Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Scenes from December

It has been a rather quiet Christmas season for us. Other than visiting with friends and participating in a play at our church, we have stuck close to home.  I have not had the energy to attempt nearly half the stuff I ordinarily do. I  like to believe that it is because keeping up with Levi has consumed whatever residual energy I  may have had for such things. That being said, I have enjoyed dressing up twice in once month and leaving all three kiddos with a babysitter so that Nate and I could attend two work parties.
 
 
 
Other than taking a ton of photos, I have not made much headway on our December Daily album this year. I will most likely finish it sometime mid January.

 
 I have certainly enjoyed looking back at past December daily albums though.

 
A rare moment when both children were quietly coloring.
 
 
 
 An armload of snail mail to post


 
Getting Christmas snail mail brings me a ridiculous amount of joy  
 
 
Feeling extra loved this year!
 
 
 
We had planned on getting another Lego calendar from Costco but they were sold old. The kiddos were more than thrilled with this one.
 
 
Ordinarily I harvest a TON of evergreens but this year I did not have the energy to do so.
 
 
Decorating gingerbread houses together
 





 A little something for all the awesome teachers!

 
A special gift from Claire's preschool teachers and a romp in fresh snow.
 
 
 
 I actually managed to have a girls night. I think this is going to become a monthly thing in the new year. How can you go wrong with chocolate, wine and good conversation?
 

 
I made a Martha Stewart gingerbread cheesecake minus the gingerbread (which were an epic fail). This photo is from Google images, as I forgot to take a decent photo of mine.
 
 
Jack frost has been having fun painting the car windows.  

 
Our wreath this year. Costco.



First snowfall on Mount Benson.

 
My beautiful, vivacious, hilarious friend Erin.


Watching the first snow fall with her girls 



A sweet little man dressed for a walk and our wreath this year .


The icing sugar dusted coconut trees that I made with Amelia. I don't have any pictures of the butter tarts or and dark chocolate almond and dried cherry biscotti I made.


Our entryway chalkboard and one of many lovely cookies from our neighbor and her two sons.






A crafting event at Amelia's school.
 


Christmas party fun! Nate is so much crazier than me.

 
All dressed up. I loved the Christmas tree in this very "adult" living room.
 
 
Some of the decorations for the annual Christmas play at our church


Amelia rehearsing for her role in the play and doing Christmas crafts during her downtime.



 
 The branch in my kitchen strung with lights and gingerbread stars and a lovely event called "Field of Dreams" at the Buzz Coffee House.

 
 
 Christmas Décor
 












Our tree bears little resemblance to this one, as most of them have been removed by the little darling in my childhood cradle.

 
Usually, we stick our presents under the tree, but after Levi systematically opened a bunch, we decided to pile them on a dresser.
 
 
 
A clean kitchen and a very mucky window!
 
 
Our seasonal corkboard covered in Christmas awesomeness.
 
 
 


 
 

 
I love Amelia's Nativity scenes

 
 
We have taken a lot of frosty walks




 
The kids love searching for frozen puddles and smashing the ice in them. Watching them brings back so many great childhood memories.
                                                             



 
 
 
Making sugar cookies with Oma and cousin Sam
 
 
 
Armed with a sugar cookie and off to look for a tree

 
 
How about his one momma?
 



We did a lot of our Christmas shopping at Michael's craft store. Amelia and I find ourselves audibly sighing in nearly every isle.






 

 
Levi finding another purpose for a gift bag from a friend. Enjoying a caramel Brule latte from a friend.
 
 
 
And a sneak peek of the fantastic getaway I just took with my girlfriend. More to come.
 
 


Merry Christmas everyone!