Merry Christmas

Have a blessed holiday and see you in 2017!

Friday Favorites

Good morning!  Who's excited and ready for this weekend?!  The kids sure are.  I'm still trying to wrap and put together toys.  It will either be late nights or early mornings to get it all done, but it will.  The kids and I are also getting ready to go on a special trip.  We are so excited!

We are all on a much needed school break and we are going to soak up as much play time as possible!  No packed lunches or snacks to pack, no homework to do, no rushing out the door in the mornings, and no crazy afternoon pickups.  I'm ready for our time to be slowed and not so rushed.  

I turned in my final paper on the 12th and I skated out of the class with a B+.  This was my first class (in my master's program) to receive a B (of any sort).  I was out of focus during much of the class so I'm determined to get back into focus for my last class.  It starts in January so I have a few weeks to slack off.  I need to pass this next class so I can graduate in May!  Determination and no procrastination will be the key from January-May!

What a busy week and half we've had!  I love being able to get Sterling together with her favorite friends.  We headed back to the ice rink with more friends.  She had the best time and I loved getting to know their moms.

Sterling had her holiday program and she sang her heart out.  She's a natural performer!

I began reading since I'm done with school.  Reading is so much more fun when it's not required and I can actually get into a book.  I'm hoping to keep it going, even with my next class starting.

I was able to go to Xander's classroom on Friday to help with gingerbread house/men making.  It was my favorite moment all week!

But, because I was there, I saw ALL the kids licking their sticks and dipping them back into the frosting.  So, when he got home, I told him he couldn't eat any of it.  I know, mean mom, but there is so much sickness going around.  We just can't afford being sick right now.  So, we made our own at home.  With green frosting.  Because we compromised and it worked!

Xander made his special with a door, wreath, brick walkway, and rocks.

Sterling's creation was my favorite.  She took so much time and wanted her candy canes standing up.  

We've started doing our holiday baking.  This year we're only making three fun treats.  Peanut Butter Temptations is a family Christmas favorite!

Pretzel Kisses are another family favorite.  But, not just for Christmas.  I like to make them for any holiday that M&Ms has coordinating colors.  They are the best holiday treat!  Tomorrow we will make Santa's cookies.  I cheated though and bought refrigerated dough.  We'll roll it out, I'll bake it, and let them frosting and decorate them.  They have so much fun!  While I sit back and repeat, "what was I thinking!"

We decided to gift the pretzel kisses to their teachers because they have been so sweet to them.

The packages turned out so cute.  Sterling had a hard time writing her name in the small space, but they were still adorable and personal.

The kids were so excited to see presents under the tree after school.  Sterling sat by the tree for a long time admiring them.  We decided to let them open one present each, and they could choose.  Sterling chose her biggest box, a Peppa Pig school house. 

Xander chose a medium box, and it was a package from his grandma, a remote control truck.  They loved their new toys!

We've also have a pesky elf hanging around still.  He wanted to go to school too, but Sterling didn't like his idea because she wanted to play with her school and if she did, she'd touch him.  So, we had a meltdown before 8 am.  Thanks, Elf!

I've also been doing a lot of thinking and I'm going to keep this blog going (along with my new blog with my sister).  I'm going to try something different in 2017.  I want to try to post something special {or not so special} from every day.  Will you stick around and read?!

I'm not sure what I'll call the posts yet, but I have a week to make a plan.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Friday Favorites ~ Let's Play Catchup

Since starting a blog with my sister, I've sort-of neglected this one.  I'm having a hard time deciding if I should continue this one, or just have the new one.  You can check that one (click here), as we post more frequently, to see what we've been up to.  

Linking up with Andrea, Erika, and Narci

The kids and I headed to Walmart in our PJ's before everyone woke up the day before Thanksgiving.  I had to get a few fresh produce pieces and while we were there, we checked out the Christmas isle.  This standing Santa is a favorite, year after year.

We hosted Thanksgiving this year and Nick's dad, sister, and some of his cousins came over.  We had the best time with them.

A couple days later, we met up with Nick's cousins for breakfast, then all headed to the mall.

While at the mall, we were able to check off the visit to Santa.  This Santa was a favorite, for sure!

After dropping everyone off at different airports, the kids and I got started on decorating for Christmas.  This is the first year that I waited until after Thanksgiving to decorate.  We played Christmas music, made a huge mess (much to Nick's dismay!), and got busy.  The kids decorated over 90% of it and I didn't rearrange one ornament.  I had to do the last foot of the tree, but they loved doing so much this year.  I'll just say that it wasn't a favorite to wait.

Sterling waited what seemed like forever to wear this outfit.  She wanted to wear it so bad, but I told her that she had to wait until after Thanksgiving.  She loves dressing the part of the seasons, it's her favorite!

On the 1st of December, we had an elf visit.  The kids were so curious on when he'd show up this year, so they were beyond excited to see he was waiting for them with breakfast ready and gifts.  They received Lego Advent calendars and they have been a favorite.  Definitely the best idea the elf has had in all the years!

Sterling had a playdate with her friend.  We went to Snow-and-Story.  It's always a favorite to play in the snow and be pulled super fast on sleds.  We're going again this week and are excited to have more friends come alone.

Total life changer right here.  This robot vacuum has made my daily floor care so much easier.  It took  a few days to figure out how to make it work it's best, but now we have a system and a schedule.  It's a lifetime favorite!

Sterling wanted her hair cut short, so I cut it for her.  It was fine, she loved it, but I didn't.  I wanted her hair to have a style to it.  When I had my appointment, I had my stylist fix her up while my hair was processing.  I LOVE her her.  She has always hated her curls, calls them messy, but they are my favorite!  Embrace those curls, girl!

We met up with some of our friends last weekend at the national air and space museum, and we had the best time with them.  Nick and I have been friends with them since 2006, before any of us had kids, and now we both have 2 kids.  It's pretty awesome to have kids the same age.

Sterling went to a ballet class to tryout and she's the newest member of their team.  She's so excited because dance is her favorite.  She's in her element dancing and we love watching her shine.  She'll have a recital in June, the week before we go on our Disney Cruise.

Did I mention I love her hair?!

She's always performing!

We mailed out of Christmas cards.  We probably won't receive many this year because with moving so often, each year people don't keep up.  Sigh.

We made our annual Christmas cake and this year we have a tree!  The kids loved decorating it.

This weekend is my last weekend of class for the semester, so I'll be here finishing my final paper.  In January, I'll start my very last class for my master's degree and be done with school forever in May!  I can't wait.  I'm so tired of school work.  Senioritis is in full swing.

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a great weekend!