Day 948 | Merry Christmas!

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And so another Christmas season comes to an end. Chase and I have similar feelings about this. It's always hard to deal with the crash of emotions when all the traditions have taken place, all the presents have been given + opened, and all the family celebrations come to an end. You don't want the magic and anticipation of Christmas to come to an end...and yet that's why it's so wonderful, right? Because you know it only comes around for this brief few weeks. 

We'll have lots of time to reminisce about these festivities. We'll continue to spread kindness throughout the year. The new toys + gifts will be excessively enjoyed. But we'll still take a minute to grieve what's been a lovely ending to one of the best years. 

I'll close 2016 with one last holiday shout out (remember I'm taking a break from the blog this week) to my friends and family. Thank you for hosting us. Thank you for the delicious food + sweets. Thank you for the overly-generous gifts. Thank you for your patience with our young family. Thank you for your understanding and unending love this month and always. Just thank you. 

Merry Christmas, 2016. We eagerly anticipate what 2017 has in store for us.  

Day 945 | Christmas Festivities Begin

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We'll be spending Christmas Eve and morning with Chris's family this year so we had my family over for an early Christmas celebration tonight.  

We had yummy food, laughed a lot, and enjoyed some serious present opening. I've said it before, I'll say it again...these ages (2.5 & 4.5) might be the best ages for Christmas enthusiasm. They are beyond grateful and excited for every gift that comes their way. And it makes gift-giving so much fun. You just want to do your part to make those little eyes light up, you know?  

 **Special note: I'm going to take a Christmas break from blogging while I'm enjoying lots of family time and eating way too much. I'll post up until the 25th and then it'll be quiet here for a bit. Now don't say I didn't warn you!

Day 941 | Knitted Cowls

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My homemade contributions to our family Christmas last night were new knitted cowls for the boys. They picked out their own colors and we pleasantly excited about such a dull gift. They appreciate homemade goods already...a success!

For you knitters out there, this is a very simple project. Think: simple, mini-sized scarf. I've outlined the "pattern" below in case you're feeling motivated. I will say that these cowls are great for kids because they protect their cold little necks and you don't have to think about them unraveling. Oh, and they're adorable as all get out. Win!

Knitted Kid's Cowl Scarf

  • Cast on 20 stitches to the needle size of your choice (I used size 11 needles)
  • Alternate 5 knit, 5 purl, 5 knit, 5 purl, 5 knit 
  • Turn (on the other needle) and do the same pattern: 5 knit, 5 purl, 5 knit, 5 purl
  • Continue this pattern until the scarf is as long as you would like for the size of your child. I chose a length of about 44 inches.
  • When you've reached the desired length, bind off.
  • Then take the two edges and sew up the seam.

Ta-da! A cowl!

I find that the knit/purl pattern listed above provides extra warmth but makes the cowls curl into itself a little bit better so there isn't a ton of extra bulk. I hope your kiddos enjoy these as much as mine do.

Day 940 | Family Christmas

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To avoid overstimulation and over-accumulatoon of presents at one time, we decided to do our [immediate] family Christmas tonight. Definitely the right decision. We enjoyed the quality four-of-us time and no one was complaining about the sneak peek present opening.

We tried out a new tradition this year: Dollar Store shopping. A couple of weeks ago, we took the boys to the Dollar Store and they could pick out any gifts they wanted for me, Chris, and their brother. With $1 as the price tag on all items, they could be as ridiculous and frivolous as they wanted. What did they select, you might ask?

Chase

Dad: Santa salt and pepper shakers (because he likes Christmas and doesn't have any salt and pepper shakers like that)
Mom: A new "cup". Yes, it's a wine glass. No, he doesn't think I'm a wino. We have stemless glasses for wine so he just thought this "cup" was really fancy and selected it because I don't have one like it. Ha!
Robbe: A lego-type ATV (no explanation needed, it's as awesome as it sounds)

Robbe

Dad: A set of screwdrivers (he really likes to fix things)
Mom: Two pairs of socks (not really sure of the explanation on this one)
Chase: A Skye, from Paw Patrol, 3D puzzle (because he loves puzzles and Paw Patrol...perfect!)

So fun, right? I can't wait to continue the tradition as they get older and more articulate with their purchase explanations. Thanks to Jennie for passing along the idea for the Dollar Store presents! It's a keeper.

