the day after...

We are still hanging out, the kids playing with their Christmas presents, being lazy, being together. I love hanging out the day after Christmas. Nowhere to go, just be home & relax!

I'm not one of those people who tears everything down the day after. I like to savor it. Enjoy it. I almost hate checking facebook the day after because inevitably there are people making comments like 'glad it's over', 'can't wait to get this tree down', 'ready for it to be done'. Really?? Oh sure, the tornado of Christmas paper that ran through my house yesterday left destruction in it's path. But it also left 3 happy children!

It was Addie's first Christmas. There won't be another like it. Oh sure, next year will be great. It'll be so much fun with her walking & saying a handful of words. But there only one first!

It snowed just a little bit on Christmas Eve which was very exciting. 

Not snowman making snow but just enough to get us excited! 

The kids made gingerbread houses while I made some cookies for Santa :)

We went to church on Christmas Eve as usual. 

Then stopped at Starbucks on the way home for some yummy hot chocolate. The kids wanted that to be our new tradition :)

Christmas morning was wonderful...even though I was dead tired from all of my children keeping me up all.night.long. 

It was a Lego's Christmas for Ben & girly stuff from Justice & American Girl for Olivia...and a few baby toys for Addie :)

We spent the entire day in pjs, enjoyed some Christmas music from my new cd, had yummy food, cookies & holiday punch.

And we tried to whip each other's butts at Mario Kart

Addie cracked me up at her fascination with the wrapping paper

Those eyes! hehe That's her latest look over the last couple of days. I have several pics of her doing that. One of her favorite toys was the puppy her big brother & sister got for her :)

That and her Fozzie Bear...

And the kids got me a hee-larious Beaker ornament & a Mickey Mouse popcorn bowl.

Yes, they certainly know me well. And yes, I was still in my pjs, it was about 9pm and that was my dinner :)

And now I have to tear down the Christmas tree...not because I want it down but because it is so dried out that it has become a fire hazard. Boo! So that's what I'll be doing tomorrow. Gonna leave it up just one more day :) All of the other decorations will stay up til New Year's Day.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

have a blessed Christmas

Merry Christmas Eve!

Today's Agenda:

lots of cookie baking

homemade meatballs in the crock pot

gingerbread houses

Christmas pjs for the kids (still have to make those!)

church

and maybe a quick stop at Starbucks for some yummy hot chocolate on the way home :)

(that was my grocery shopping trip last night...everything is made better with hot chocolate! Mmmmm.....)

opening a few presents (the kids always open the present from each other on Christmas Eve)

tracking Santa on NORAD

enjoying Christmas Eve with each other

Have a blessed day!

winter break

Christmas is coming way too fast this year. It's my favorite time of year...I wish it would slow down!

Picked up some vintage ornaments at Goodwill a week ago. Score! And I picked up this cute vintage suitcase at my quilt retreat in October. I'm planning on redoing the inside (one of the many items on my 'to-do' list!)

Some new decorations, some old, some handmade. Can you tell I like Charlie Brown ;)

We went to see Arthur Christmas with friends.

Such a great movie that I'm thinking of taking the kids to see it again next week.

We went to see A Christmas Story playing at the dollar movies. Awesome.

Many hours have been spent on Club Penguin...

Something fun came in the mail...

Project Life for next year...I ordered Clementine for Addie's 2nd year and for our family album. Which reminds me...I realize I haven't been very good at sharing my pages. So next week I'll be sharing Addie's album...I promise :)

I've been working on my December Daily (and so has my oldest daughter). Almost caught up. My friend Theresa & her gang came over yesterday.

The boys...

The girls...

hehe :)

We still have gingerbread houses, popcorn garland, Christmas cookies & a few other holiday crafts to make :)

I have to brave the grocery store today. And possibly Target. My daughter's birthday is just 8 days after Christmas so it makes for an even busier Christmas season. It's nearly noon and I'm still in my pjs. Guess I'd better get going!!

Merry Christmas Eve-Eve!!
 

tis the season...

for waiting in line at the post office! This was the scene yesterday...

Strollers come in quite handy when you have a lot to carry!! The last couple years I've been late getting packages out. And actually we have one more to go out. Lots to mail around the holidays with everyone living in different states.

We had fun with those boxes before we packed 'em up :)

Fra-gee-lay...that must be Italian!

I hope your holidays are going well!! We're heading out today to get a few last things, heading to the post office to mail the last 2 packages, & then we can spend some time making yummy Christmas treats :)

yesterday's {POTD}

{picture of the day}

Just Addie & me...her snoozing in my lap. At night when everyone else is in bed. My favorite time of day :)

The photo is a bit grainy. The vacuum cleaner is still out. That's ok. That's life. At least you can't see that the dresser is dusty ;)

I love that you can see her little hand. So precious.

This one will probably go in Addie's Project Life album rather than the December Daily but we'll see. 

Today I'm working on the kid's treat bags for their last day of school tomorrow. Probably blizzard bites & pretzel hugs (recipes to follow for sure!)

And catching up on my December Daily. I have the pics printed & ready to go in my book. 

10 more days until Christmas!!

holiday inspiration {via} pinterest

Darn you Pinterest. You are such a drain on my time some days. But oh the inspiration! And now my 'to do' list is oh so long!

(Click on any of the images to take you to the link)

InLinkz.com

If I had the time I would love to use the snowmen cups filled with blizzard bites for my son's class but given my kids only have 3 days of school left I don't think that's gonna happen. Maybe next year.

Definitely going to do the Reindeer Feet...I'm thinking a canvas with all 3 of my kiddos & their feet :)

And when I see those beautiful vintage ornaments it makes me want to scour the earth to get some of my own! Believe me, when I'm at garage sales & thrift shops I'm always keeping an eye open for them.

When am I gonna start looking up these ideas in August so I can be on top of things for the holidays?? Anyone else feel this way?? hehe Oh wait a minute, I had a 2 month old in August this year!

I hope this gives you some inspiration! You can follow me on Pinterest to see some of the other goodies (edible & non-edible!) I have pinned :)