Today, I’m keeping my thoughts (pretty) short, sweet and filled with gratitude. 2020 has been quite a year. It’s been a time for reflection, a time for tears, a time of worry, a time for prayers, a time of generosity, a time of unity, and a time of hope.
Even in the dark times of this year, the spirit of Christmas could be seen and felt through the generosity of others, through the sense of community, and through the unwavering hope for better days ahead.
When I started this blog a year and a half ago, I had no clue what to expect. I’ve “met” new friends, found comfort in writing, and become a part of a community I’d only known from the outside looking in.
Thank you for reading my posts, sharing your thoughts, and supporting me on this blogging journey.
Since I can’t send a card to everyone (geez, I barely got my cards out to anyone this year!), I’d like to share our Christmas card in a very 2020 way…virtually!
Happy Holidays:
Other favorite photos from our Christmas card shoot:
Beautiful weather right after Thanksgiving provided for the perfect day to bribe my kids with ice cream for nice clothes and smiles…
Homer was in the on the action!
Henry Clay Estate
Awe…these kids of mine are getting so big!
A few more faves…
Homer wishes you a Merry Christmas too!
While I know it’s been a difficult year for most, and Christmas may not look the same as in years past, I’m hopeful for more lighter days than dark ahead in 2021!
Truly, thank you for being a part of this community.
From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Hey!…or should I say, “Ho, ho, ho?! because we’ve been having lots of festive fun over here. This post is basically a “Weekend Wrap Up,” but I’m going with “Life Lately: Holiday Fun Edition” as well as a glimpse of what our elf has been up to lately.
Friday:
Friday at 2:45 kicked off Winter Break for us, so I decided to plan a fun outside Christmas activity. In Millersburg, not too far from here, is a place called Mustard Seed Hill. I’ve seen people post about the lights and displays at this historic home, so I thought we’d check it out. The tickets were free, but we had to purchase tickets online beforehand to enter. I did so early in the week, and the whole weekend did end up being sold out by Friday. I appreciate that they were limited numbers due to Covid, and the security officer was turning people away who didn’t have proof of ticket.
We parked on the street, and Mustard Seed Hill was easy to find!
so pretty!
I did pay $5 per person in advance to see the gingerbread house display. We had a time frame of 6-7 to look at the houses. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and these displays were from a competition. I thought maybe there would be houses created by professionals, but instead there were displays of categories (teen, family , businesses, etc). That being said, there were so really cool houses on display! Considering the ones we do at home usually end up imploding, I was amazed at these creations.
We did end up going in the house. Again, I wasn’t sure what we were in line to see, but there was a really sweet greeter at the door who let only a few people in and out and shared the history of the home. Once we were inside, we just toured the main level, and then stopped to listen to another volunteer who shared more history about the family. Hayden loves this kind of stuff!
On the back porch of the home…
There was a little line to see this huge ornament, and it was the perfect spot for people to take photos….so, of course that’s what we did.
Hadley really wanted to have her photo taken in the glowing carriage!
Then, we stopped by the outdoor market for a treat. Everyone got hot chocolate, and both kids got a cookie. Mid-bite, I saw Hayden laughing, and asked him what was so funny. Travis had asked Hayden what he got to eat…Travis heard, “Big a$$ cookie,” when Hayden said, “Big iced cookie.” His mask must have muffled his response! 😂
Then, we headed home. We were probably there a little over an hour. The property was beautiful, and apparently this is only the second year they’ve put on this display. While it may not be a yearly tradition, I’m glad that we checked it out!
We got home a little after 8:00, got carry out for dinner, and I started break off with a glass of wine in festive cups I got from @cupsoncochran.
Saturday:
We had a low key Saturday morning, and then Hadley and some friends volunteered at dance for the Christmas Tea Party for the younger dancers. She had a lot of fun.
After that, Hadley and I stopped by our friend’s house who was hosting an outdoor hot chocolate bar for her daughters and friends. It was nice to see some friends, enjoy the hot chocolate, and wish everyone a Merry Christmas.
My friend had so many toppings and different flavors of whipped cream. We also brought a gift to take a gift, and girls always love to do those kinds of things. Hadley came home with some pretty bracelets.
We were there for about an hour and everyone wore their masks which actually came in handy in the cold weather!
Saturday night Travis and I watched Safety with Hayden. It was a really inspiring movie, and fun to watch.
Sunday:
On Sunday, we baked cookies…lots of cookies!
Hayden said he wanted to help with the peanut butter blossoms, and Hadley helped me with the rest of the cookies.
