Merriest Christmas

Most years I am scrambling for a family picture to put on the Christmas card.

Not this year though, I had options. 

Great options!

It was choosing that was difficult. 

This was the original design for the Christmas Card.

With our perfect family photo. 

Perfect classic choice.

 

But then who could forget this picture? 

With this caption:

"Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal"

 But then we got the girls pictures taken.

And this became an option.

Just look at those genuine smiles? 

I love those smiles.

Well, I couldn't pick one, so I didn't pick any. 

Yep, I took so long deciding that I missed the deadline. 

So Merriest Christmas to you!

Christmas Soap Making

I love making soap.

I started making soap for my girls, 

since they both have eczema I noticed the homemade soap didn't irritate it (as much). 

It's glycerin and shea butter so it feels lovely.

And I noticed it just makes the perfect little gifts.

It smells good.

It looks pretty.

And it's useful.

Plus, the girls love to help make it, and they can because it's hard to mess up.

 I am just really proud of my pinterest packaging.

And on another note...

I just really like our Christmas tree.

B wanted to make popcorn garland, and I think it just makes the tree. 

I think popcorn garland can be added on the (much growing) traditions list. 

 

Tis The Season

I am so behind in blogging. I still need to blog our Yellowstone Trip and our Ouray, CO trip that happened back in September (oh wait, and Lake Powell!) 

But Christmas is upon us. And I happen to love Christmas so it's taking priority.

I have been waiting for this Christmas since C was 6 months old. 

While sitting in my bed nursing her during the Christmas season I remember thinking, "I don't mean to wish time away but the Christmas they are 4 and 2 is going to be the most perfect Christmas ever." 

And I have been preparing for this Christmas since September because I have been so excited.

I love the Christmas season, so much that I actually never want Christmas day to come because it means it's over and I have to wait another 11 months for the season to begin again.

Time is my worst enemy, and I have been trying to make the most out of every minute with this small family of mine. 

The dogs as you can see are Christmas-ified. I used fabric from the nightgowns I made the girls, so they are all matchy matchy. 

Our Chrismtas tree was hunted and found. 

There is a cut your own Christmas tree farm near our home, and we have done it 3 years in a row, because I have this picture perfect Christmas tradition vision of us going and cutting down our own tree.

But want to know reality?

The farms trees are terrible.

So we went elsewhere this year, and I am so glad. 

The tree smells amazing. It's soft and didn't cut my hands raw while putting on the lights and ornaments.

It's still drinking a ton of water a day.

Did I mention it still smells? 

So glad we made the switch and found the perfect Christmas tree.

 Also Brad and a friend built me a proper mantle for my fireplace.

 I'm in love. The modern fireplace limited the design because I still wanted it to match but still be homey. I felt this was a good compromise. (Pinterest success right there).

Last year, after it had past, I learned of a German Christmas Market. 

I was bummed I missed it but was determined to check in out this year.

And I am so glad I did.

Seriously, so so charming.

It's called the Christkindlmarkt.  

I will go again. (and again)
My highlight was we ran in Gail Halvorsen, a.k.a The Candy Bomber 
He was part of the parade during the evenings and said a few words.
I just finished reading The Candy Bomber so to get to shake his hand and be in his presence (as cheesy as the sounds) was an honor. His heart and soul are golden.

 

 

 The girls met Father Christmas. 

This fall I took a sewing class. 

I am so glad I did.

I made the girls nightgowns.

And because I went through the hassle of making them I felt I needed to have professional photos taken.

There is a photo studio near us that does Santa Photos, but they are pure genius in that they have a parent dress up as Santa so the kids don't freak out.

Here is a behind the scenes.  

 

They crop out your head so it's just Santa's body.

Except this year I got in full blown Santa gear (it was so hot)

But so worth it.

 Here is the finished product:

 

There were reindeer outside after we were finished the photos. As C exclaimed "Oh reindeer, I like reindeer!" 

 

Then with a couple of friends in our neighborhood we went to the assisted living center near us and our kids sang Christmas songs to the residents. 

They were pretty darn cute. 

Can time freeze?

Can it be Christmas forever? 

More Halloween

We had more Halloween fun I forgot to blog about in the first Halloween post. 

We headed to a local Halloween festival. The girls had a blast.

 The only thing B wanted was her face painted, so face painted she was. She picked a unicorn. The littlest picked a ladybug.

 Slides, slides and slides.

 

Then I did something, that I am shocked I did to this day. 

That's a boa constrictor around my neck.

 

 

Anyone who knows me knows my phobia of snakes. 

Pictures even give me the heebie jeebies. 

