Photo Plop

Oh, you know, just another iphone photo plop.  These pictures don't really go in any category.  They're just random pics from our days leading up to Christmas.

We played the snowman dice game.  It was on pinterest, and was pretty fun. . . the first two times.  After about the sixth round, this mama got a little sick of it.

Hunter at story time at the library.  He was REALLY trying hard to find the hidden fruits and veggies.

Tralee's school picture.  Isn't she adorable?

Just a random picture of the kids and me watching a movie.  I was very content with my life in this moment.

Hunter's Angry Bird. . . and eggs.

Hunter selfie

A big chair and a little boy

One of my favorite things is Tralee's tongue sticking out when she concentrates.  I LOVE it!

Photo Plop done!

Backtracking. . . Fall Party

I need to backtrack for a bit, as I realized I never blogged about Tralee's Fall Party.  So, here goes.

Tralee is my socialite.  She's constantly thinking up get-togethers and parties she can throw.  Often these ideas don't get passed the planning stage (the stage where I say, "Oh!  That sounds like fun" and hope that she forgets them by the next day), but back in the fall, Tralee was ADAMANT that she wanted to host a "Fall Party."  She made invitations for all her friends, planed out crafts she and her comrades could make, and asked me everyday, "When is my Fall Party?"  I finally realized my vague answers weren't going to cut it anymore, so on a Thursday night (in a very impromptu way) I told Tralee her Fall party would be the next day.  I told her to think of a few friends to invite, and I would make some phone calls.  I called the moms and invited the girls over after school the next day.  Tralee was over the moon.

While Stinks sat anxiously in school, Hunter and I bought some donuts and apple juice for the party food, bought a few balloons for decor, and printed off the letters to spell "FALL"for some additional Fall ambiance.  We also found our leftover Halloween candy, and used it to make some party favor bags.  I printed off some fall themed bag topper thingys, because I was feeling crafty and Pinteresty.  It was all pretty easy.  These easy things had a big effect on Tralee when I picked her and her friends up from school.  She was so excited to see the decorations, and couldn't wait to PAR-TAY with her buds.

Fall decor.  The first thing Tralee saw when she walked in with her friends after school

Balloons and turkey crafts

Tralee and I came up with a simple and fun turkey craft everyone could make and take home.  I had to get some paper plates and googly eyes; we had the glue, feathers, and felt already.  Pretty easy.

  

Everyone got to make a turkey

Turkey craft

Party food

All the little girlies working on their turkeys

Crafting

More crafting

After the turkey craft was complete everyone played for a while.  After a bit of playing, I put on movie for the kids to watch until their parents showed up.  

All the girls left with a party bag, their turkey, and a smile on their faces.  Tralee was the perfect little hostess, and was so happy to have some of her buddies over to celebrate fall.  

Party favor bags

I'll chalk this party up as a success. . . and hope that my social girl doesn't come up with a party for every month of the year.  I think one or two will do.

Comfy

I know I've mentioned this before, but Jim is the most comfortable person to fall asleep on.  If you're feeling cuddly and napish, Jim is the perfect person to select for a sleep partner.  Don't believe me?  Check out the pictures below.  The proof is in the pudding. . . or stuffing. . . or. . . pillow fluff. . . something to that effect.

Also, I figure if a man lets your pug fall asleep on him like this, he's a keeper.

Snowy Morning

A few Saturdays ago we got a hefty dusting of snow; the first of the season.  The kids were beyond excited.  Pretty much the first thing we did Saturday morning was find our snow gear, and go out and play.

After a few minutes playing in our yard, some of the neighborhood kids came out with their sleds, and asked if we wanted to join them at the little hill down the road.  Of course we did!  So, we grabbed our sled, and walked over with our friends.  We sled for a bit, then meandered over to the school playground to frolic.  We ended the morning making snow ice cream.  Eventually we found our way back inside to warm up, drink hot cocoa, and eat some real food.

It was a great morning.  Pics below.

Hunter yelling, "I'm the king of the mountain!"

She looks like she sticking her tongue out at me, but she's really trying to catch a snowflake on her tongue.

I love Stink's face in this picture.  So full of joy!

YIPPEE!!

He's crying because some snow went down his back. . . 

. . . It's not so bad once it melts.

Christmas Tree

On the evening of Sunday, December 1st, 2013 our little family set out to decorate our Christmas tree.  I put some Christmas music on, got some water boiling for hot chocolate, and we started hanging ornaments and unlocking memories from Christmas-past.

Decorating this year was A LOT of fun.  Hunter was WAAAAY into it.  We realized that this was probably the first year he would truly remember the experience.  Last year we were in Hawaii, and we had a tiny little tree the owner of the condo put up for us.  The year before that, Hunter was only two.  He probably hung up a few ornaments that year, but THIS year he completely and utterly understood the decorating, and loved every minute of it.  It was so fun to watch his excitement every time he unwrapped a new ornament.  My favorite part was when Hunty said, "Now we're starting to jingle those bells!"  I love him.

Tralee was excited too, but after she hung a few ornaments with care, she was more interested in coloring.  Jim hung a few, and filmed a lot of the decorating, but after a while, he and Corky snuggled nicely into the couch.  Hunter and I hung until the very end.  We loved it.  Below are some pictures from our family's night with our Tannenbaum.   

Isn't she pretty?

Family photo.  We're blurry, the tree's in focus.  Oh well.  Maybe the next time we use the timer, we'll make sure everything that needs to be in focus, is.

Our Christmas tree is fake and little, but we like it.  It suits our little family, and our little house.  Our night of decorating was so fun!