We made sugar cookies, peanut butter blossoms, chocolate crinkle cookies (my fave) and peppermint chocolate chip cookies which came from a Trader Joe’s mix.
I know we can have sugar cookies anytime during the year, but we usually make them at Christmas because we have fun decorating them…even Travis!
Finished products!
For dinner Sunday night, I made Amy’s potato soup. It was so delish!
We wrapped up the weekend by watching my favorite Christmas movie…Home Alone.
Elf Antics:
Going along with festive fun and holiday traditions…Red has been very busy while visiting from the North Pole.
He’s made a gingerbread house…
taken a marshmallow bath with a couple of friends, gotten stuck, and hidden 12 candy canes.
He also made (burnt) toast for breakfast one morning…
wore festive socks and put Santa hats on the kids’ heads in my favorite Santa photo.
He even got Santa to take a photo with them (and Homer!)
Speaking of Homer, he got a hold of Red. Red was still struggling from being #homered last year, but this time was even worse.
Y’all, Red is most definitely the 2020 version of an elf. It may be time for him to stay at the North Pole.
The kids were so upset with Homer…and I was too.
hot glue and Bandaids have him somewhat fixed…for now.
Red also brought cocoa bombs and kisses.
as well as some Pez candy. Then, per tradition, he took a selfie on the mantle and put it in one of our favorite frames .
I can’t believe Christmas is only a few days away. I feel like we’ve had to embrace this season more than ever with some traditions and fun to help make this year have some sense of normalcy.
Hello and Happy Monday! I’m going to keep it rather short and sweet today because I’m typing this in between rounds of baking cookies…with the kids!
We had a great weekend filled with Christmas fun. I’ll share more about that tomorrow!
For now, here are some holiday themed memes I’ve seen over the past month that have made me laugh out loud!
Enjoy!
1.
Tis the season…
2.
Y’all, I feel this one deeply. My Christmas cards finally arrived, but I’m still waiting on a few key packages to arrive that I ordered WEEKS ago!
3.
I didn’t even get to the laundry this weekend. Sigh.
4.
Well, I didn’t get out of my pajamas yesterday! That being said, whether it’s warm or cold outside, I’m all about the pj lyfe as soon as I get home.
5.
Bahahaha!
6.
Sometimes Facebook it just too much for me to handle…haha
7.
This one is a classic, and I love it!
8.
This one reminds me of Hadley who always checks “I tried” rather than “naughty” or “nice” on the wish list paper the elf leaves the kids.
9.
This rings true… especially in 2020. We’ve spent a lot of time together this year! Really, I just want to tag someone else in for bedtime. I’m sure I will give up over the next two weeks, and they will be tucking ME into bed!
10.
Oh 2020…you’ve been a doozy!
I hope these memes started your week off right with a laugh or two!
We are thankful to not be setting an alarm for the next few weeks and have less to do. I’m finished buying gifts, I but still need to make myself wrap everything which feels like such a chore. While it’s nice to have a break from school, we still have a few errands and appointments this week which makes it hard for me to feel like I can just relax and chill. The second week of break tends to be more relaxing for me.
Anyway, I hope you have a great week! I plan on blogging Tuesday and Wednesday this week, so I’ll see you then!
I know I always say, “Hello and Happy Friday,” but today’s “Hello and Happy Friday” comes with the start of Winter Break in only a few hours. I’m so ready to take a break from bugging my kids about school work, checking my email, and staring at my imperfections on a Zoom call. 😆
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika to share this week’s Friday Favorites.
Favorite Kid Quote:
On Sunday, when it was Hayden’s turn to clean out his closet, he kept asking me if certain clothing items were “memorabilia” because he hates getting rid of things…and knows I’m a sucker for holding on to certain nostalgic items. 😂
Also, randomly, Hayden started calling his winter hat a “toboggan” or “boggan.” I know that in the south that’s what many people here call their beanie (or stocking cap as I would say), but I just thought it was funny that he was “looking for my boggan” the other day when I certainly don’t say that phrase, and honestly, neither does Travis.
Where I come from, a toboggan is a fancy sled! This has been a winter conversation ever since I met Travis almost 20 years ago and he called his hat a “toboggan.” I said, “What?! You wear a sled on your head?!”
Favorite Pic:
I took advantage of Narci’s sweet Santa photo opportunity earlier this week. These pics are just precious. This morning, my kids found our elf sitting by this one framed with a note: “Seven more sleeps ’til Santa!”
