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.

Thanksgiving + Deck The Halls + Fa La La La

And boom goes another month. Gone. Just like that.
Here is part 1 of November, although most of it occurred in part 2...don't judge my methods. ;)

So shockingly we got snow one weekend. Snow. In November, not unheard of but not common. Of course the kids were thrilled. And I love having wet soggy clothes and boots on my landing for a week. It is fun though watching the joy it brings, you forget so much about childhood and re-living it with your kids gives it new excitement all over again.

It's no secret that Thanksgiving is my least favorite holiday. I do love the whole gratitude attitude thing, but November in and of itself is blah and the turkey is extra blah. However, last year we started the Tree of Thanksgiving. Each day {well most days} we all try and write 1 thing we are grateful for and hang the leaf up. MW still doesn't fully grasp the concept as he choose random things to be thankful for--like his truck book, but it is still fun to hear. Lo's heart is very sensitive to needs of others and she really chooses deep things--like clean water. Some days I find it astounding that they came from the same gene pool.

Lo was so ready to set up the tree and decorations this year. And because I find it exhausting we broke it into days. Everything out one day, fluff tree branches the next, wait for our rotating tree base to arrive, put tree up with lights on another day followed by trimming the tree on Thanksgiving day.

This was the year MW could finally put the star on and as soon as daddy tried to lift him, he FREAKED OUT.

So Brave Betsy did it. This girl fear nothing. Makes for a great gymnast.

The aforementioned tree trimming process.

Our tree rotates. I can not tell  you how cool that is. Lo begged for a rotating tree last year, but the tree was already up and I didn't see the point in buying a rotating base. This year I remembered and made sure to order one in time! Fun to see all the ornaments and as Lo says "I won't break my arm again trying to see the ornaments in the back!" {to clarify she only sprained it falling off the couch last year looking at the back of the tree.}

Another little tradition we have is family Thanksgiving Day pictures. Something magical happens on this day each year and we get good photos on a self timer in one take.

MW is just all Chandler Bing when it comes to taking photos...so excuse his random face. But I have learned to just appreciate that as who he is and embrace it. :)

The last tradition is to read the Christmas Nativity story as we put up my beloved manger scene.

I try so hard guys, I do. I want to be laid back but it's hard. Each year my face looks slightly more relaxed than the year before. HA!

A mini tour of the decor.

Ah, and then Izzy the elf has returned with donuts. Lo's face nearly exploded when she saw he was back. Then she yelled Micah come quick Izzy is back! That boy nearly tripped on his own feet {which really isn't all that crazy for him} trying to see Izzy!

And to wrap up this installment of November pt 1 that happened during pt 2.
THE CAR.
Micah and Leighton come on down....you've won a CAAAARRRR!
Not really, but that is what it felt like.
Yesterday I swung by goodwill to look for a mini Christmas tree for MW's room. And what should we see when we walked in, but this car. We meander around goodwill, found a tree and while I was checking out MW hopped in the car and tried to drive out the front door with it. As we left he begged for it. It was only  $60 and we have ALL wanted one of these for years. I told him I wasn't sure, I mean if I bought this thing I want it to be a Christmas gift...so I called daddy. Daddy the gift giving fool of course said YES! So we walked right back in and asked to buy it.

HOWEVER. part of the tag was missing and they refused to sell it to me because they weren't sure it wasn't already sold. They have a-mazing record keeping at goodwill...I mean it gives Hobby Lobby a run for their money.  ::insert SARCASM:: So frustrating. All I could do was come back tomorrow and hope it was still there. MW actually left really well--no fits, crying, whining etc. I was proud.

I told him we need to all take this as an opportunity to trust God. It seems silly, but God does care about little things like this, because they are big things to a little 3yo boy.

So we showed up as soon as they opened today and lo and behold the car was still there! It was ours. MW was thrilled!! He kept patting the car the whole way home. Of course when Lo got home she couldn't believe we got it! I told her to keep her hopes low.

And that is the story of the early Christmas present that is the car. Man the joy these two have, makes it all worth it. Even if it only last 6 months...it was $60 well spent!