Sitting With Santa

Do you believe?  We do!

Hello Santa!  We love welcoming the Christmas season with a visit to see the big guy in the red suit.

And because we are getting all grown up, there are no longer matching outfits, appliqués or monograms.  Instead we were rockin' some hip and trendy holiday leggings...times are a changin' folks and I'm learning to roll with it.

The Christmas lists are just as intriguing.

Jack is still loving his standard Lego list.  This hobby has become quite a passion and his Lego museum is forever growing.  He appeased his momma, sweet boy, by actually rattling off the list to Santa.  I have to remind him often that "this house believes".  {wink wink}

Maggie was the biggest hoot of all.  She told Santa to give her gifts to all the poor children-that she really didn't need anything.  Sounds so sweet, huh?  Except she actually wants her room re-done and "doesn't trust Santa's taste, so she would rather it be a gift from her mommy and daddy", and I quote. Gotta love that little HALF a sack of sugar.

And Lucy would basically like a gymnastics gymnasium in her house.  Santa is scratching his head trying to figure out to make this one work.  Plans are in motion.

Ho Ho Ho!  Enjoy the season!

The Nutcracker

It's that time of year again...The Nutcracker Ballet.  We were super excited to see it move to the new theatre in our part of town this year.  It even left us a few minutes to peruse the adorable holiday houses and the giant Christmas Tree on the city green.

Per usual, nothing was better than entering the theater and meeting all of the dancers!  This is the fourth year we have had our Nutcracker book signed by the cast.  It's the cutest when the dancers see their autographs from years past.

Lu was first in line to get her face painted.  I just love how it turned out and even told her she couldn't wash her face for the whole month of December.  Kidding, but I wish.

We planned the day at the theatre with several of our friends {just a few of them are pictured below}.  We had an entire gaggle of girls take up one full row of seats.  It was pure sweetness and so fun to share the day with all of them.

In perfect timing, at the end of the show we walked out to the annual lighting of the Christmas Tree and quite a festive party.

A whole day of holiday happenings!  Hello December!

Feeling Thankful

I've never really been a tremendous fan of the actual Thanksgiving meal, but man, am I a fan of what this holiday brings and means.  It's pretty amazing to celebrate a holiday all about thankfulness.  And let me tell you, I am "full of thanks". 

This Thanksgiving, I felt my childhood come full circle.  Here I was surrounded by family, hanging with my cousins, and watching our children play at a lake house...just like we did every Thanksgiving as kids.  

I am beyond THANKFUL for this gaggle of kiddos and that they get to be together just like we did.

I am THANKFUL for the Aunts, Uncles, and Grandmas who share in my life and our children's.

I am THANKFUL for the sunshine and beautiful view that surrounded our holiday.

I am THANKFUL for the feast we dined on and the fact that I didn't have to cook it.

I am THANKFUL for the sense of humor this family has and all the laughs that came with it.  Including a rocking karaoke competition, a corn hole tourney and a Pictionary battle.

 I'm THANKFUL for this lake house and all of the beds that allowed this entire family to stay together.  One giant Thanksgiving sleep over.

And I'm really THANKFUL for the waterfall and hiking trails right down the street that got us out of it for a day!

I'm going to bed tonight feeling very Thankful and beyond Blessed.  Not too mention totally exhausted from one too many nights of missing my bed time.

Safe travels family. xoxo Until next time...

Ramping Up

We are ramping up for Thanksgiving Break, but before that, we have a few fun school activities to squeeze in.

Of course, the annual Thanksgiving Feasts. I had the pleasure of attending three {which means three school lunches on two different days}.  And because there wasn't much to show but us sitting in the cafe being thankful for each other, I have no pictures.

But...very strategically the Book Fair happens to fall on the same week of the feasts.  And surely you know how much I adore books!  So I have a few fun ones from our visit upstairs.

Ms. S asked me to decorate the hallway for the Enchanted Forest Book Fair this year.  I was totally on board since I didn't have a November birthday party to plan for this year.  It helped fill the decorating/planning void in my life.  And trust me, that's a real thing for me.

It turned our pretty magical considering the budget I was working with and more importantly the students were in awe.

And if you need a tutorial on how to make trees, please feel free to ask, I am officially well versed.

We also got to celebrate this little slice of cuteness being Student Of the Week.  Congrats Maggie-pie!

And what kind of week would it be without a Medieval transformation in Kindergarten?  I had a royal good time hanging with the Kings and Queens of this class.  Precious!

We've ramped up and so....here comes Thanksgiving Week Break.  Can't wait to eat lots of turkey and love on our family.