The magic of Christmas.
Favorite Clothing Item:
I rarely go into Old Navy. While I like the clothes and love their deals, the line to wait to check out is always maddening to me. Through the years, it doesn’t matter if I’m there in June or December, 10:00 am or 8:00 pm, two people in line or twelve…the line just always takes forever. Maybe Chick-fil-A could give them some tips! 😂
So, I usually order online and just hope everything fits! That being said, I did go into Old Navy recently and saw these jogger pajama pants on sale. (looks like stock is limited) I snagged two for myself, and have been living in them. Just my style! I also love their thermal pajama leggings and have a few pairs that I’ve collected through the years as well.
Favorite Food:
I made a quick Trader Joe’s run this week and walked out with a few tins of my favorite snack mix and a couple of boxes of the mini gingerbread people. We plowed through our last box in a day and a half.
Favorite Moment:
The kids wrapped up their club cross country season at a national race last weekend. Before the race, we found out that Hayden made the all-area team and Hadley earned all-area honorable mention honors for their elementary running season (with Trav as their coach!)
On Saturday, they ran in the 11-12 year old races with kids from across the country. They ended the season on a high note with individual performances, and the girls team placed 5th in the nation!
Of course, I’m always proud of their effort, but the competition is fierce in these national races. There are kids who run hundreds of miles a week for training and compete year round. While running will most likely be something they continue to do in the future, we still feel that it’s important for them to be well-rounded and choose their activities. So, for Hadley, she dances, runs, plays volleyball. Hayden still loves baseball and basketball on top of running.
The lessons they learn by playing these sports and engaging in these activities are far more important than their performance. I never want them to get burned out at a young age with one activity, so we’ve continued to let them choose and add or drop sports as the years go on.
Other Favorites:
Jingle Jangle:
This could also have been a “favorite moment” because of the kindness of others. I’d shared on Facebook that I was sad to have missed out on Jingle Jangle at Trader Joe’s this year. Not even a half hour a later, a friend dropped off a tin of it on our front porch with their Christmas card. So sweet. (literally and figuratively!)
Frosty Fern:
I also picked up a couple of these “Frosty Ferns” at Trader Joe’s. They are so festive and fun.
Snacks:
Hadley helped me put out snacks for our mailman and the delivery drivers who frequent our doorstep!
Air Fryer:
No photo, but another favorite of mine is our new air fryer. Travis won one in his work Christmas exchange, and we’ve been using it quite a bit. I’ve only used the “frozen” setting so far, but it’s been the perfect way to make chicken nuggets, pizza rolls, or reheat a day old taco!
Pod Party:
The kids had a sock exchange and cocoa party at their pod this week. They had lots of fun and came home with some festive socks!
Festive Phone Wallpaper:
I’ve shared these phone wallpaper backgrounds before by @ashton.creates. She shares them in her stories to screenshot and use. This one is my current home screen on my phone.
Basketball:
Hayden’s 3 on 3 league wrapped up their short season last night. It was fun to watch them play and have some sense of “normalcy” this winter.
The final game came down to the wire, but they remained undefeated!
Favorite Mom Meme:
While this one made me laugh, I am feeling pretty good about my Christmas present situation. Now, I just need to find the time to wrap!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
Christmas 2009….and barely a month old!
Speaking of flashbacks…Hadley loves finding my old sweatshirts and wearing them. She often wears my 20 year old Mizzou sweatshirt from college, and has now added this cheer coach sweatshirt from my first year teaching in 2002. If you know me, you know I’m the farthest thing you’ll find from a cheer coach!! #nopepinmystep Oh, the things you’ll do to get your first real job!
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from this week in case you missed one…
What are your weekend plans? We are going see some more Christmas lights tonight and hopefully bake some cookies tomorrow or Sunday. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
T-minus two days until Winter break! Per usual for this time of the year, I feel like we’re hanging on by a thread over here! I always say…”Tis the season…for mom to lose her mind!” 😆
The weather went from beautiful to soggy and dreary in a matter of a day! I think that’s making us all feel extra tired and just ready for a break!
Today, I thought I’d share a quick Currently post about what’s been going on around here!
I’m currrently…
Appreciating:
Travis! He gave Hadley and me this Mary Kay 12 Days of Christmas gift set. I have two friends who sell MK, so he purchased one for Hadley and me as well as one for each of his sisters (and their daughters). Travis has always been a great gift giver! Also, Hadley has already opened all 12 days! 😂
Giving:
Teacher gifts! We gave the pod teacher a gift card to one of her favorite local stores. Then, the kids dropped off gifts for their teachers yesterday at school (front office). I’d had these zip pouches saved on my Etsy app as an idea for teacher gifts. They turned out so cute, and I put some sticky notes and felt tip markers in each one. The kids each wrote a card to their teachers, and those notes are always sweet and fun to read. I was happy to support small businesses during this holiday season.
