Christmas 2015

     What a wonderful Christmas season we have had. The boys thoroughly enjoyed family, the elves on the shelf and all the fun that comes with the magic of the season. We had such a wonderful Christmas morning. Billy and I have started several traditions of our own with the boys and its really special to me. On the night before Christmas Eve we eat chili, go to church, and then take the boys for frozen yogurt and to look at lights. I get Egg Nog yogurt, Tanner gets chocolate, and Billy switches up. Holden just started eating it a few weeks ago and he gets vanilla. I LOVE experiencing things with my children and seeing things through their eyes. We only had one or two hairy moments and I guess those are to be expected. I am very thankful for all of it. Christmas Eve was wonderful. We spent it with Grammy, Papa, Aunt Whitney, Tristan,  Uncle Josh, Uncle Scott, Aunt Lisa, Lauren, Alson, and all our Lakeland family. Whitney was a wonderful hostess and I am super proud of my little sister. We do lots of yummy food and fun sitting around talking and sharing. The boys got a ton of stuff. Then we did our Christmas morning just the four of us. We had fun waking the boys up and telling them Santa came. Holden literally ran out and looked for him. SO SWEET!! I love that 3 year old little boy. Tanner got a Woody, a bike, Star Wars toys and lots of other stuff and it was so sweet to see him be so excited that Santa left him Ginger bread Oreos. I Love my sweet Tanner. We left Santa cookies and milk and carrots for the Reindeer. AND Santa left gingerbread cookies for the boys in place of the ones he ate. He also sat looking at one of his new books forever. He is a real book worm. :) I always make a BIG breakfast casserole and make stuff for the boys and it has worked out great since we don't eat Christmas dinner until 2 or 3. WE loved watching our boys have so much fun. Billy and I really enjoyed ourselves with the Elves, shopping, and playing Santa. We then head over to Grampy's and Meme's around noon and have a blast over there opening gifts and eating a wonderful Christmas meal. They make it really fun and I always look forward to our Christmas day with them. The boys got scooters dinosaurs, play doh, and lots of fun stuff. So thankful for all our family. It is a lot of work as a parent or grandparent BUT that's what you do for your children. We know the real reason for the season. My boys know Santa and elves are for FUN. Jesus is OUR KING!!! I am so thankful. I had a couple moments of my own where I felt overwhelmed and anxious. I just  keep seeking HIS will, loving the best I can, and working hard to be thankful and teaching my boys GRATITUDE!  I have learned that at a certain point this mommy needs to decompress. I don't always deal with Stimuli and noise and constant being on and one of my many outlets is this blog. Right now as I type my candles are burning, my boys are asleep, Billy is working, and it is silent in my home. Silent!! I need to get filled up. I need my KING!! I will always fall short and have times when I get impatient. I just will. I will make mistakes. I just TRUST my Savior. God is my rescue and strength. He fills me up when I feel all I do is not enough. He tells me it is. My husband was so sweet and got me a wonderful camera. I love taking pictures. MOSTLY of my children. He is a wonderful husband. He lets me vent, he gives me space, and he holds me close. Today was a really wonderful day. After the gym I took the boys to Cohadjoe park and the 3 of us had a picnic and the boys rode their BIKES! Holden was a champ and loves Tanner's old bike. Tanner was a bit nervous but I know he will get use to his new bike. He was brave and tried hard up and down a few hills. :)  Feeling blessed with this crazy family of mine. LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT CHRISTMAS SEASON!!

Dance, Disney, and Daddy gifts

     What a great couple days I have had with the kiddos. The weekend was great. Tanner performed in his first dance performance this weekend. He was so brave and so dedicated. I love that boy. He loves The Arts as we are finding out. He loves music, art, theater, and DANCE. We are so proud of our son. After being so busy with the show Friday and Saturday Billy needed to catch up on school work so I took boys to the park and Picasso's Palette yesterday. They made ornaments for daddy. A new tradition for us. Also Holden really has the hang of pedaling and riding his little bike. He is so active and fun. Tanner is always using his imagination and is very loving and tender. Today we had a great day at Disney and it was so fun to get away and the day was beautiful. I am enjoying being able to do lots of stuff with the boys. 3 and 6 is great in a lot of ways. Thankful to do all sorts of stuff this holiday season.  4 days until Santa comes. Love the awe and innocence of my little boys.

Laughing All The Way...........

     Traditions are starting to become really important to Billy and I with raising our kids and building our marriage. One tradition that has become very important to us is dinner and shopping together  for our family and friends. Every year we go to dinner, go over our list, and hit the ground running. We have so much fun shopping for our kiddos. Our boys are the best. We love being able to buy for them. We work hard at teaching them thankfulness but these young years and the magic that goes with it is so incredibly fun. We went to Sky Saturday night and had dinner. YUMMY!! Asian food. Then we shopped and shopped. The best part of the whole night was laughing with my babydoll. My husband is hysterical. It is one of the many reasons I married  Billy. He can make me laugh and I mean really laugh. In the everyday business of raising kids, paying bills, and day to day life I am so thankful to laugh with him. We took the boys to see Santa, made crafts, baked cookies, and experienced lots of fun things with these little boys of ours this last week. MY FAVORITE thing in the whole world though is my baby boys in their Christmas PJS under our sweet tree.

CHOOSING GRATITUDE

So Thanksgiving was wonderful. I love having a big family. It was fun starting out Thanksgiving morning running the 10K with one of my best friends Jessica. She slammed her foot into a baby gate two days before and literally ran with broke toes. The funny thing is I thought we started out together and I didn't catch up to her until mile 4. She inspires me as a mommy, wife, and Christ follower. We all need friends that inspire us and motivate and encourage us. And ones that listen to us. I am blessed with a few. Some of those friends I call family. :) We had thanksgiving at my Aunt Brenda's. When I was growing up my Aunt Brenda was always a generous and happy hostess. Her and my Uncle Ray always loved having all of us in their home and the sounds, smells, and laughter are truly some of my fondest memories. My mom was greatly missed. She was home at her LOFT apartment (what the boys and I call it). She's been recovering from major surgery. Billy, the boys, and I went to see her after we left Aunt B's. We took her some food. We had a great time at my aunt's house. We ate, laughed, rode motorcycles and just enjoyed being together. Thanksgiving is a season of gratefulness. A season of being happy with what God has blessed you with. I wish I could say I had that  mastered. I DO NOT! It is hard when life takes over. Who is feeling grateful when you get out of your shower and there is a foot of sewage water on your floor.? NOT THIS GIRL!! That's life though. Sewage's back up, bills are due again right after you pay them, and kids disobey( usually at the most inconvenient times.) It is CHOOSING to remain grateful in spite of all that. Looking past your circumstances. I make lots of gratitude lists. I journal all the time and writing things down helps me see clearly the beautiful life I TRULY do have. We got our tree up and Billy and Tanner put up the outside lights. I LOVE OUR HOME. (Sewage problems and all)  :)  I am a lot of things but mostly today I am grateful.