I had been around this snake for probably 45 minutes. 

I watched my girls pet it like it was a fluffy bunny. 

I saw hoards of crowds encroach on the woman and the snake... and not one change in behavior.

I knew this was a chill snake.

I also knew I was getting more and more comfortable with it with every passing minute.

I knew if I was ever going to put a snake around my neck this was the time. 

So when in Rome, right? 

Brad likes to joke with me about my fear. 

While walking on the Brooklyn Bridge there was a man with one of those yellow snakes, that I have heard people describe as "pretty". He said, "You should put that snake around your neck". 

I walked to the opposite side of the bridge just to get away from the slithering reptile.

He didn't say anything to me about this one. 

All I said was, "You'll want a picture of this."

And approach the woman and BAM!

The look of shock on his face alone made this moment worth it. 

I totally impressed my husband.

Halloween

 I have so many more posts I need to do to get all caught up, but I realized I should at least just get the most current event posted.

Halloween

This has been a fantastic Halloween.

My parents came out again for it, maybe this is a tradition?

They made it in time to see B in her little school program.

Which was preschoolers walking in a parade then singing some Halloween songs, but I thought she was the cutest little sheep.

 Chris and Carrie hosted a Murder Mystery Halloween party. 

The theme was Super Hero vs. Villain. 

I was the super hero Colbatia, and Brad was the villainous one eyed General. 

I actually turn into a baddie by the end of the game. I am the one who does the murdering. 

No one guessed it, not even me!

A group shot it was so much fun.

 

 Our little neighbor was Bo Peep, so C was lucky enough to be in her school's parade with her.

 

When I asked B what she wanted to be for Halloween

I was trying to convince her to be a clown, because I saw the cutest costumes on pinterest.

But she had no interest.

She wanted to be a sheep. 

After some searching I found some sheep costumes.  

Convinced myself I could totally make it easy-peasy.  

I did make them.

1,000 cotton balls, 82 hot glue sticks, countless blisters, and a few late nights later I made them.

This picture makes it all worth it.

  

The one aspect of the sheep costume I really liked was the sheep dog.

 We already had two!

We let them go around with Sydney.

Because every sheep needs their sheep dog.

However, only one person while trick-or-treating put the connection together that they were sheep and Sydney is a border collie. 

Thus, she was the sheep dog herding them.

*Sigh*

 We trick-or-treated to Aunt Carrie and Uncle Chris. They were particularly excited to see Berkeley in his monster costume.

 The cotton balls would shed like crazy.

Here is a photo of the costumes by the end of the night.

 We washed faces, brushed teeth and let them watch the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown movie. They fell asleep within in minutes.

It was such a great (and tiring) day. 

I loved making the girls costumes. It made them special, and quite frankly a hit. 

But I don't think I could do that every year.

Maybe every other... but if, I know me like I know I do, it will probably be every 5 years :) 

Happy Halloween!

Rehearsal Dinner

It is tradition that Chris and Carrie always come for Sunday dinner, so most of the wedding planning/talk happened on Sunday nights. I knew Carrie had a vision for her rehearsal dinner. So after much contemplating I told Carrie, our wedding gift to them would be the rehearsal dinner. The planning, the food, the execution, all they had to do was show up. I felt I knew her well enough to know what she would love and could make happen what she wanted. 

And I am pretty sure we succeeded. I say "we" because it was a group effort. 

The location was pretty important to me and my sister-in-law, Aubrey has the most beautiful back patio for just an intimate romantic evening I envisioned. So I convinced (actually it required no convincing at all) Aubrey to join me in the effort, and I am so glad I did. 

It was absolutely stunning.

 

Aubrey had this idea for centerpieces. She wanted  a natural mosquito repellent so with a bunch of essential oils we made just that, and it smelled divine. 

She executed this so well.

Her friend, also came to the rescue and was able to spruce up what we had and somehow made something I already thought was beautiful even more beautiful. 

Just look at those centerpieces! I keep looking back over these photos and I just think they were so beautiful, they also smelled soooo good.

 

I made these burlap utensil holders and I thought they were so cute. Pretty proud of my work.

 

The happy couple.

 

I also MC'd the evening (you can email me for bookings ;) 

We then asked the groomsmen and bridesmaids to each take a few minutes and

 give a congratulatory speech.  

We asked each parent to give a little speech as well.

 

 There were laughter tears and joyful tears. 

 

 It really was a beautiful evening. Even though the weather teased us with thunderstorms but thankfully for some last minute help we put up tents to keep the guests dry, luckily, it never rained (probably because we were prepared for it). 

We finished the night with a photo video of Chris and Carrie.