Loving:
The generosity of others! This time of the year tends to bring out the best in people, but I feel like people have been extra generous in 2020.
From food drop off for God’s Pantry, clothing donations, Angel Tree gifts, and dinners for families in need at school, I love seeing the community come together to spread joy and happiness in such a trying time for so many.
Watching:
Baking shows! Like last month, I just love to watch these holiday baking shows on the Food Network. I enjoy them like some people enjoy Hallmark movies!
Reading:
Two books…I’m currently reading Holidaze on my Kindle and 25 Days ’til Christmas from the library. I usually have one Kindle book and one paperback book I’m reading. I’m enjoying both of these books, and they are certainly sweet Christmas books to read in December.
Supporting:
UPS workers! Travis did the shopping, and Hadley helped me put this basket together for our mailman and the other workers dropping off packages. I printed the sign from Etsy! (only 99 cents!)
Reminiscing:
About the kids looking out window in 2011. I love when this picture pops up in my Facebook memories, and I loved those pjs with their names on their bottoms.
Prepping:
The final touches of Christmas for our elf. He moves every night, leaves little sayings on our sign, gives little gifts, or just does something silly. He likes to have a plan for his visits!
He always leaves a bag of Reindeer Food: oats, glitter, and this cute poem for the kids to find the morning of December 24th.
Feeling:
Like Homer…so tired 😂
Laughing:
At this meme…
I know the postal service is overworked. I saw someone share a photo of a process room at a post office, and it was slammed.
My Christmas cards that I ordered on November 30th finally arrived yesterday. According to tracking, they’d been in Kentucky since December 9th, so I tried not to lose hope that they’d arrive on my doorstep! I was afraid I’d have mark out, “Merry Christmas” and write “Happy New Year!”
I guess it still might be a good idea because who knows when I will get them out or when others will receive them!
So, there’s a little glimpse of what’s been going on around here. See you back here tomorrow for my last Friday Favorites post of 2020!
It’s Tuesday Talk day with Ashley and Erika. For this linkup, we can chat about any topic we’d like to focus on for the post! I’m linking up with them again this month to focus on a little this or that and favorites for the holiday!
So here we go…
I’ve seen so many this or that posts shared in Insta Stories, so I thought I’d snag one and share my thoughts.
template c/0 @brewedtea4you
Christmas music or Christmas movies:I love Christmas songs while driving in the car, but I’d say I prefer Christmas movies during the holidays.
Store bought gifts or handmade gifts:Well, I love to buy gifts for others especially with the help of Amazon and Etsy. That being said, I love nothing more than receiving a handmade gift…especially from my kids!
Egg nog or spiced cider:Egg nog all the way. When the kids were little, my dad started calling it “Christmas milk,” so that’s what they still call it. Hayden tends to hog the egg nog at our house!
Gingerbread or sugar cookies:Gingerbread cookies for sure. I feel like we can have sugar cookies anytime!
Real tree or fake tree:We used to always have a fake tree, but I’ve come to love the tradition of getting a real tree. I love how the scent of the tree fills our home for a few days…even though sometimes it sends my allergies into overdrive!
It’s a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story:Christmas Story for sure. We always watch it on Christmas Day.
Elves or Snowmen:Snowmen are so cute!
White lights or colored lights:I like the glow and simplicity of white lights.
A few of my….
Favorites:
Favorite Christmas movie: Home Alone or A Christmas Story
Favorite holiday scented candle: Bath & Body Works: Winter
Favorite Christmas tradition: As a kid: driving through the Plaza lights in Kansas City with a stop at Winstead’s for a burger and a shake. As a parent: My kids wearing their Christmas pjs and then exchanging gifts that they picked out for each other on Christmas Eve.
Favorite Christmas song: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Let it Snow
Favorite Christmas ornament:An ornament we received for our first Christmas in 2005 after we got married and the kids’ first Christmas (2009) under the tree. We purchased one of these ornaments for all of our family members.
So, there’s a little peek at some of favorites in regards to Christmas. How do we only have ten days left until the big day?! Thankfully, I’m finished with shopping except for a gift card and a stocking stuffer or two! What are some of your favorites about Christmastime?
Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts! Thanks so much for reading.
Hello and Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Compared to last weekend, we had a relatively low-key couple of days. The kids had a cross country meet on Saturday, but Sunday I pretty much stayed in my pajamas all day. Travis was kind enough to pick up our grocery order while I did things around the house…including purging the kids’ closets! We only do this a couple times a year, but I dread it so much! I’m glad to have that checked off my list.
We are counting down this five day week and ready for a couple weeks off! Breaks is right around the corner.
Today, I’m linking up with Lauren (and others!) for their Not Just a Mom series.
This month’s topic is Special Holiday Traditions.
I grew up with some holiday traditions like seeing the Plaza lights in KC, ice skating at Crown Center, picking out an ornament at Hallmark, baking cookies, seeing Christmas lights, and more!
So, needless to say, I have now made quite a few traditions for my kids to celebrate the holiday.
Here are some of our family traditions:
Santa:
We take the kids to see Santa every year. When they were little, we didn’t take them. Once they were two to five years old or so, they’d see Santa at my school Christmas party or Trav’s work party.
Then, in 2016, we started getting a real tree, and see the perfect Santa while doing so. Our club also hosts a Cookies with Santa party, so we attend that most years. Lastly, one of our friends has hosted a Santa at her house every other year, so the kids have had plenty of opportunities to share with Santa what they hope to receive for Christmas.
2020 Santa Visit:
Santa visits through the years…
Elf on the Shelf:
Our elf, Red, has visited us since 2012. I’m not sure how many more years he will visit, but he’s always fun to have around.
Bake Cookies:
We always receive lots of cookies from my mom. When those are gone, we bake some cookies to get use through the second half of December 😉
This year, my mom visited, and had quite the crew to help with our traditional family cookies.
Cooking baking through the years…
I will say my kids are at a great age (and have been for a couple years) where they are big help in the baking process.
Southern Lights:
I grew up going to the Plaza lights as well as driving through park lights, so Travis and I have continued that tradition through the years. Even when we were dating, we drove through lights in KC or Columbia. Once I moved to Kentucky, we started going through the Southern Lights at the Kentucky Horse Park.
We’ve realized through the years to go on a Monday or Tuesday night early in the season when it’s less crowded. Also, they have indoor activities, but my kids still have no clue about the inside activities. haha
Angel Tree:
We always choose a family from the Angel Tree to buy gifts for in early December. This used to be something I would just do, but the past few years, I’ve found it to be important to take the kids along with us to choose the gifts. I feel like my kids are pretty aware of others’ needs, but having them participate in the act of buying for those in need is something that I obviously hope they remember all year long and not just around the holidays.
PJs and Gifts:
I always give the kids Christmas pajamas as one of their birthday gifts in November. When they kids were probably three, we started taking them to pick out a gift for each other. I remember when they were little, we’d barely make it to the car before they’d tell each other what they picked out. haha
We usually let them open it on Christmas Eve before going to bed. It’s always fun to see what they pick out for each other. They know each other pretty well. 😉
Gingerbread House:
One of our traditions has been decorating gingerbread houses. Some years, the elf brings one and other years I will get one for them to decorate. The elf usually hot glues the house together for them to find in the morning and then we’ll decorate it in the evening.
The past couple years, they’ve each had a house to decorate, and it’s a fun activity…as long as the house doesn’t collapse!
Decorating through the years…
The kids decorated their houses on Saturday night. Again, it’s fun to be a part of that process, but it’s nice they are old enough to decorate on their own. Unfortunately, Hayden’s house imploded and then one of the walls fell on the floor and broke. So, he just decorated the roof while eating bites of gingerbread as Hadley finished up her house.
Hayden ended up decorating the gingerbread man and tree that came with one of the kids.
When I took the pic of Hayden’s roof, he made this face (bottom right) to demonstrate how he felt about the house collapsing!
For once, we couldn’t blame Homer for the destruction, but he sure was tempted by the icing and the treats!
So those are some of our special holiday traditions. While the holidays are such a hectic time, I’m glad we have these traditions, so that we can spend time together as a family even during the busyness of the season.
What are some of your favorite holiday traditions??
2021 link up:
I’m excited to join the Not Just a Mom link up starting in January 2021! I joked with the ladies that I felt like I was invited to the cool kids’ table at lunch! haha. I’ve very excited to join this link up. If you are a blogger, make sure you join us on the second Monday of the month too!
