Christmas 2014

Christmas 2014 is a wrap. We celebrate with Jake's family for New Years so it takes a little longer for us to move past December 25th:) We had a great holiday with both of our families and hopefully created some fun memories for Cash in the month of December. And to think, next year we will have TWO kids. Fun stuff.

Bye, bye 2014....

It's that time of year again!

I feel like the holiday season started early this year because we had so much snow so quickly after Halloween and everyone got in the spirit early! We have been staying with my parents for three months now, while waiting for a job transfer so we are enjoying the season's festivities with family.

Cash met Santa for the first time and he decided he's not much a fan, which I would have bet money on. But we just wanted a picture! Santa was nice enough to sneak up behind us to get this shot. Sneaky:) He said kids Cash's age are the least likely to sit on his lap. I think 18 months is a challenge for more than just Santa....

The tree is decorated and it has a lot of character this year. Holes and all. But we really love it.

There has been some baking going on. Not all of which was successful, but who needs to eat 100 cookies in the month of December anyway?!

The cousins came over and made chocolate dipped pretzels while Cash ate them:)

And we learned a new phrase..."Ho, Ho, Ho!"

May your days be Merry and Bright....

4th of July

            

We had a low key fourth this year, but it was good.

We started the day at the Bay Harbor Parade, had lunch- where Cash made a lot of friends, took a long nap and then had a small BBQ at home.

V Day 2014

Since getting married, Valentine's Day has never been a huge priority. We use to make a big deal about it when we were dating and Jake even proposed on Valentine's Day 2009. This year I really gave the day zero thought, other than the heart themed puppy chow I wanted to make (and didn't). I woke up thinking 'it's mom's birthday' (Yup, she's a V day baby) and nothing regarding the day of love.

Jake was home with Cash while I had to work. When I saw a text from Jake before 9:00 I immediately thought it was a complaint informing me that Cash was probably being a fuss-butt. (Teething sucks....) 

But instead he wished me a happy Valentine's Day and told me he loved me. 

'That's right, it's Valentine's Day!'
After work I grabbed a card and our laid back holiday ended up being a comfort food and movie kind of night with my boys:)

// My littlest Valentine//

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Isaiah 7:14

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."

Fighting Christmas Perfection

If you currently read any "mommy blogs" or look at Pinterest, for that matter, you know that moms all over are running around shopping for organic wooden baby toys ( because they're cuter), moving the Elf every night, creating crafts, celebrating every day of Advent, baking treats and three course meals all while wearing heels, a Christmas apron and sipping spiked eggnog.

That is just not reality for some of us. I've tried to do "Christmasy" things this month while at home with Cash but let's be honest, he's 7 months old and couldn't care less whether or not we are being festive every day in December. The other day I told Jake that I felt guilty because I hadn't done enough to celebrate Cash's first Christmas season. After my confession I quickly snapped out of it.

Jesus is the reason for this season and how many cookies I bake (which is zero because my oven's broken) or how many gifts I buy is irrelevant. 

We will never be perfect and our Christmas will never be perfect. But many people would say lying a newborn baby in a manger surrounded by farm animals isn't perfect either. And we all know how that story ends.

So, we are going to continue fighting Christmas perfection over here. Don't sweat it if your kids are wearing mismatched pajamas instead of holiday stripes on Christmas morning, while opening cheap plastic toys. Just make sure they know the story of the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger.

A Holiday Photo Shoot

The other day I decided to add some lights and garland to the window in the TV room turned play room since that is where we spend all our time. Cash thought it was a good opportunity to play with the blinking lights (or put them all in his mouth). Which of course, was the perfect time for an impromptu photo shoot.

Santa just got sexy, folks.

He refused to look at me. Those lights sure are distracting. These were too cute not to share but now I must get back to our Pandora Christmas listening and hot chocolate making. 

Happy Weekend!

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Here are a few photos of the house decorated for Christmas, very minimalist, if I do say so myself. We got a real tree this year and while it has its imperfections, I think it's so cute and smells wonderful.

Cash isn't mobile this year so our tree is still intact. He loves to sit and stare at it and once in a while will try to reach for an ornament. Looks like Dad wins again and Mom will never have an artificial tree adorned in white lights. Two against one. Sigh....

Christmas in our new house

Well, this has been quite the year and as it comes to a close, I have a little announcement.

We bought a house. In October.

It's a little white house, just like I've always wanted. I wrote about white houses HERE, HERE, and HERE.

We've done a lot of painting and have MANY more projects ahead of us, but here's a little sneak peek at our house this Christmas. The outside is covered in snow so I probably won't get any good shots till spring.

Merry Christmas!

The Island & An Anniversary

As the official end of summer we spent Labor Day weekend on Mackinaw Island. The whether was gorgeous and every time I'm there (it's probably been 10 years) I'm amazed at the perfect scenery. We planned to go, along with my mom and dad to attend a wedding for two of my mom's friends from Jr. High. They reunited after almost 40 years and got married in a beautiful, quaint little white church. I was honored to sing two songs during the ceremony.

And on the 5th Jake and I celebrated three years as husband and wife. Here's to 30 more!