December

We are in the final day of the month of December. My thermostat is not working and toes are freezing but I'm happy. Why wouldn't I be? Let's recap these last four weeks. I had some scores at antique stores early in the month and had to take a picture of this box of shiny brites for my sister who adores them. Did you know they still make them? Of course they aren't as good as the originals. I almost got the chess set below but it had sold when I went back for it. I learned a lot by researching the pieces. It was a Duncan mold that was popular with ceramicists in the 60-70's. So you can find them in all different colors but it is not common to find them with a custom board like that. I should have got it.
We got our sugar cookie fun started with the Royals at the end of November but as usual succumbed to a second batch of our own. Trinity and I attended our first performance EVER of the Nutcracker this year. We had a good time riding in with our CC friends the Middletons but Trinity said it was a little "weird" and had a pretty good head cold going so was forced to sniffle through it. I rejoiced to get to wear my vintage Mr. Blackwell but I did discover a hole in the sleeve that I am not sure how to fix. We finished up CC in the second week, the kids had earned an ice cream party for beating the board (a math game) and they exchanged books. The next Tuesday the Masters Class had a party and review day. It was fun to get to chat with the other moms and children and not have every minute scheduled with the weekly grammar. We got a little obsessed with sequin ornaments this year so I provided the craft for all the kids and Trin must have made eight or so of them this month. Blake had his school concert and Isaac performed at CBS. The rest of the time up to the Christmas Vacation was spent with our usual appointments plus a plethora or Christmas shopping so we were definitely hopping. I got to sing plenty of Christmas worship which made me happy as I have been out of the loop on that the last several years for various reasons. Sort of dreading but looking forward to taking all the decorations down this weekend. I feel spring cleaning hitting early this year. 2015 was very busy. I had two out of three kids in therapy (one had 5 hours a week!), we took four different road trips over the summer break, we began our homeschooling journey, I grew in my leadership role with worship, I worked on new friendships and am blessed to be seeing fruit in that area that has long been coming. I fell down in a lot of areas, stalled out in others, but persevered time and again in many ways. I suffered through shingles and a MRSA infection. There will always be should have, could have, would haves, but time marches relentlessly on and we are carried along with it. So I'm glad to say I had a wonderful and full December to cap off this crazy year.

 my friend Lindsey Royal and CC buddy Rebecca

 hair cute in prep for nee nee's

 performing at Evergreen hospital

so many videos, sorry it's really for the grandparents.

Christmas 2015

We enjoyed three wonderful family Christmases this year. We spent an evening with Jeremy's dad and his family where I finally got my hands on my new baby nephew Odyn. Then we spent an evening with his mom and the rest of his family. All of this occurred the weekend before Christmas. Then we moved on to the big show (snow wise) in Spokane. We timed our driving the pass perfectly and had zero issues getting across the state. I then forced my mother to drive me into town on Wednesday before Christmas to go to the Old World Christmas store on the worst roads she said she had ever driven. We had an awesome adventure after leaving my sisters where we didn't make it up a steep, long, probably dangerous hill and had to bail on a side street that had us punching it through unplowed roads up shorter hills on a more circuitous route that went right by my Aunt and Uncle's old house that we used to spend every Christmas eve at. Very exciting (tense) and nostalgic and my good old girl (van) didn't even overheat. We arrived back safely and I got my share of ornaments for the next few years. Yay! Christmas Eve Jeremy was sick with a cold but still took the van to town to finish his shopping. so we mostly sat around, baked cookies, and played in the still falling snow. IT WAS DELIGHTFUL. I missed not attending the Christmas eve service at my sister's new church though. We opened presents as a family that night. Christmas morning we broke tradition and didn't have our usual brunch but just had the food out and snack style the whole day. My friend Laura, her husband Eric, and their boy Alex came over later that afternoon and helped with a snowman. There was more sledding and my sister and her family stayed the night. We got together with friends over the weekend for game nights and catching up. I didn't get pictures of everybody as this year I really was just enjoying my family so much. (not that I don't usually) The rest of the trip was spent alternately shopping and playing in the snow as any good holiday vacation should be. What a blessed time with family and friends!!! Sometimes I don't understand the goodness of God to me but I try to be thankful for it. I really do.

 Isabelle called Isaac "baby" all night. lol

 Trinity was so obsessed with the wrap job she almost didn't open the present.

 her own tablet say what?

his "cheese" face

just had to take a few pics while heading over the pass.

usually I take a hundred pictures of mom's decor but again I just enjoyed.

 a deadly drive just for this! (drama much?)

these handblown glass ornaments sell at retail for upwards of $15 apiece and can be found at upscale retailers such as Salish Lodge and Molbaks. Here you dig through boxes and boxes for $4 apiece. It is literally next to the building they are made and ONLY open after Halloween through the 23rd of December which is why I have missed it the past three years as we usually travel that day. The kids all have their ornaments for next year safely tucked away to surprise them with yay!

 Blake lived in his elf shirt. It says "I go Cray Cray for Christmas"

 He got some Nike basketball shoes and tickets to the Harlem Globetrotters.

 Isaac got all books. I know! But he LOVES workbooks and they aren't cheap. He got a whole pack of smelly markers too which he loves.

 where we enjoyed our Christmas eve dinner.

 Isaac realizes what a big deal this is!lol

 okay so funny story but my sister tipped me off that Caroline the American Girl Doll Trinity has had her heart set on since she finally decided she wasn't scared of dolls anymore and really had to have one was being archived. Nat had read on the Thrifty Mom website that there MAY be some available at local Costco stores. So of course we see one of only 12 at the Issaquah Costco. Well of course we had to do it. So Trinity patiently acted for a month and a half like she didn't have a doll in mom and dad's closet. Hee hee. She was very happy to finally get her out.

Isaac got the new SkippyJon Jones.

 Merry Actual Christmas!!!!

 wow a real attempt at a normal picture from my dad

 Jessie LOVED the snow

 this blue ruffed grouse toasted itself against Dad's shop but it was pretty to look at the feathers up close

 people, this is where I grew up. be jealous.

 this one likes to take selfies.

 game night!

 I love it when the snow is perfect for seeing every single flake in all it's glory

 I can't stand the gorgeousness. I will mentally live here through March.

 fun fun fun!

snow obsessed

 Jessie the wonder dog stayed out with the kids as much as I would let her

 okay THIS is more what I expect when I take a picture with Dad

 Trinity liked to "corpse" on me while I pulled her up the hill

 the homestead

 happy happy happy

We only ran over Isaac's hands once. He like to snowplow with them on the front of the sled while being pulled and I knew eventually one would go under the runner. lol/

and that's a wrap!!! or unwrap!!!!