Here are the 2021 topics:
That’s a wrap on our special holiday traditions! I know this holiday season looks different for everyone, and while, at times, that makes be feel anxious and even sometimes sad, I’m trying to focus on the things I can control like some of these traditions. Christmas cookies help ease the anxiety as well!
I hope you had a great weekend! Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts!
Hey, hey! We made it to Friday. We’ve had a pretty good week around here, and we are counting down the days until Winter Break! It’s right around the corner, so we’ll just keep chugging right along until break arrives.
Of course, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites post.
One of my favorite things to do for the holidays is decorate. Even before my blog, I would always take photos of where I put decorations to make the process as easy as possible. The weekend after Thanksgiving is when I do most of my decorating, and it’s typically a one (wo)man job…until I can’t carry something or need Travis to hang the garland. 😉
I saw this meme recently, and, of course, it fits today’s blog topic.
While 90% of my decorations have been used through the years, I do move things around and often can’t help myself from buying a new item or two along the way. #michaelsiswhereitsat
Here’s a little tour around our home:
Kitchen:
My kitchen buffet stayed pretty much the same, but I added fresh garland to the top for about a week.
I figured it wouldn’t last long with Homer. He did pull it down a couple of times, but thankfully, he didn’t destroy it.
I love the Christmas dishes that I display this time of the year.
In the cabinet near the buffet, I added in some trees I’ve collected over the years and a cinnamon scented candle. I actually made the burlap trees a few years ago.
Our fire place and mantle remain the same, but I did buy new garland. What I’ve had for the past few years is extra bulky, and I just wanted a more seamless look. Hadley pointed out that the red and the green of the garland match our stockings perfectly. My previous garland was pre-lit, but I had to add lights to this new garland.
I used some extra greenery on our table centerpiece.
I definitely do the love traditional red and green Christmas decor.
This view is definitely a favorite.
One of my friends painted this pallet a few years ago, and it’s one of my favorite holiday pieces.
Office Area:
In the first few years in this house, we never really knew where to put the tree. Once we made this space the office rather than the dining room, the tree fit perfectly in here. I like that you can see the glow of the tree lights from the kitchen and the living room as well as from the street when the shutters are open.
I always put out the picture of the kids under the tree for their first Christmas. They were a month old (and a few days) old on Christmas 2009.
Front Hall:
I kept the front hall the same as years past with the light up tree, Christmas card holder, snowman tea light, and Merry and Bright sign.
I love Bath and Body Works and always have a few candles to burn like the peppermint one on this entry table.
Living Room:
The tall Santa was a Home Goods find a few years ago. I kept it simple on the coffee table with the flocked tree and candle. The light up present provides the perfect glow in the morning and night. I added a lantern and Merry Christmas canvas to my regular decor on my antique chest.
I always keep my cream pillows out and add seasonal pillows for fall and Christmas.
Outside:
This is the first year we’ve put garland out front. I’ve mentioned previously that I was on the hunt for some artificial garland, but never really found any I liked. Then, I saw the real garland at Trader Joe’s and thought I’d give it a try. Travis was kind enough to hang it for me. Now, I have no clue how long it will last, but after a week, it still is looking good. I’ve sprayed it with water a few times. I have no clue if that’s what I’m supposed to do, but that’s what I’ve been doing!
I’ve had the lanterns and poinsettias for years. My cute stocking door hanger was painted by a local Lexington small business. It’s perfectly festive and, again, I love the traditional red and green.
The Rudolph pillow covers are from Etsy, and I’ve had them for years. The trees in the planters light up, and the Merry Christmas garden flag is the final touch outside.
When the garland on the kitchen buffet was starting to look tired, I sprayed it with water and then put little pieces of it in the outside planters.
Sun room:
I’ve shared this room already as it was the first room I decorated for the season. Until this past spring (#thanksquarantine), we didn’t really use the sun room that often. This year, I thought I’d go ahead and decorate it since we are out here so much now. The pillow covers are new (from Amazon) and the basket wreath is a new find from TJ Maxx this year. We’ve had the tree for years as it’s the one we used for a few years before starting to get a real tree for the living room/office area.
I added a few little trees to the tray that’s always on this table, and I burn the Bath and Body Works Winter scented candle when hanging out in the sun room.
A few other faves:
Dinners this week:
It’s no secret that I use Shay’s cookbooks (especially Simmers) quite frequently for meal ideas. Well, last week, she posted about 24 Crazy Easy December Dinners, and I used it as my guide for meals this week. This week, we’ve eaten: Chicken Tortilla Soup, Beefy Mushroom Pasta, Cheesy Ranch Tacos, and King Ranch Joes. (I don’t think KRJ were listed in that post, but here’s the recipe.) This one post was a life saver for me. We eat the soup and KRJs pretty often, but the pasta and tacos were new recipes for me to make. We all loved them.
