Tuesday, December 31, 2013

December's Favorite Things

 1. elfabit victor getting what's coming to him
2. my baby brother (who's practically a foot taller than me)

 3. stepping up my yoga game with new leggings
4. our home light up with christmas lights

5. getting dressed up for clay's Christmas party
6. the kiddos building their daddy a present at a home depot workshop

7. beautiful babies visiting me at work
8. a real talk note home from narls

9. a jumbo margarita. or two.
10. em grace and her easy bake oven

11. this cat
12. and this cat


13. and this dog
14. hell, all the kids and all the animals

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Very Merry Christmas

 
Our Christmas?
Lovely.

 
We got our yearly puzzle, that we finished in a week. A thousand pieces. Didn't lose a single one either, which is no small feat with kids and animals running loose in the house.

 
My parents took Narls and Em for a weekend, a blog post in and of itself for a whole other day, so Clay and I finished up our shopping and put together a couple Christmas projects.

 
We took the kids to the holiday sing presented at my work. It was different under FirstMerit, although I'm thankful we're still doing one.

 
We listened to some traditional Christmas songs at the Whiting.

 
And before we knew it, it was Christmas eve. The kids set out cookies & milk for Santa and carrots & apple slices for the reindeer. We read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. We tracked Santa on our iphone app. Clay and I had Christmas cocktails (speaking of, I highly recommend eggnog & captain).  Presents were wrapped, stockings were stuffed.
 


 
He picked that hat out for her. She loved it.

 
Funny story about Christmas morning- Narls and Em ran downstairs because oh my gosh, Santa left a present unwrapped! A big doll house! Within seconds an alarm was going off. Santa actually left two presents unwrapped- a dollhouse and a laser beam spy kid alarm system. As the alarm sounded, there were shrieks of surprise and tears and then laughter. The memory still makes me smile.

 
The snow, the lights, the coffee, the snuggles, their smiles ... it was the most perfect Christmas morning yet ♥

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Elf on the Shelf: Elfabit Victor Week 4 2013

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
More Elf shenanigans here.

Monday, December 23, 2013

2013 Gingerbread House

I'd say it's our best one yet.



 
2012: here.
2011: here.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Winter Wonderland

The snow has been coming down steady for the last few days. School was canceled on Friday so the kiddos got an earlier than expected start on their winter breaks. I love the snow; I'm even holding on to the hope that maybe we'll be snowed in ♥

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

 

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Elf on the Shelf: Elfabit Victor Week 3 2013

 


 

 

 

 

 
Past Elf shenanigans here.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Classroom Christmas Parties

 
It's been a busy week of classroom parties for my two little people.
 

 
We got the teachers' and bus driver gift all bought and bagged. Normally we make gifts, but this year we went the simple route.
 

Narls had a tree trimming party in his first grade class. Parents helped the students make three different ornaments for their classroom tree and then decorated sugar cookies. I was happy to see the classroom Elf. 
 
His classroom Christmas party was kiddos only. They wore pajamas to school and made hot chocolate in their room while they watched The Polar Express. Narls came home happy and with his own little sleigh bell.

 
Em had her tradition pre-K sing. It's hard to believe that this will be the last time Clay and I will be attending one of these Christmas sings at our children's preschool.
 
 
Em was pretty excited for her Christmas dance in her ballet class.
 

Seriously. I die.