our christmas

so i wanted to start the new year blog posts with something thoughtful and inspiring.
but…
all my kids are home.
and i have had MAYBE four hours of alone time in the last 15 days.
so there is nothing in my brain to share that is thoughtful or inspiring.
blank.
i’m hoping for some goal setting & inspiration starting on tuesday morning.

i kept my christmas decor much less than previous years.
a little but not overkill.

my Lindsay Letters canvas is my new favorite piece!

talby and annie worked together and made their first cheesecake for their gift to craig for christmas.
he said it was the best gift he’s ever gotten.
🙂
Pam’s  Cheesecake is SO CRAZY GOOD!

every christmas eve we have the tradition (like many others) of new pajamas.
i try to set them out before we leave for church and then everyone gets comfy when we get back.
this year they got slippers too.
AND craig i got his first pair of pj pants and slippers too!
he finally gets what all the hype is about!
ha ha ha
but they was our first year to attempt matching jammies for the girls since all 3 can wear women’s sizes now.
whaaaaat?

back to talking about church though… christmas eve church is such a beautiful thing!
i ALWAYS need it.
every year.
no matter how “together” i think i have it because usually i am exhausted & barely holding it together by christmas eve.
i am always caught up in the gifts and the busy-ness even though i fight it like crazy.
and i admit almost every year i convince myself that i don’t need to go… i’m too busy… i have too much to do.
but we go and once again christmas eve church service brings it all back into perspective.
jesus is why we are doing all this celebrating.
my heart is filled.
we watched all our holiday movies that we love… Elf, Home Alone, Christmas Vacation and It’s a Wonderful Life over the week leading up to christmas. That is one of my favorite traditions.
i love movies.
(sidenote: recently i was having a conversation about a movie i went to and the person said “i don’t really believe in going to movies”.  i was speechless.  it wasn’t a religious thing… just they don’t like movies.  i had no words.  because I. LOVE. MOVIES!)

christmas morning.
we started with breakfast that craig made… bubble loaf and egg casserole.
and a BIG coffee with a candy cane and whipped cream for me.

last year i shared their stockings after christmas but i forgot to take those pics this year.
but here is a run down of some things:
GIRLS – coconut shampoo, toothbrush, make-up brushes, notebook, face wash, coffee, bath poof, mascara, eye brow pencil, chapstick, undies, socks, hair chalk, shower speaker, frappacino and Ramen

BOYS: socks, ski mask, socks, notebook, an air pump, nose shaped pencil sharpener, shower speaker, hostess cupcake, underwear, Nutella, gatorade gum and Ramen.

instead of legos and dolls… they ask for shoes, a bean bag, a bike and a 10 piece pots& pans set.
🙂

annie picked this mug for me.  (heart eyes!)

now that the kids are older they also pick their own gifts for their siblings.
i really really like to see them pick things out, wrap them up and then see how proud they are to give their gifts.
i think that is my new favorite part of christmas morning.