The Outsiders
A neighbor had a few books in her garage to give away. One of the books I brought home was The Outsiders which piqued Hayden’s interest. He started reading it Monday night at bedtime and then was telling me all about it Tuesday evening. I stopped him, mid-summary, because I was shocked he’d already read the entire book. Hadley then said that he was reading some during the day while listening to his teacher on Zoom. Anyway, he loved the book so much. With his summary of the stabbing and teenagers smoking and drinking, I was reminded why this is a classic middle school book! haha
He deemed this the second best book he’s ever read. Hatchet was recommended by my mom and still his fave.
I hope he always loves reading as much as he does now.
Then, Wednesday night, he begged us to watch the movie. Travis and I watched it with him. He really liked it, but said the book was better. A friend of mine shared a @historic_imagery post with me on Instagram. I never knew that Francis Ford Coppola hadn’t planned on making the movie but then did so after receiving a letter from a librarian as well as over 100 of her seventh and eighth graders in Fresno, CA. They also share that fact in the credits of the movie.
Southern Lights:
Our Southern Lights Horse Park tradition continued this week. We drove through the park on Tuesday night, and loved seeing the upgraded and updated displays. They had the usual displays, but had also added other lights and features. Also, Santa was sitting outside the North Pole waving at the cars. Usually, Santa is inside the pavilion.
Classic Kentucky lights with the horses, Wildcat basketball player, and Keeneland.
Winter Drive-Thru:
The kids’ school had a Winter Drive Thru this week where they handed out fun packs and free books (as well as supplies for the beginning of second semester).
There was a line around the school, and it was so wonderful to see the teachers outside, waving, and so excited to see their students. Teachers and staff were dressed as Elsa, Rudolph, elves, and Santa! To see the hustle and bustle at school as well as the staff and teachers literally brought tears to my eyes. I hope my kids are able to go back to school sooner rather than later.
Books, games and hot chocolate!
Trader Joe’s Snack Mix
It’s the time of the year for Trader Joe’s to have my favorite snack mix. I found out the hard way a couple years ago when I was looking for it in January that it’s seasonal.
Some people are hoarding toilet paper again, and I left TJ with six cans of this mix! Delish!
Favorite Mom Meme:
Y’all, I feel this deeply.
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
Facebook memories from 2017 provided this gem. I love this picture from Trav’s work holiday party. It didn’t really dawn on me until seeing this that we are missing out on some fun during this season. There’s always the work party, a neighborhood party as well as a party with some of our friends. Hopefully, those traditions will be back in 2021. Sometimes I do miss the normal chaos that the holidays bring.
And for fun….here’s a 1980’s flashback for you…it’s a classic!
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts for this week! We sure have been busy!
Well, the spirit of Christmas continues in our house through the magic of Red. I’ve mentioned before that Red doesn’t arrive until December 1st, at the earliest!
He did make his arrival right on time, so today I’m sharing a bit of what he’s been up to.
The morning of December 1st, the kids found him in the kitchen with his book, and he initiated the countdown to Christmas on our family calendar.
The second morning, Red brought the kids their Christmas wish lists in order to report back to Santa at the North Pole. These lists have room for what the kids want, need, wear, and read. Red went ahead and filled out a “need” for each of them: deodorant for one and toothpaste for the other. The kids then proceeded to debate who Red thought “needed” each item. 😆
Other mornings, we found Red in the tree with a Santa balloon and then hanging out on one of our decorative trees with a golf ball ornament for Hayden, and a ballerina ornament for Hadley.
Red must love chips and salsa. He even brought red and green holiday chips.
After we all worked so hard baking over the weekend, Red helped himself to a few of our cookies.
Red must have known the kids ran for Pod President, and wanted to join in on the fun.
Of course, Red has been practicing social distancing since the beginning of time! Here, he reminded the kids to keep their distance…especially in 2020.
On Wednesday morning, we found Red in our cabinet all wrapped up in twinkle lights.
Then, this morning, he brought the kids a Would You Rather book (Christmas edition!) because he must know they love to ask each other (and their friends!) those questions. #fifthgradehumor 😂
While Red’s visits don’t provide all the oohs and aahhs and innocence of when the kids were little, we still laugh at his antics and appreciate the few gifts he leaves along the way.
