Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas {2014 Part II}

Part II party people.
Well, you can't celebrate Christmas without pretty nails!
I fell in love with these Jamberry nails and decided to have an online party so I could get a set for free...well, my party did way better than I ever dreamed and I will have a few sets to show for months and months to come and so shall Leighton! {Which was the original reason I did the party!}

I mentioned our church is big on sets. We like to go big or go home. Some may think it is over the top for a church, but as someone who likes details to match everything I think it is worth it. This month the theme was Generosity and it was set to the Frozen theme. The kids LOVED this cutout and the next week they brought out a puppet named "sno"laf. IT was a hit.

Leighton and I decided to get crafty one Sunday afternoon.  Homemade ornament from a milk carton.

So one day it snowed. I must live under a rock  because I was taken by complete surprise! Of course the kids had to go play in it. I don't care for the cold...so being the awesome mom I am we went out and I hunkered down in the back of my pilot and "watched" them play. Hey, I made hot cocoa so I am still a rock star in their eyes. :)

My kids are nuts. She is dressed like summer no matter what the temp...

Doesn't everyone wear snow goggles inside?!

Today I was running around trying to get all the last minute Christmas shopping done as Christmas was less than a week away and we were leaving for KC in 3 days! So I sucked it up and took my little elf. He was a great help...for once. Also I was so happy to finally be able to wear my head wrap a sweet gymnastic mom made me. I have wanted one of these FOR-EVER!

Not buying this for a second... ;)

A quick photo at Lo's Grinch/Christmas party at school. I mean why on earth would we want to combine the Gingerbread party with the Christmas party?! That is just crazy! These Kindy kids need at least 1 par-tay a week. 

So my hubby is a teacher. And he came home with this as a gift. I nearly cried. A diffuser and EO?! This was so nice. I have been dying for one since I started my EO kick last year. And so far we have been diffusing On Guard like crazy and we have survived Christmas sans yuckies...even post vacay! Now here's to staying that way! I am a STRONG believer in this stuff.

Then on Friday before Christmas my mom and sister gave me the best gift yet. Taking my kids  so I could FINALLY wrap gifts, finish up Santa projects and get organized for the trip without waiting until 10p when a little boy named MW FINALLY goes to bed. {That is a whole post all by itself}.
Bliss. Empty rooms.

Saturday {Dec 20th} My MIL took us to see a Lunch Theater show. We did this last year and really enjoyed it. I think it may be a start of a great tradition.

Micah is going through a weird photo taking phase. Meaning he either takes totally awkward photos, or he refuses to take them at all. We are working on this. I told him photos are for the person taking them not him! HA! So far it is helping...

MW refused to be near these people! HA!

After church we took an impromptu tour of lights around the city. We went to chick fil a and had dinner in the car and looked at lights. It was a fun night.
I love candy cane lane. They  really out do themselves.

Sunday {Dec 21st} Cookie day!!
It just felt like this year everything just got slammed into one weekend. We just ran out of time to do some of the things we love, but in the end we still had a great Christmas and a little change never hurt anyone.
Cutest Betty Crocker ever.

Auntie Meg is in charge of the cookies. Grammy is in charge of movie watching with MW and mommy just drinks coffee. We are a great team. ;)

MEG-AN!

We ended Sunday evening with Daddy's birthday at Sumo. They cook for you and I thought the kids might enjoy it...not so much. Lo was terrified of the fire and nearly cried 3 different times.

Micah liked it well enough...of course I had to bring PBJ for his dinner...

Scared to death.

Happy Birthday Daddy!!!

And that shall conclude Part II.
Part III Christmas in KC.

November Part 2.

Taking photos is savoring life intensely.
I saw that quote on pinterest loved it. Sometimes I slack on photo taking, because my house is too messy in the background or it isn't the "right" setting, the kids clothes are mis-matched --if in fact they even have pants on. HA! Or I don't want to be in the photo because I have no make-up on and 2 day old hair. However, photos capture not only a memory but emotions. And at the end of the day this is our life, messy, mis-matched and with no make-up and it's beautiful just the way it is and I want to remember our story.

Reading together. Lo is really gaining speed in her reading and is good at memorizing stories, so she loves to read to MW and MW loves to be read too.

Snow watch 2014.
There was word snow was suppose to come this day, so they set up camp at the sliding glass door to wait for it. It took 2 days but we finally got some. Must be nice to be able to get it wrong in your job routinely and still get to keep it. ;)

SNOW!!!

Yep, no coat {but snow pants!} in freezing temps. I asked him if he was cold---NOPE! He was only outside for 2 minutes trying to catch a snowflake on his tongue.

These. These are the moments I want to cherish forever. It's why I created an instagram wall and print these not quite frame worthy photos out, but still want to see them everyday photos.
Daddy is reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' somehow Chad has every word memorized, it blows me away.

Kindy craft project. It was to be a family effort so naturally Lo and mommy did all the work. I did the gluing but she did all the crafting. The only thing daddy and MW did was put their finger prints on a feather. I think it is the prettiest turkey evah.

So one day it was 70* and the next a polar vortex hit and it was 30* with even lower feels like temps. She rocks that hat. I call it the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants hat, because it fits everyone who tries it on head. We bought it for daddy one year, but she sort of took it this year for recess. She looks way cuter in it anyway.

My BFF had a her 4th baby girl and 5th child the day before my birthday. We are all in love with her. She gives us all our baby fix. Lo unfortunately do to school rarely sees baby girl, so she was excited this night when she came to our house for a visit. She sang her Jesus loves me and held her tight.

Night time reading by our pink Christmas tree.

 Found our Christmas program dress in the hand me down box. She looks adorbs.

Kindy Thanksgiving Feast.

A little mini program.

MW loves to play make believe. He can sit for minutes just playing legos, pirates, doll house, etc. Lo never did that she is more of a baby doll and artsy kind of gal. Just love to capture his imagination.

My heart. We are having some great times just me and my little buddy.

We voted!

"Helping" me fold laundry. Mostly he just loves to watch Gilmore Girls with me. He belts out the theme song every time.

Waiting. oh so patiently for the LoLoSass to come out of school. Most days we have a good 15+minutes to kill in the car line. So bring on the legos and Frozen Free fall.

This boy and his imagination.

And to conclude November we had a 5 hours gymnastic practice the day before Thanksgiving and apparently 3 hours in and they are spent! I love these girls and coaching them. I love working with all their quirky personalities and motivating them to succeed.