Life...

- I ran in an 80's 5k with some friends! It was fun!

- Thanksgiving happened... our kids got sick...

- Sighted in our new deer rifle...

- I promptly got to put it to the test.... Drilled him! Fill that freezer! I was OUT of ground meat!

- Watched the Aggies win their final game in the SEVENTH overtime!  (while taking care of sick kids who were having trouble sleeping)

- Been taking advantage of our new place and these cool evenings. 

- Got dressed up, dropped the kids off, went to a fancy Christmas party, ate, danced, talked to fun people, didn't think to take a picture til we were in the Whataburger parking lot afterwards!

- Been enjoying cousins! 

- Had a few movie "nap" times on Mom and Dad's bed!

- Gunnar got a deer. Caught and sold goats. Cut up meat. (Picture props go to Monte) Gunnar and I have a great system!  We both shoot them.  He guts, skins, and quarters them.  I cut them up, package and freeze them.  (We both do the processing, I just usually do most of it.  I hate packaging, he hates cutting it up. I like cutting it up, he likes packaging. Works out well!)

- For the first time in our marriage, we put Christmas lights up! 

- Monte got to pick out some lights and choose where to put them.

- Have made walking to get the mail in the late afternoon a regular thing.  Really seems to help the evening until Daddy gets home from work go well. 

- Had a special treat Chik Fil A breakfast! 

- Been trying to enjoy this Christmas season!

 - While the dining room has been in the "gets worse before it gets better" phase of unpacking, we've enjoyed having a lot of picnics in the living room!

- Decorated our gate....

- Just trying to soak up this season with the boys.  They are both at such fun ages right now and even though they take so much work, they are oh so worth it!!

Bye Bye Baby Einstein

So Kit has rocked some crazy hair for a long time!  We lovingly referred to him as "Baby Einstein."  Because he has a double cowlick, he often rocks a Mohawk on part of the top.  It really was so cute....until it wasn't.  It had become a bad mullet!  And he sleeps on his back so the back of his head was just coarse and nappy.  It was like way overdue! 

He did such a great job!  We had to leave it kinda long on the top so that it will hopefully lay down with that double cowlick he has going on! 

He sat so still the whole time.  So sweet!

Look how handsome!!! Oh he looks so cute!!  Goodbye Baby Einstein and hello handsome!  Monte got a much needed cut too!

They asked to go to Pet Smart and since we were just in town for a few fun errands and because they were both so good during their cuts I, of course, said "yes!!"

 So two might be like way late for a first haircut but because he rocked the wild so well and because it took him forever to even get enough hair to cut anyway I think it was just about perfect for him!  

My two handsome boys!  I am one blessed Mama!

Decorating Our Tree

The boys were kinda tired by the time we were ready to start decorating the tree.  We debated whether or not to do it the next day or just power through.  I started getting discouraged because decorating the tree is one of my favorite parts of Christmas and I didn't want it to be a frustrating experience for me or the boys!  I suddenly had an epiphany aka a nudge from the Lord, I can change the atmosphere in my home.  I was wanting it to be fun and joyful and I suddenly realized that I could make it that way.  I remembered stories people tell that begin with, "My mom always made Christmas wonderful..."  It didn't just happen automatically, it took effort and intention.  I want to be that kind of mom in my home, not just at Christmas but always.  I want to happen to my home and not just react to whatever it going on.  And it ended up being a great and merry afternoon!  Both boys got super into the ornaments especially. 

 

 

Reindeer!

 

Monte genuinely helped with the lights!  It's so crazy that he's big enough now to actually help with tasks.  He was definitely proud of himself as he was able to help me!

We let him plug in the new sets of lights and he took his task very seriously!

I was crawling around on the hard tile floor so Gunnar went and made me some knee pads!  Diapers and duct tape! Perks of parenting! 

 

My little helpers!

 

The boys got SOOOO into putting ornaments on the tree!  All in one spot!  Gunnar and I made a game out of how many ways we could try to see if we could get them to put an ornament in a different location but to no avail. 

Kit would put an ornament on a branch, most would fall off, he'd look at it for a second, turn around and get another one!  We joked that there was an ornament graveyard under Kit's spot!

I was planning on redecorating the tree that evening after they went to bed but I just couldn't do it.  It was so sweet how into it they got and how they loved putting each ornament in its perfect spot.  I just left it and decided I may redecorate in a few days after the newness has worn off.  Honestly, it was a good thing I waited anyway because it's been redecorated multiple time daily since then by a couple of cute little elves.  I put the special and breakable ornaments way up at the top they are safe and have just let the boys enjoy it as they choose!

We may not be totally unpacked and our house might be a disaster but we got a tree!!  I decided to go ahead and get one because I thought it would give me the kick in the butt I needed to want to get the house together and I was right!  Our house if actually starting to take shape!

Monte's spot!

 

Kit decided to "help" Daddy push the tree back into place!

Merry Christmas everyone!  Remember to choose joy and be intentional!  And if stuff is too stressful, skip it!  I mean ya know, the non essential stuff anyway!