#tistheseasonforred He’s pretty funny and generous if I do say so myself! 😉
I hope you are having a great week, and see you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.
Fun fact: My January Let’s Look post was (I think) my top viewed post of the year. Almost 700 people apparently wanted to check out my bedside table! 😀
This month’s topic is Let’s Look: holiday cards.
Well, my holiday cards haven’t arrived just yet, so I thought I’d share our holiday cards through the years.
Travis and I had some form of Christmas card off and on before we had kids, but once the kids were born, I did a better job of taking and saving photos, cards, and other momentos.
Here’s a little trip down memory lane…
2009:
The kids were barely a month old by the time Christmas rolled around in 2009. So, we combined a Christmas card with their birth announcement. I still have this Christmas storage box, and it sits under the tree each year until I start putting wrapped presents under the tree.
2010:
Well, here are the kids are in 2010, and they barely fit in the Christmas storage box anymore!
They also refused to sit still for the Christmas card photo! I literally remember sweating as I would get one situated, back away to take the photo, and then the other would move! 😅
I couldn’t find the card, but I know we used those pics!
2011:
In 2011, I put them in a laundry basket to sit still for the photo! 😂
Hadley’s signature move at that age was giving all the hugs…in a very “you have no choice but to hug me” way!
We included our dogs, Shiloh and Scout, in the card that year!
2012:
My brother got married in the fall of 2012 which provided the perfect opportunity for some memorable photos. Again, Shiloh and Scout made the cut again to be included on the card and the kids continued to make use of the Christmas storages boxes.
2013:
The card for 2013 was definitely a Pinterest idea, and it wasn’t a fail. I love this pic of Hayden and Hadley. So little and cozy in their jammies.
2014:
Again, for some reason, I can’t find our 2014 Christmas card, but my brother used his fancy camera to take these photos. This was our first Christmas in our current house.
I still have these individual photos framed, and they are in our gallery wall in our kitchen.
So sweet.
2015:
For the 2015 Christmas card, my brother took these photos as well. I remember it was pretty mild weather around Thanksgiving time, so I asked him to take a few photos of the kids.
They turned out so precious…
and the back of the card shows Hadley’s personality perfectly! 😂
2016:
This is another favorite card of mine that we shared with family and friends. You can’t tell from the photo, but Hayden was playing football with friends a few minutes before picture time and ended up with a busted lip! Of course he did! I made sure when I took the photo not to zoom in!
2017:
My brother helped me by taking these photos as well. Man oh man, I remember the kids acting ridiculous while he took some of these photos….especially Hayden. I had to be thankful for whatever good ones he got!
2018:
For fall break 2018, we went to South Carolina. One night before dinner, I told the kids I wanted to take their pictures by the water at sunset. Well, I ended up asking someone to take our family photo, and I couldn’t believe how great it was.
Once December rolled around, I was so happy to have a perfect family photo from one of our favorite places.
And, again, Hayden fell victim to Hadley’s silly and sassy personality…Hadley throwing up the peace sign behind him, and he had no clue.
2019:
The kids didn’t fight me on wearing nice clothes for the 2019 photo if we could bring Homer along for the photo. Well, this time, Homer stole the show! We got a great pic with him and the kids.
Even with Homer, this was one of our easiest photo sessions to date. I snapped a few photos with my phone, and that was all we needed.
2020:
As I previously mentioned, my 2020 cards haven’t arrived yet. I took a few photos of the kids the Friday after Thanksgiving…
…and Homer was invited back again for the photo sesh.
The Henry Clay Estate provided for the perfect place (with perfect weather that day) to take a few pics of the kids for this year’s card.
I can’t get over how big they are getting!
Until this post, I hadn’t realized how many times I’d asked my brother to take the kids’ photos. I should really get him a gift card or something!
Ironically, Trav’s brother is a professional sports photographer, but I don’t want to bug him like I bug my brother!
It’s that time of the year when the “picture perfect” cards start to roll in. Of course, I try to find the most perfect picture too, but I like to include an outtake or two on the back!
Behind every “perfect” photo, there’s usually a stressed out mom handing out bribes for the photo 😂 I’m forever trying to keep it real around here!
When my 2020 cards arrive, I will definitely share those closer to Christmas. I really do love giving and receiving cards. I’d say with all that’s gone on in 2020, I will appreciate receiving those cards more than in previous years. I hope sending Christmas cards is a tradition that never fades.
Don’t forget to check out the other ladies’ posts as well!
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