The Nutcracker...Girls Only

I took my babydolls to see the Nutcracker this weekend.  It's become a holiday tradition for us girls.  And on that note, are there any boy holiday traditions? So far, Jack has managed to check out of everything!

We met the Miccas and Carpers whom we love to have family hang time with.  They, too, left their boys at home.  Girls only!

Per usual, Lucy had her Nutcracker book signed by all the dancers and Maggie stood by her side and silently smiled.

Before the show, we attended the Sugar Plum Tea, met the stars of the performance, had a few faces painted, and spent time with our darling family friends.

We are still attending the "lower key" Nutcracker.  I think it might be a while before we give the big show a try.  This one seems to suit us just fine and the girls are in complete awe from start to finish {hence the slightly abbreviated version}.

One more Christmas tradition checked off and a lot more to go...

Santa For Two

I'm  not even sure how to explain this "Santa for Two" business.  As you may remember, last year was it for Jack in the believing department.  But, I was still insistent that he would participate in our Christmas traditions {even seeing Santa}. 

Well, come Santa visit day, there was a big college football game on right at our appointment time, so there went Clay.  Jack was not interested, but I was insisting and Maggie had clothes drama {imagine that}.  Not to mention, I had just waved goodbye to a household of Thanksgiving guests.  I was spent.

So basically, I took an exasperated look around and said, "anyone with a smile can hop in the car and go see Santa with me".  And guess what?  One kid smiled and jumped in and her name is Lucy.  So off we went.

As we made our way onto the lane, guess who came chasing after us {with a change of clothes in hand}...yes, Maggie.  

So that is basically, how "Santa For Two" came to be.  I vow to never let this happen again.  Seriously.   

Just keeping it real, people...even during the holidays.

Things didn't get too much easier once we arrived {i.e. parking, elevator drama}, but seeing these precious girls of mine with Santa made it all better.  

I mean I can hardly handle the Christmas sweetness.

And this little one!  Oh, the Christmas magic is alive in her sweet heart and I can't get enough of it.

I'm looking forward to many more Christmas memories this holiday season and praying the sweetness of it all over shadows whatever is not in my plan.

Oh, and one more thing....just for nostalgia's sake....💕

Too Much, Too Thankful

Is it even possible to have too much to be thankful for?  Too thankful?...is that even a thing?

Maybe it's the season, but I feel like I'm about to get really sappy on you again.  But geez, I can hardly count my blessings.  So many wonderful family and friends and I had the pleasure of hosting of few of them for Thanksgiving this year.  I'm either getting really giddy just thinking about it, or {gasp}...more sap is on the way.

I can't really think of another year that we have hosted Thanksgiving at our house {except for the month Maggie was born, and trust me, that doesn't count}.  So, believe it or not, I was super thankful to decorate my first Thanksgiving table.  As for the cooking, I didn't dig that too much, put preparing a seat for our guests was loads of fun.

I climbed a couple Magnolia trees to add some greenery to the kids table. {okay, not really, but I was definitely trespassing in a few yards}

As for the adult table, it was a little more of that and actual real linens.  Initially, I grabbed this picture to show a friend how to do place cards.  And although it's not the table in it's entirety, I thought I would share anyway.  Let you imagination fill in the blanks...pheasant feathers, candles, boxwoods...

Now just imagine, that my thankful tank is about a quarter of the way full.  Yes, decorating a table will do that to me. But, in no time, my gauge was past the half way mark.  I mean, wouldn't yours be?  Just look a these sweeties making their VERY MESSY gingerbread turkeys...

Ooooh, ooohhh...and I spy an amazing Aunt doing all the dirty work!  I just might have been overflowing with thankfulness at this point.

What a delish mess!

But it only gets better....be still my heart...Baby Brecken's very 1st Thanksgiving...at my kid's table.  Love!  That little turkey is as cute, squishy, smart and as happy he looks.   I seriously can't get enough of this little guy.

And even once Thanksgiving passed, I continued to have too much to be thankful for.  Our guests stayed throughout the weekend {and yes, I was even thankful for that} and we made a big ol' to do about it.

We ate and played, and ate and played some more.  And once again, I was reminded just how much I have to be thankful for.

See what I mean...too much to be Thankful for.  And I assure you, I am too Thankful for it all.

Love you sweet family!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Grateful For Pre-K

I'm trying not to get too sappy, but seriously, is there anything cuter than a Pre-School Performance?

And how, in this ever loving world, can I be on my very last year of Pre-School?  

Deep breath...I'm trying to soak it all in, while holding back the tears of utter joy.  And "Joy" is the best word to describe this little Pre-K'er of mine.

If you want to feel good about yourself, just hang around my little Lucy.  I mean just look at how happy she is to see me...and this is all the time.

Between recording, picture snapping, and sobbing, I thoroughly enjoyed Lucy's Thanksgiving performance this week.  And accurately, her Indian name was, Bright Sun.  I couldn't have said it any better.

After the performance, we dined on a divine feast, cooked by the class themselves!  I'm not even kidding, when I say, Lucy shucked corn, snapped beans, and mixed cornbread stuffing all week.

And just look at the darling crafty place setting she had for Clay and I.  LOVE!

I am so incredibly grateful for this little one and one last year of Pre-School.  What a blessed mama I am.

Now, if she could only cook our real Thanksgiving dinner.