

We limit our kids gifts and allow most to be given by grandparents which is special to them. Santa brings 1 gift and we then buy a few things, usually keeping it around $100 for each child which I think is a big splurge. I once read a story about how a teacher saw students coming back from break and it would hurt her to see her students process how “Santa” would bring one kid very little and the next kid a new xbox, bike, etc. It got me thinking that Santa shouldn’t be getting all the credit for these gifts and also it would help protect other kids less fortunate if we didn’t go so over the top in the name of Santa.

Here are some of the things I found for our kids that I know they will play with over and over! If ya’ll need any ideas, here is my girls, boys, and toddler list! 

Girls:
 
Boys:
 
Toddler:

DECORATING

I know I usually keep my tree white and my colors blush and blue, but this year, I loved the traditional stockings! I added little ornaments as characters for each stocking for the kids! They love them! I also got these stockings from Target with the ornaments. Stocking stuffers are fun for me so I always find cute socks, a craft, and a bath toy for them!  

 

SIMPLE

The best part about a simple Christmas is that it’s December 10th and I am ready to go. Bought, wrapped, under the tree. I spent the afternoon making gingerbread houses with the middle kiddos and get to enjoy this time of the year and how slow and restful it can be! I hope you can find a few simple ways to enjoy your holiday! 

 
 

Filed Under: Holidays

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Hi, I'm Elle! I'm a wife to Everett and mother to Averie, Emerson, Ryann Whitney and Remy.

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A year before these were taken, she would swing he A year before these were taken, she would swing her head up so fast if I tried to pet her face. She thought I was going to hit her so she’d quickly throw her head up to avoid it. Slowly, she learned that I wasn’t there to hurt her. This was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had!
She rescued me in more ways than I rescued her 💕 I’m so grateful I have these forever memories captured by my sweet hubbie!
Remy Update ❤️‍🩹 Thank you for the prayer Remy Update ❤️‍🩹 Thank you for the prayers and support for Remy as always! We had so much encouragement in December when Remy did a 7 day Holter monitor on his heart. It’s not easy to get a 4 year old to wear a monitor attached to his chest 24-7 for 7 days but he did so amazing. We waited what felt like ages to hear from Dr. Brothers since it was over the holidays. Everett was next to me when the preview showed up and all we saw was, “I reviewed the heart rate monitor which was reassuring.” We both were shaking immediately. The emotions take over so quickly!! Remy’s overall results were great! He does have some PVCs (premature ventricular complexes). We will follow up in one year to make sure the frequency of them is staying low. These are very rare and are usually seen a normal heart which is interesting. So far, nothing to be concerned with! We are so grateful! Grow, Remy, grow! ❤️‍🩹
All my girl mama dreams came true with this room! All my girl mama dreams came true with this room! 🎀 Ryann and Emerson have shared a room for 5 out of the 6 years of her life. She was ready for her big girl room and it was so fun to surprise her with this dreamy ballerina room!! Bow curtains to be put up next! Swipe for how it sparkles at night ☺️
Happiest birthday to my best friend, my husband, m Happiest birthday to my best friend, my husband, my partner in crime, and my most favorite person in the world. God didn’t make many of them like you and I’m so grateful you’re mine. We’ve seen so much of the world together, brought in SO many babies, celebrated on the mountains, held each other through the valleys. I always believed in fairy tales but you’ve kept ours going so strong. Thank you for being a wonderful husband and excellent father! We absolutely love you!
🎀 thanks @whitneybilhorn for capturing our fami 🎀 thanks @whitneybilhorn for capturing our family 🎀
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It’s been years since I’ve had to walk through It’s been years since I’ve had to walk through these fears and emotions. Unfortunately, I am asking for some big prayers so we can avoid the hospital. Remy has a bad cough that has come and gone and now returned. His saturations are dipping from low 90’s to high 80’s which I normally would call 911 for. I just texted his doctor and we are working hard to keep him from an ambulance ride. Please pray 🙏🏼 Thank you so much!
My sweet Remy!! He could have had irreversible bra My sweet Remy!! He could have had irreversible brain damage from his loss of oxygen or the endless seizures or the stroke. But then God:) I’m so thankful for his smart little mind! He loves animals and learning about them!
As a seasoned "flock lady", here are my recommende As a seasoned "flock lady", here are my recommended trees! For 7 years now, I have loved sharing my favorite winter wonderland posts!! I sorted through to make sure most were quick ship trees, highly rated and affordable! Ours has held up great for 4 years now! These sell out FAST so grab yours, before you know it, they're gone!
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That feeling after two date nights in a row 💕 t That feeling after two date nights in a row 💕 the mustache game is going strong still ☺️
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4 years ago… taken 25 days apart. No change in m 4 years ago… taken 25 days apart. No change in medication, medical care, nothing! Our miracle baby who was waiting on the heart transplant list was transformed and kept his heart. He looked like the left for 2 months… no improvements. Then God:)
Remy loves a good rainy day nap… and a custom so Remy loves a good rainy day nap… and a custom sound of nature to accompany it 😂
I love watching you kill your goals and reach your I love watching you kill your goals and reach your dreams! Next up, your half marathon! 
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