Ho Ho Ho...Merry Christmas!

Hope you are enjoying the day as much as we are :)

So this is what settled feels like...

...I had almost forgotten the feeling. I'm listening to music today, because I found my iPod and finally set up the audio dock thing we've had for a year and never used. I was backing up photos when Zach came in, saw one of him and monkey that he liked, and I was able to hit print and give it to him right then. A little while later, the boys came and started dancing to the music, and I was able to reach for the camera and shoot some video. I found a nearly-completed scarf in a box with my yarn, so I decided to finish it and now I have a new one to wear this year. I know where my favorite pens are. I have a safe, accessible spot for my cameras. My sewing machine has a permanent spot outside of its cardboard box for the first time in...well, ever. {edited to add: I stopped to dance with the boys, enjoyed all the giggles, and felt like this is how afternoons at home are supposed to be.}

I do spend about 90% of my time in my craft room, so it makes sense that it's the first one to be this clean and organized. But we are slowly getting there everywhere else...

I'm sure you'll see some pictures of all this cleanliness soon :)

A slice of our holiday season

I may or may not make it back to this post to write captions, but all I can say is that Gabe has been such a goofball lately. His personality is really coming through! He likes to eat bread almost non-stop some days, he runs a lot, he is talking up a storm, and is really just a hilarious guy to be around when he isn't getting into trouble.

Also, our Christmas card is at the end. I was too lazy...er, busy, this year to send it out.

Snow!

We didn't get more than a couple inches this first snow...but I'm really curious to see what our first winter in WV has in store for us!

Giving thanks for friends

Once upon a Thanksgiving eve, a couple with two kids drove to spend the weekend with their friends, a couple with three kids. Here's what happened:

There was bonding over Hot Wheels.


And eating only bread for Thanksgiving dinner (the adults thoroughly enjoyed the feast).


There was some wrestling...


...and occasional crying from one of the girls (poor Maggie!).


A festive background was hung, and lots of photos were taken.


Like these:


There was leftover apple pie :)


There was playing together...


...and bathing together (for at least a few moments, anyway).


An excursion to the park was in order...


...to play, feed the ducks, and witness adorable hand-holding.


And, of course, to attempt Christmas-card worthy photos. A few turned out, though there were many, many outtakes.


A four-year-old (and the rest of us) got chocolate cake waffles for his birthday breakfast. So good!


Some final group shots were taken.


These two slept happily ever after (almost all the way home).