Christmas Highlights: Oh What Fun!

We have some fun things that we've done since Amelia was born. The older the girls get, the more fun these things are to me and Alex. 

We have an Advent Nativity Book that we read every night, starting December 1st. 

We love this book. It's easy for them to understand and learn the Christmas story.

Amelia can quote the entire book without even looking at the pictures and Sydney started memorizing it this year. 

It's the cutest thing to hear them "read" the Christmas story. 

This is our fourth year of using this Advent book. 

It's a favorite!

The girls take turns setting out a new piece to the nativity each night. These pieces come with the book.

We always have some crafts for the girls to do throughout the Christmas season. 

Simple things.

I picked up these Christmas cards, last year on clearance, and pulled them out early December. 

The girls colored the cards and then told me what they wanted to say to their friends/family.

I got a kick out of what they said in their cards.

We mailed these to Pastor Saeed.

Sydney's were always short and sweet.

And she chose to mail cards to more pets of family than actual family!

Amelia loves words.

I would have to tell her there's no more room on the card!

Amelia's were always from the heart. HA!

We didn't make it to the light display that we usually drive-thru, but we looked for lights whenever we were out and about. 

Kids don't care if it's professionally done. They just love lights! 

This was at our Promenade Shopping Center.

We always do a gingerbread house. 

This isn't stressful for me, it's fun. 

It's even more fun since discovering The Candy Cottage. 

You just snap the plastic cottage together and start decorating it. 

When ready, you wash off the candy and throw it in the dishwasher and re-use every year!

Everyone gets their own tub of icing. 

You can put it on the house or eat it off the spoon, it's totally up to you!

If you're OCD, go ahead and take your medication...

Because children do not know how to install wheat shingles properly. 

Can you tell which side was installed by Daddy and Mama? 

They always have so much fun doing this.

We just let them decorate the way they want!

And we decorate the way we want!

This is one of my favorite things to do as a family. 

It's one of our tastiest traditions. 

Love to all,

Christmas Highlights: Christmas with Friends

Early December, I hosted a Christmas party for my friends from church.

This is the first time I've hosted anything in my home in over two years. I've missed it!

It might sound crazy, but having a second child really rocked my world. There are several things I stopped doing after having Sydney. Due to having a baby, having major surgery, etc., I feel like I'm just getting back to my normal self. I look forward to having more friends into my home in the new year!

I didn't go all out on decorating.

My front porch had a few decorations to greet my friends and I decorated the mantel.

It was potluck and these girls brought a spread of food. 

It was all so yummy!

I made hot cider and coffee punch.

Y'all, this coffee punch is AMAZING. 

My sister gave me the recipe. 

I want this at every party from here on out. 

Recipe:

1 quart vanilla ice cream

3 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

6 cups freshly brewed coffee (I used pre-made/unsweetened Starbucks iced coffee)

Coffee Ice Cubes (I made these with the Starbucks iced coffee)

Just mix the above ingredients and top each cup with whipped cream. 

I totally forgot to set out the whipped cream, but it was still delicious!

We played the Favorite Things Giveaway and the Purse Game. 

I love seeing what women carry in their purses. HA!

It was so much fun. 

After the party, I went across the street to get my neighbor to take a group picture for us. 

As I was walking back, I could see all of my friends talking/laughing and my heart felt so full. 

There is absolutely nothing like the gift of girlfriends. 

I need them in my life and I'm grateful for each and every one of them.

Love to all,

Christmas Highlights: Weaver Family Christmas

We spent Christmas afternoon with my family.

My Mama had stockings hanging for everyone on the banister. 

It's the first thing we saw as we walked in. I loved it!  

My nephew, Waylon and his fiancé, Alli.

I can't believe he's getting married next year!

The kiddos have grown so much!

I was looking back at pictures and found this one from Amelia's 2nd Christmas.

She was about 14 months old.

And here they are this year + we've added our sweet Sydney Faith!

I love this picture of my Mama.

This was an inside joke between her and Alex.

She got a kick out of the gift he bought her.

Jackson Luke is our December birthday baby, so he was opening birthday presents too. :)

I like to just sit and watch my family.

We love to be with one another.

We laugh a lot.

This was after we filled ourselves with yummy food and opened all of the gifts.

We had some tired boys!

Even though it was late when we arrived home, the girls wanted to play with their new play-doh set. 

I remembered being a kid on Christmas and just wanting to play with everything right then. 

So I let them play for about 30 minutes before wrangling them to the bath!

It was a great day.

Family is a wonderful gift.

The time I get to spend with my people...priceless.

Love to all,