Holiday Highlights

I am so behind with blogging! I almost decided just to not blog about the holidays but I do want to be able to look back on these memories someday so here are some of the highlights in a nutshell!

My parents were here for two weeks. Time with them means unlimited Starbucks (hallelujah) and great fun. My mom took me to get a peppermint hair treatment. It was magical. 

My parents also took us to Great Wolf Lodge for the night! It was so so fun!! Unfortunately Emersyn was battling a fever much of the time we were there but thankfully ibuprofen helped and she was still able to have a ton of fun!

 The kids loved the story time in their pajamas and then it *snowed* bubbles! Such a magical Christmas moment for Emersyn. Everett was really into the story time too, was totally watching.

 

We're going to make Great Wolf Lodge an annual tradition. We went last year too. :) Emersyn got to enjoy all of the slides this year except for one that is for bigger kids and adults only. She was by far the smallest kid we saw going on the big slides, she's so brave. She gets that from her daddy, he gives her amazing confidence. We had so much fun going with my parents because they were able to play with Everett while we went on slides with Ems and then later Brett and I got to go on the craziest slide ever, it was awesome!!

On Christmas Sunday I made my debut as the Tiny Tunes preschool choir director. The kids did SO good, I was so proud of them!!

 

 The preschool choir has kids from age 3 through Kindergarten. They sang "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "Happy Birthday to Jesus".

 My kids looked adorable but we didn't get any great pics of them. Everett was over it by the time church was done. I loved how they matched. My mom bought Emersyn's dress that I picked out and then I just so happened to have this shirt for Everett. I got a bow tie from a friend's shop and it was so darling. I was stressing over buying Everett black dress shoes because they would only be worn once or twice and I couldn't find any I loved. Then I remembered that he has black converse and they looked so cute and way more his style. :) Emersyn's dress fit her big so it will be a repeat next year. Everett also has the same shirt in a 2T (I'm a diligent Gymboree shopper when there's sales) so they will wear the same thing next year but I'll mix it up somehow, maybe get Everett a vest or something.

On Christmas Sunday, Brett and I got to go away for the night!

It was a much needed getaway after our crazy couple of months. We went up to the Skamania Lodge and enjoyed yummy food, drinks and relaxation. We played Scrabble on Brett's kindle, read and enjoyed some peace and quiet as well as sleeping in! So thankful to have a husband I enjoy so much, he's truly my favorite person to hang out with. Marriage is a blessing. 

On Christmas Eve we headed to our church's candlelight service. It's one of the highlights of the holiday season for me. The kids wore cute holiday clothes and Everett sported his bow tie once again. They are so cute sometimes I can't really handle it. 

 

After the service we headed to our family friend's house for their annual Christmas Eve party, another highlight in our season. The Meichtry famly is so fun, they do a big potluck style dinner and then afterwards the grandma plays Christmas carols on the piano and then Santa comes. I love seeing my kids being loved by another family. It warms my heart. They treat my kids like they are grandkids and it's so special. 

 

 This is Emersyn's sweet little friend Ian, the Meichtry's grandson. They were in a wedding together last summer and Emersyn wore a big white dress for it so she thinks they got married. I would love if Emersyn married Ian, officially unite the families. :) (Sorry Lou, it's just not looking for for Emersyn and Riley due to the distance). :)  

For New Year's we decided to stay home. We'd been going out so often that a night at home is just what I wanted. You know you've been going out too much when you tell your 4 year old that it's almost dinner time and she asks where we're going to eat. :) 

We decided to have a simple dinner of soup and then enjoy some sparkling wine and appetizers through the night. I also ordered some amazing chocolate covered strawberries as a special dessert from a store near us. They were SO good. Brett stopped at the store on his way home from work that day and got me flowers and bought Emersyn some special sparkling cider for her to ring in the New Year. We watched the ball drop at 9pm and toasted the New Year with Emersyn. We had so much fun with her that we are going to make this a tradition. It would be fun to even get together with friends, ring in the eastern time new years and then head home. I just don't like being out and on the roads at midnight and it's obviously not ideal with kids. We put Everett to bed at 8 and then had an hour of fun and games with Emersyn which she LOVED!

We had such a great holiday season! In light of the tragic events that took place earlier in the month in our nation, I was feeling extra blessed and content this year. I normally place expectations on holidays, not in a bad way, just out of a desire to make them extra special. This year I was just so thankful that we were all healthy and together. Sometimes I look at my life and can't believe how blessed I am. 

Here's to an amazing new year for us all!!