Christmas Time Fun with Friends

We had two really fun and festive evenings with our friends, the Cardon's, during Christmas time. The first one was visiting the Christmas lights at our local Scentsy complex!  They have a long winding tunnel completely illuminated in a rainbow of colorful lights we all got to walk through! It had rained all day so I was so thankful the kids were wearing rain boots but we were all soaked (very literally) by the end of the night. All the kids ran from one end to the other and back again several times, splashing through puddles all along the way. It was kid heaven! 

Holding hands with his friend, Avaree ...

Love this wild bunch!!

We also wandered the rest of the grounds which had beautiful green, purple, and white lights wrapped around trees, gazebos, a clock tower, and light poles. One child (not ours) found a small fountain and jumped waist deep in it. Then our child (I won't name names ... the youngest) face planted in a giant puddle and I rescued her in her sopping wet state. Considering it was 40 degrees outside and there were lots of tears, that was the end of the evening for everyone. haha I'm sure it will become another fun family tradition! ;)

The very next week we had them over to our house for a Christmas Party! Our kids wrote their letters to Santa and sent them to the North Pole in our magical mailbox! We had pizza for dinner, decorated sugar cookies for dessert, and watched Olaf's Frozen Adventure!

Christmas at Farmstead & Visiting Santa

In early December we began a new fun Christmas time tradition! A local farm that hosts a pumpkin patch and corn maze in the fall decided to open a Christmas experience this year ... Christmas at Farmstead! After waiting in line at the Village for 2 hours last year to see Santa, being able to see him without the lines at Farmstead was enough to sell me. They even had baby puppies by Santa to win over the heart of this little girl right here ...

She took one look at Santa and wanted nothing to do with sitting on his lap (there were tears) so the puppies were the perfect distraction to calm her down. She was consumed with joy and giggled as the puppies licked Nic's hand!

This was Liam's first year where he was so brave and climbed up right next to Santa without us convincing him to. Good thing I wasn't drinking any water because I would have spit it out as he told Santa what he wanted for Christmas this year ... a light up Pokemon Pikachu and a Paw Patrol Mighty Pup Tower ... two things I'd NEVER heard him mention before that day. Uh, I guess Santa better not shop on Black Friday next year! haha

After telling Santa he had been a good boy, he gave Liam a sucker and this was his face as he walked away! He was so excited!

I can't giggle without looking at this picture for so many reasons but I love it all the same!

That sweet Santa even sent him with a sucker for his sister and it was just enough to convince her how sweet he really is ... enough that she finally worked up the courage to sit by him. Best part about Santa photos at Farmstead ... no line, you get to take your own pictures, and you can go back and try again if the first time wasn't successful! 

That bow in the back of her tutu!!!

She may not have said anything to Santa but a sucker and pointing at puppies did the trick! Santa, you really are magical!

I also love how they are both ignoring him for their suckers in that second picture ... sorry Santa. 

The second thing we visited were Santa's reindeer in training ... Evergreen and Juniper! 

Then they got to each decorate a sugar cookie with Mrs. Claus! 

Being shy at the neighbors next to us who were flirting with her ...

I mean, the more sprinkles the better, right?!

Absolutely pleased and content with her decorated cookie! 

They had a small tree farm with Christmas trees for sale. It was so pretty to walk through and the smell is my absolute favorite!!

A magical life size snow globe!

Can't wait to go back and experience it all again with them next year! 

Family Pictures & Our 2019 Christmas Card

We had family pictures taken at the end of the summer this year up at Lucky Peak Lake! It was so fun for me to get these back and hang them in our home because being a beach girl at heart, I've always wanted pictures of our family by the water.

While there were the typical moments of gnashing of teeth from both parent and child, we made it through and our wonderful photographer managed to capture each member of our family and our individual personalities perfectly. When in doubt with kids, let them pick up a flower, rock, stick, or in this case, large handfuls of sand to wave or throw in the air. I was trying to wash sand out of my hair for a week. haha Worth it! 

Lyla was absolutely terrified of being on this swaying dock. haha She gripped on for dear life to whomever was closest. It was so sweet when that moment was Liam. He is such a nurturing big brother, one thing I love about him and him being the oldest.

I love making family pictures a priority because I want them to remember me in the pictures with them too. Most of the time I am the one behind the camera (it is something I LOVE to do!) but I want them to know how much I cherish being close to them and spending my days with them in these young years of their lives too ...

My handsome boys! Missing both of them today after a 2 week long Christmas break with all of us together. Nic is back to work and Liam is at preschool.

The cutest boy who made me a momma ...

They are best friends! Nic found this wizard wand he widdled when he was kid in a keepsake bin in the garage this week and Liam has become obsessed with casting spells! So cute! Reminds me of when he was only 1 or 2 years old and he had a stick clenched in both pudgy fists at all times whenever he was outside.

Oh my heart, and these two ... she loves her "dada"!

I can hardly believe how grown up he is. He'll be going to Kindergarten this year ...

Showing off his muscles and my favorite silly face he makes whenever Nic is making him laugh in the background!

That summer bleached blonde hair! Most adorable girl in the whole world!!

Blowing kisses and showing off her bloomers because I swear I tried that dress on her a week before pictures and it was the perfect length until the morning of and it barely covered her buns. haha

He is definitely the fun one!

"I try bite momma ..."

Their favorite thing in the world "rides". Hey, if someone willingly packed me around like that I think I'd like it too! It is always how they request to be carried up the stairs for bed at night.

Love him so much!

Saved my favorite playful fun ones for last ...

Our 2019 Christmas card ...