New Year's Eve

We have a Tenry Christmas to attend this afternoon then we'll head to the 'Boro for a New Year's Eve celebration! And it's special this year 'cause Rose, Pete & Matt are in town. Woohoo! Before all that happened, I wanted to post my annual first and last pics of the year.


Turns out I don't have a good one (non blurry, all actually in it) of all 4 'til quarter or half through the year, so here's a few pics:

Update pic (12/31):

Papa & Omi's Christmas

We celebrated Christmas with Daniel's dad, stepmom and siblings today. We get together each year and have a great time. We eat yummy food, hang out & talk, open some presents and watch the kids be crazy! I did manage to get some pictures during the gift opening chaos, but enjoyed the rest of the time just hanging out with everyone. Trying to relax and take it all in, but the kids never let you do that for long. ;)

What a great night! Merry Christmas!!

Happy 9th Birthday, Will!!

Here it comes. Every year. Every year I say, "how are you already ___ years old?!" But it's true and absolutely amazing how quickly the years pass. They say 'the days are long but the years are short' and I'm living it! I don't understand how it's possible, but from one month and year to the next time is just so fleeting. 

And here we are again. Now you're 9 years old Will!!! Nine. 9. Just let that sink in. Your last year to celebrate a single digit birthday. So hard to believe. These celebrations are always bittersweet to me. I'm so incredibly grateful to have you in my life. To celebrate this day. Your day of birth. The day you forever changed my life in such a profoundly amazing and wonderful way. I'm thankful to watch you grow up, to celebrate these 9 wonderful years with you. But I'm nostalgic and sentimental, so it's hard for me to let go of what was. Your baby years are gone, your preschool years are gone and you're well into your elementary years now. I'm grateful for each and every moment shared with you, just wish I could hold onto it. Bottle it up. Hold you a little longer, kiss away your boo boos. But I can't. Time moves on and so must I. 

Last night as an 8 yr old

So I celebrate the boy you are today. My big, loving, imaginative, creative, smart boy with a big heart that he sometimes likes to mask with a cool kid exterior. I love you more with each passing day and am so glad God chose me to be your mom. Of the 7 billion people on this earth, he chose me. Pretty amazing when you think about it. And boy do you challenge me some days. Especially in the midst of homeschooling where I'm your mom and teacher. However, there is no growth without change and that's what you teach me. I love your laugh and your adventurous spirit. I pray you grow in your faith and realize at a young age that being Christlike is the most important thing to be. That God's opinion of you matters most. I pray you carry that into adulthood as a man who leans on Christ is the strongest man there is. I love you my Will!! Happy 9th Birthday!!!!!!!!!

How we spent your day

Cian spent the night last night so you spent a good part of the day playing games with him. Papa & Omi stopped by with your gift and you also opened your gifts from us. Headphones and a shopping trip to use your birthday and Christmas money toward and XBox1 and we'll pay the difference up to a certain amount. (If the money you had was too much under the price, we would buy a bike instead). Then we went to Dave & Buster's for your 'party.' It was so busy, I didn't get any pictures there. We were joined by Grandma & Paga, Aunt Becca & Isla and Ginny & the kids. You had a great time playing all the games with your friends! 

After D&B's, we headed back to the house for your ice cream cake (I guess the days of me making your cakes are over too... *sniff sniff) and your sleepover. James was originally going to join us for that, but he had his tonsils removed a couple days ago so had to stay home. You were super excited he joined us at D&B's and had fun with Cian & Samuel at the house. What a great day!

Merry Christmas!!

We always start Christmas morning by reading the Christmas story from Luke as a family. The kids cuddle up in bed with us, we read and talk about Christ's birth and how he's our gift. The kids enjoy the tradition and while excited when we get there, never rush through to get to presents. After a quick pic on the stairs, we head to the living room to open the much anticipated Christmas morning presents.

 We have pretty laid back Christmas mornings. The kids don't wake up crazy early- they pretty much sleep until normal time or a little later. I think they slept until almost 8. This year we decided to take turns opening almost every gift instead of tearing them all open at once. I was able to enjoy each one opening and their reactions for everything. We may not do that every year, but it was nice. 

Now it's Stocking time!

 Jakey is sooo happy he got his "Squishy Iron Man"! He's been wanting it for awhile and we decided he was pretty good with Legos and it would be worth getting even though he's under the age. And Sheriff Callie down there is keep us safe!

I love you all very much! Merry Christmas 2016!!!

Christmas Eve

The Christmas celebration with my family lasts pretty much all day. We like to start around 1 or 2 and stay as late as possible. My mom, especially, likes it this way. When I was a kid we'd have Christmas (or nearly every other event) until all hours of the night! It was not uncommon for us to stay at Christmas Eve until 11pm-midnight. We don't stay quite that late, but easily 'til 9 or 10.

 We hang out, eat lunch and then do presents. First round everyone takes a turn from youngest to oldest then we let the kids go for it. The last couple years, we've been scaling back on the number of gifts, so if each has 2 or 3, we may even take turns for all of them. Once the kids are done, they run off and the adults go. Except mom and dad, who go after my siblings, spouses and I all go. Apparently we really like the gift giving to take as long as possible. :) Hey, all the excitement building up to it, we want to enjoy the moment!  Then we play games, talk, hang out. It's always a fun time. Merry Christmas!

Then I had to take this pic of Jake so I could compare these two 'cause they're the same age in the same outfit:

Oh my word! I'm tearing up just looking at this. Look at my cutie boys!! And Will has gotten so big. Time just moves too fast. My little man. And now my bo baker. In just a few years I'll be looking back on Jakey wondering how he got as big as Will is now. Love you boys!!! Merry Christmas. :)