Merry Christmas!

Yesterday was the first Christmas Eve in recent memory with no travel plans. We didn't go ANYwhere until it was time for church-and it. Was. Lovely.

After church Grandma and our pastor's family came over for pizza (Kayci is convinced it's our after Christmas Eve service tradition...sigh) and cookie decorating.






The funny thing was, Noble has been asleep by 7 PM every night since we got home from Disneyland. After church last night BOTH knuckleheads wanted to go to sleep but Daddy and I had visions of a 3 am wake-up, so we made them stay up for the fun. :)

And it was fun, and they got a second wind. After our company left, we got ready for Santa and his reindeer and opened our one gift. Then we took a picture and Daddy read the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2.









The kids pretty well put themselves to bed right after-they didn't even stick around for "The Night Before Christmas!" There were strict do NOT get up before 5 am instructions.

Daddy and I dozed off watching the end of "Christmas Vacation," then we headed off for our own sugarplum visions.

Noble came in at 3:30...but I just CAN'T stay in bed until 5. He did, but it's our bed. The cats woke me up at 4:22, and I've been up since making coffee, prepping buttermilk crumb cake...waiting.



It's 5:20 and Daddy just wandered through on his way to the coffee maker...this is the latest he's slept in months!

Wonder how long until the kids come out? :)

Merry Christmas, y'all!

Breaking all the rules-boyfriend jeans

Breaking all the rules-boyfriend jeans by kristi-viii featuring a white t shirt

Tree of Light--12/3/13

I can't believe I never published this one!  Last Tuesday, we took the kids to Huntsville for the 93rd annual Tree of Light ceremony.  James and I actually met at the Tree of Light our freshman year (November 30, 1993).  The Freshman Leaders helped host that year, and I reworked "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" as "Professor Grinch."  I have no idea if it was actually any good, but I know I worked hard.  :)  And, as it was 1993, I typed one copy on Beth's word processor and didn't get it back from the girl who read it.  (Who's now semi-famous, wonder if my writing contributed?  Nah...)

Anyway, the important part:  I was serving gingerbread and wassail.  A cocky boy walked up in his Top Gun knockoff leather jacket and asked for more wassail, and I said, simply, "No."  I remember it vividly, which is weird because I'm a smartass every day.  Now, I would have said "yes" if he'd asked again nicely, but he didn't give me a chance--he just turned around and walked away.

And hated me for 2 years.  :)  Like, made fun of me when he saw me hated me.

Then we met again because of Program Council, and eventually he loooooooved me.

And lucky me, the Boy I like loves me still and we have two great kids we like and love.

Life is good.  :)


My own little throwback Thursday:

Balcony Outfit-Photographer's Assistant

Balcony Outfit-Photographer's Assistant by kristi-viii featuring a tan dress

Simplification

Happy December!  This is always a time of reflection for me.  I wish I could say it's because I'm so focused on the Advent season, but really, it's a time when I really rethink the busy-ness of our lives.  Okay, MY life.

The kids have so been looking forward to December this year, and they were very, very patient for the most part.  I think it was a little anticlimactic that Taylor appeared sans gifts this year, and that she has not morphed into one of the mischievous elves that the kids hear about at school.  I've been preparing the kids for the idea of simplified decorations this year, but now that they're in progress we'll see how it goes.  Kayci did not take the news well--she's a creature of habit, like me.  Luckily we can blame a lot on the kittens this year.

Seriously.





And nope, the Advent calendar isn't set up and I don't have any clever ideas, either.  I really, truly want to simplify this year.  It's funny--for the past several years I've been heading that way but I always get sidetracked.  When Kayci was 3, 4, 5, I prided myself on packing tons of fun into every single day of Christmas.  Then I simplified a bit...then I tried the 12 days of Christmas...then I simplified a bit...then I'd get busy being busy...when will I learn to focus on what Christmas is really all about?
Faith * Family * Friends
I know this.  Every year I try to keep the first things first, and every year I fall short.  So this year, we'll see.
Fingers crossed I can stand firm on the simpler decorations--we bought a bunch of cedar garland and I hope that will be the bulk of our decorating.  We also realized this year that we don't have a Nativity set that's not a toy.  Yup.  Luckily my sweet friend gave me the Willow Tree 3 Wisemen this year, so at least we've got that to start.  Now to see if I can still get the rest of the pieces...
This morning I went back and found a blog post that I wrote to share with some of my Mom friends who were interested in our Christmas traditions.  I can't find the original one, but here's one about a year later that still makes my head spin with all of the STUFF.  
http://ipharaon.blogspot.com/2008/12/christmas-fun.html

This is one of my favorite blog posts, ever--I remember that winter as if it was yesterday.  That big ol' baby still crawls up into my lap, and I love it.

http://adventuresofmommygirl.blogspot.com/2008/12/marys-little-boy.html

And I found this post interesting--2 years ago apparently I was pretty focused on simplifying Christmas.  When I think about Christmas 6 years ago, 4 years ago...yep, what we've done the past couple years is definitely simpler.  But I think we can do it even better.  And no, I still haven't done new stockings, etc.  BUT, I'm closer--I've started selecting fabric!

http://adventuresofmommygirl.blogspot.com/2011/12/ready-or-not-here-it-comes.html

We bought our tree yesterday--we went with a Fraser instead of a Noble fir because it was cheaper and we had to replace all of our outside lights this year.  The kids can't wait to decorate it--the tree is the one area I've agreed NOT to simplify, because it tells the story of us.

http://adventuresofmommygirl.blogspot.com/2012/12/oh-christmas-tree.html

Oh, and just to be clear, Mommy friends:  I'm not judging your beautifully decorated houses or your awesome themed decorations or your super-entertaining elves.  In fact, keep it up so we can enjoy them!