Our homemade nativity!

This is one of our favorite traditions! We have been doing it for about 7 years. (Long before pinterest!:) I assign everyone someone special to find to complete our nativity. I try to mix it up every year (everyone wants to find Mary, Joseph and Jesus!) Every year it ends up being one of my favorite traditions. This year Max found our Shepherds and donkeys! Dash found the wise men. Darby had Mary, Joseph and the angel and Juliet did great finding baby Jesus. Wonder Woman Mary was kneeling at first and was a little to "thrusty" so Brandon sat her down saying she was a little "too involved" (I laughed for a long time on that one) We did end up changing out baby Jesus a little later (he started out a little bunny) but because we had a chef smurf it looked like Joseph was going to eat the baby Jesus. Jesus ended up being R2D2. At any rate WE LOVE THIS TRADITION! It is highly recommended for families with small children or weird collectors of figurines and McDonald's toys.

office goodies

These are the treats we made for Christmas (and Hanukkah) for Brandon's crew at work! We made dipped spoons for their hot chocolate and some dipped marshmallows then put them in fancy mugs! I found the mugs on sale so we were able to get everyone one. He felt great spreading cheer to everyone he could! It made me feel great too!
I think they turned out really cute! Thanks pinterest for the dipped spoons and marshmallow idea! (I added the cup....;)

a cute gift from my max!

Max made me these in scouts. The cute little gumball candy holder is REALLY cute and I couldn't wait to put candy in it! The lid comes off and it is a perfect little dish. I think we will be making these for Nana and Great granny this year! SO very cute! I love most of all how excited he was to give them to me and how much love his scout leader has for them. Thank you Akeala!

He looked soooo nice when I sent him to school???!?!?!

Today was the holiday program for the Kindergarten, first and second grades. They were supposed to come to school in nice clothes.

I can do that!

This week of course was extra crazy so far, so the shirt I wanted Dash to wear was too wrinkly! We decided to go with a clean unwrinkled shirt. It does happen to be the shirt though that only has a Sunday or 2 left in it because the sleeves are almost too short (please say almost in a squeeky voice). When you tuck in the shirt and add a tie though it really looks GREAT! SO then we have the hair that is overdue for a haircut. No time for that so we add some hair gel and slick back the sides. ADORABLE so far. We have a fight about socks and shoes because no one wants to wear church shoes to school and he just won some holiday socks at the youth Christmas party he got to go to with daddy last night. OK he wins! No one will look at his feet when he looks this cute, right?

I got to the school at 1:00 so excited to see my sweet boy sing and dance to Rocking Around the Christmas Tree and La La La La La Lachtas! (Hanuka with a Latin flair!) They parade in the 1st graders and I cant see my adorable tie sportin' boy. The only boy I see is a fluffy long haired no tie wearing, untucked, KETCHUP stained shirt, socks fallen under his heel so looks like he has on NO socks with his tennis shoes boy. He looked like the poor kid in class with no mom to cut his hair, tuck in his shirt (that fits), and make him wear socks.

How can you not love this little face though! You should see him salsa to his Hanuka song! I loved every Ketchup stained second of it!

Holiday breakfast...so easy!

So this little number is a pinterest idea and I loved it! It was easy and no extra work really. I was making all this anyway. It was just a matter of placing it on the plate! I love things that make me a hero in my kids eyes! This is a really winner!

Happy Birthday Juliet Zuzu!

Happy happy birthday Juliet Dear! Juliet turned 3. I don't want to talk about it! She told everyone for weeks that she was getting a La La Loopsy doll! She did. She obviously loved it! look at that little face! Her brothers and sister gave her Hello Kitty slippers!
A couple days later she had a little party with her cousin Journey and her friend Caroline. We made a polly pocket princes cake! (it was a little hammer time but for my first one it will do!) It was magical for her and that is all that matters to me!
getting ready to blow out her candles
big breath
and your wishes will all come true! Each little lady got to have a polly pocket cake and then they took the princess home! So much fun! Happy birthday sweet sweet baby of mine!

Reindeer at Whole foods?

Yep! Santa made a guest appearance at Whole Foods and brought Dasher and Dancer with him! We ran over and got a quick picture with them!

Oh Christmas Tree!

The day after Thanksgiving we decorate for Christmas. We have done this every year since the first year we were married! I love love love it! The kids love it too! This year Nana and Papa got to be a part of it with us! After the house is all decorated we have pumpkin pie and eggnog and light a fire and watch a holiday movie to kick off the Christmas season! This year the movie was Elf!
we all had a great time!

The next day Christmas came a little early for the boys when Nana and Papa surprised them with the new game Skylanders! They were so very excited. The picture doesn't do this justice at all! After that we went and saw the movie Arthur Christmas. 2 movies in one week? My dad almost exploded! :)

Turkey Time! Gobble Gobble!

Sooooooo much food! SOOOOOOO yummy! We did it all buffet style! Enjoying our dinner!

The "kids table"
Ireland and her friend Maddy!
Uncle Jamie and Sue
Aunt Marilyn and Sue
Papa and Nana
I loved this picture of my parents so I had to put the both of them in! SO cute! I think they should make this a Christmas card!
B and Sue. I am looking a little rough! (Like I just made a huge Thanksgiving dinner:) But I love love love my new sweater my friend Jen gave me!
This is my brood! So pretty.
I will claim these ones instead!
Cousins! I love that my kids get to grow up around some of their cousins. Juliet and Journey and Jeremy all love each other and love to play together. Jeremy LOVES Max! The feeling is mutual!
Juliet thought it was still time to be goofy!
Juliet is wearing the turkey shirt that my mom made Darby. So far all my kids have worn it! I think I can get 2 more Thanksgivings out of it then it will be retired!
Best buddies!
SO sweet!
The boys LOVE their cousins.
Jeremy and Journey LOVED Papa! They loved that he only had 1/2 a finger! Even Ireland was amazed! :) Jeremy followed him around all evening and at one point wanted my dad to hold him and walk around. No one can ever take Papa Keith's place for these kiddos but my dad felt honored to have them call him papa for this day! So sweet.
After dinner and bingo was over the girls sat down to read and snuggle with Aunt Marilyn. THIS is what Thanksgiving should feel like!
Then Juliet decided to read to Journey!
Best buddies again! (don't let those doll faces fool you though....they can fight like they are sisters!:)

This is how we get ready for Thanksgiving!

We put together a puzzle (that will be up til Christmas and I freak out and destroy it or at least threaten to) It may or may not be every ones favorite tradition!
We eat peanuts and pistachios getting the nuts all over the floor!
We sneak rolls from the kitchen.

We set the table with all paper products so the clean up is easy on mommy!

Thanksgiving prep

This year Brandon's Grandma Ellen sent us a recipe that they have at their Thanksgiving every year. We decided to add it to our traditions as well! Dash is helping me make it the night before! It was REALLY yummy! (and easy)

One other things we love to do is make Cornucopias! We put an ice cream cone on a graham cracker and fill it full of candy corn, popcorn, peanuts and runts! So cute. Then they are a little place setting on our table. My mom used to make these for my classes growing up!


So yum!