This is what I see as I open my computer. I *heart* it. Can't I just step inside for awhile? I always get my wallpaper from Gooseberry Patch because it always puts me so in the mood for whatever season we are in. Here is the link to this one: Gooseberry Patch Wallpaper
Dreamy...
I'm in love...
Can it really be here? Is it really Christmas already? I'm so excited and overwhelmed and nostalgic and stressed and happy... all rolled into one!
We have A LOT of Christmas traditions that I can't wait to share with you! They are fun and corny and sentimental and US. I look forward to them all!
Our first tradition is probably one of our children's favorite things about Christmas... the advent house. Every day, a little elf visits this advent house and leaves a fun treat in one of it's doors. Sometimes he leaves a note that sends the child on a hunt around the house looking for a special gifty. Sometimes the gift is for just one child and other days the gift is for everyone. What fun memories we have around this little house and the elves that take care of us!
This was Keiran's first time ever opening one of the advent house doors. He LOVED his movie and had such a fun time watching it with the big kids!
Another advent tradition we have is the chocolate advent calendars. The kids never forget to open up their little boxes before they head off to school and eat a tiny chocolate bite. It was so fun to buy 4 calendars this year! KK loved his chocolate bite, but couldn't understand why he didn't get to eat more!
After watching Santa Buddies all cuddled up in my bed, I read the kids one of my favorite books of the season, A Snowman Named Sue. We then said our prayers and they headed off to bed with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads.
Dan and I then scooped up some yummy bowls of ice cream- me peppermint ice cream. Him- hot cocoa ice cream. While eating our treat, we watched The Holiday. SOOOO cute! Love that movie!!!
What a fun day. What a great way to kick off the season. I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and see what the elves have brought Miss Scarlet. I hear it's kind of fabulous! :)
This was the day of Halloween. I needed Scarlet's hair to be SUPER curly for her costume that night, so that's why her hair is in crazy ties.
It's always so crazy for me to watch Scarlet and the other kids play soccer on the exact same fields I played soccer on when I was her age. Dan played on these same fields too!
Of course, Grammy and Pa are at all the games too. Oh, and baby K is always on the sidelines throwing the ball to whoever will play with him.
Saturdays...
The church's annual Trunk or Treat... it's a tradition! The kids look forward to it every year and we love seeing all our friend's children all dress up in their cuteness!
This year my parents walked KK around to all the cars- proud as punch! They loved nothing more than showing off their little Elmo Vampire. Scarlet and Chandler always meet up with their friends and see how many times they car hit up each car. We drove Patrick there and we drove him home, but I don't think I ever saw him there once--- teenagers! I made sure to get a picture of him and I together for proof that he was actually with us!
How do you like my witchy glasses? :)
After the kids got home from their school Halloween parties (yes, that's make up- not poor skin coloring!) we decided it was the perfect time to carve pumpkins! The kids each got their own medium sized ones to carve and Dan had the pleasure of carving our giant 50 pound one! Scarlet carved her's into a witch, Chandler's was a dead guy and Dan carved his into Jack Skellington. Patrick carved one earlier in the week at church and he carved his to look like the Pumpkin King from Nightmare before Christmas. I ran around taking pictures and collecting seeds to make my DELICIOUS French Onion Soup Mix pumpkin seeds. YUM!!! All in all--- a successful pumpkin carving was had!
The kids got these spooky foam crafting kits during our Halloween dinner and today was the perfect day to put them together! Scarlet's was a haunted graveyard and Chandler's was a haunted pirate ship. These kits from Michael's are simply adorable!!!
