Holiday Spirit

I never seem to get out the camera when I'm at my family's house. Everyone else has their camera out so it feels like overkill. But I always regret it later! Here is what I got from one afternoon and thieving from my sister! We went there for Thanksgiving and the boys had a blast! My sister came with her 3 girls and my Nanny was there as well. Lots of family fun crammed into a long weekend.

My sister's family

The smile I get from my introvert

The smile I get from my entertainer

The whole family
Our family

We came home a day early and decided to spend the next afternoon decorating for Christmas. It was a very fun and relaxing day to recover from our travels. The boys seem to be a little confused about the difference between the Christmas Season..... and Christmas Day itself. Every time someone walks in the door they proclaim... "Merry Christmas!"

the boys helping us set up the creche

Decorating the tree
Is it that hard to get all the boys together?
Evidently.
A little more cooperative this time.

Niki's Wedding

This past weekend I had the privilege of being in a close friend's (from college) wedding. We have done so much together and it was fun to watch her enter a new phase of life! I was more dressed up than I've ever been and it was one of the fancier weddings I've ever been a part of! People were hired for hair, make up, and I was in designer clothes! It was an evening of dancing, food, and fun, all "dolled up."

Trick or Treat!

So, I'm not 100% how I feel about participating in Halloween. We always used to go to "fall festivals" at churches when i was a kid and somehow that felt better. But is that really any different? They aren't technically calling it Halloween, but it seems to be just a glorified form of it that we use to make ourselves feel better because it is on the grounds of a church. And those people love Jesus right? So it has to be okay? Yet we still follow the same traditions.... pumpkins, dress up, and candy (this is not a slam at you Mom, even though I know you'll read it that way). But when I start to head down that road I realize there are lots of things that I should really bring into question.... Santa Clause, stockings, the Christmas tree, the Easter bunny and Easter baskets, and the list goes on. So instead of worrying too much about it, after awhile I just dress my children up in happy costumes that have nothing to do with evil or the dead and out we go to enjoy the festivities with our other friends who also love Jesus! This year we went trick or treating in a small neighborhood where 2 of our friends live.


But seriously.... theology or no... isn't that the cutest dinosaur you've ever seen?


And even though I found Steven a 'Mater costume at the flea market, it wasn't a head to toe type costume.... and as soon as he saw his friends in their whole costumes, Mater was no longer an option. Sigh. $2 down the drain.

Can you picture the tail swishing behind him and the banana in the pocket? Steven did inform his friends that the banana was not real. Priceless.

I must say we've glimpsed a side of Sam being an addict. It started with his passy and then yesterday moved towards sugar. We let him have one piece and he literally sobbed all the way home saying, "just one more, I be done momma." That is what they all say Sam.

*One funny story for the evening. The kids showed up at a house that indeed had their light on.... but evidently the wife had just stepped out to pick up the candy. So the husband raids the closet and brings out Little Debbies, packs of crackers.... and Sam actually Vienna Sausages. Um... thanks.