More Christmas Fun

He thought about crawling while he was here.

He came close a few times.

But in the end decided the belly crawl worked just fine.

He was also working on his third tooth. But you wouldn't have known it. He loved to be held and smiled all the time.

 This whole grandma gig has got to be the best thing ever. I didn't know there was this kind of love. It is different than the love I have for my own kids...it's almost bigger...but it is amazing.

 Michael LOVES to play with his Daddy. They are best buds.

 We tried an indoor family photo...we'll try again for an outdoor shoot next time. The lighting was so off. But there we all are.

 Miss Jo is more in love with this boy than she ever thought possible. He has wrapped her tight around his little finger!

The Best Christmas Ever

We had the opportunity to have Kevin and Abby and Michael come to our house for Christmas. We had the best time. EVER.

This baby is amazing. He is smart and happy and sweet. We all fell more and more in love with him every second.

He figured out if he waved at us he would get anything and everything his little heart desired. 

And wave he did.

He would play and be happy until he wasn't. So we'd either give him a nap or some food or a clean bum and then he was happy again.

He really is the sweetest little guy.

We ALL loved playing with him. Our day became filled with baby talk and rattling toys. And we LOVED it.

Even Darla eventually warmed up to him.

The kids still wanted to do our Christmas Eve tradition of Christmas jammies. I love that they have such good memories of our family traditions. I loved having all my babies at home.

Arizona

At the beginning of December Jim and I went to Arizona to visit his parents. It was lovely. The weather was a balmy 68* and the sun was shining.

We did some target practice and soaked in the sun.

We went on a jeep trip through the desert. 

Big jeeps and little jeeps, old(er) folks and young(er) all traveling in a line to see where the road went.

The mountains were beautiful and the sun never stopped.

I think this will have to be a yearly event. It was so nice to escape the cold for a few days!!

Throwback Thursday

I miss this woman. Every day. I am SO thankful for the Plan of Salvation. I know I get to see her again. I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ and for his sacrifice that made families forever. I love this time of year. To celebrate His birth brings me such joy. 

Wordless Wednesday

The Change

This was the mantle this morning, all festive and Fallish. I love my pumpkin collection and the few Halloweeny things I have scattered about. 

I love, love, love this fabric garland I made from a kit a couple years ago. It is so dang cute!! But you know what happens around here when November rolls around....the change!!

We go from Fall decorations to Christmas in a big hurry. It's always been this way. We LOVE Christmas around here and we don't care who knows. Do I like Thanksgiving? Yes, of course. Do I celebrate it?? You know I do!! Every year I am extra thankful that my husband doesn't care that I set all this stuff up so dang early. I am also thankful to live in a country where I can let my freak flag fly!!

This year, whether you are an all-up-early gal like me, or a leave it for later guy....give your neighbor some slack. Don't criticize or judge them for not being your own kind of crazy. Celebrate your differences and try to find some common ground. It's probably easier than you think. So Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas, my friends!! Party on!!

Thankful

It's November again. Where has the year gone?  I have watched this tree for the last two months for signs of Fall. It started small, one leaf at a time almost. For two months I have wondered and awed at the beauty of this world. Now, I know it has it's problems...goodness...does it ever. But there are such beautiful things to see and hear if we just take a minute to appreciate them. I ask myself all the time...Am I in THIS moment. Have I lost myself in my vision of how I want things to be? Have I wandered off in memories of the past? So much has happened this year. I have so much to be thankful for. Every day this month I am going to list (either here or on FB...or both...but definitely in my journal) something that I am thankful for. Today I am thankful for my family. All of them. Parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents, the women I love as sisters, my husband and children...all of them. I was taught early on by my Mother, family first, always and no matter what. I love that she instilled that loyalty in us. My Mom and sisters were and are my best friends. They taught me how to love and nurture. My husband has taught me patience (by being patient with me) and my children have taught me the value of service. By serving them I have become closer to them and to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for the blessing of family. I hope you take some time today to just think about what you are thankful for.