Day 939 | Handprint Santas

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It was two years in the making, but Robbe finally has a handprint Santa to keep Chase's company on the tree.   

I had enough foresight to make the handprint ornament part (done on both boys' first Christmas) but the painting of the Santa was another story. Sheesh. 

Cute, though, right? I just used some Crayola Model Magic clay, cut around their handprint (and added a whole for a ribbon). Wait for that to dry then paint. Most of the time, this craft would not take two years. 

**Special note: Chase suggested that I leave Robbe's Santa's face without an outline so that they could tell them apart. Smart suggestion!

Day 937 | Braving the Cold

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Guess what? The boys and I have managed to continue our walks to Chase's school twice a day, four times a week. This week has been the challenge. Today, I checked the temperature on my way out the door and the "feels like" temperature was -9 degrees. That's no joke. 

To be honest, though, it doesn't feel that bad. And I've actually really been enjoying the extra motivation to get out of the house in these conditions and get some exercise. It's nice not to feel super cooped up already when we've got a looong winter ahead of us. 

How do the boys feel, you might ask? They're the ones who requested walking today. I was giving them the choice since it was SO cold and I didn't want them to be uncomfortable. Based on the temperature of their little hands and noses when they get out of the Burley (remember this? and this?) and their request to walk today, I'd say there's no question that they're staying warm and cozy in there. Turns out the bike trailer was an even better purchase than we thought! The big wheels (a must through the snow and slush) and fully-enclosed, side-by-side seats make for a pretty sweet winter ride.

Day 936 | Yoga

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My frantic mind and aching body were craving some yoga on this bitterly cold morning (I don't think it even got into the teens!). I'd love to say that the class totally cleared my mind and offered newfound balance in my life. Not so much. The boys were grumpier + more irritable than usual and my patience was at a negative 10...even with the me-time. Oh well, some days are just like that, right? I'm trying to focus on the bright side: these tough days are few and far between as our little guys get older. Thank goodness. 

The heated yoga class did feel pretty amazing, though. And the childcare offered by the studio is about all this former-yogi could ask for to get me back on the mat...even if it is only every now and then.  

Day 932 | My Cup

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My cup runneth over.  

Today was a dream day. Seriously. Every part of it. Here's the breakdown:

  • Woke up to a breakfast with my favorite teenage nieces (after our sleepover).
  • Met some of my aunts + cousins for a good-old-fashioned porch pot crafting session (see photos above). It was intense and creative and totally overwhelming and shockingly organized. Also, totally amazing. Thanks to Karen, Diana, Julie, David and everyone else that helped pull this off!
  • Made it home for some holiday present crafting during nap.
  • Cleaned up the house a bit before some friends came over for pizza + conversation + serious play time. 
  • Wrapped up the evening with my favorite guy in front of a hot fire while the snow fell peacefully outside. 

It really doesn't get much better. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. This. This is why we moved back.

Day 929 | Happy [Belated] St. Nick's!

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Chris's family celebrated St. Nick's day every year when he was growing up. Mine didn't. We obviously decided to continue this family tradition with our little guys but somehow the holiday just can't seem to solidify in my mind. I swear (SWEAR!) St. Nick's day is on December 7th. Nope. It's December 6th. Shoot! We missed it yesterday.

Luckily, the boys don't care when they get presents, so no one was any wiser. Whew. 

Here's a bit of a history, if you are completely clueless about it as I was. So, last night we put out our shoes by the fire place and waited for Saint Nicholas to visit and fill them up. And he came! We all got some coins, Christmas socks, and clementines and the boys got new Christmas books, too. It was quite the exciting morning. Oh, and Grandma and Grandpa M spoiled us rotten with additional treats + gifts as well...thank you! 

Just a little snippet of Christmas come early in our house this morning. The excitement mounts for the real deal in just a couple of weeks!

Day 928 | Winter Wonderland

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Maybe it's just because it's new and exciting, but this snow is bringing me more joy than I anticipated. There's nothing better (for the moment) than walking down stairs and seeing our front yard covered in a pristine layer of fluffy white stuff. We actually don't have piles and piles yet (which is when it might get a bit old), but the two little dustings we've had are enough to make me smile.

I'll follow up in February to let you know how I feel about the cold + snow after months of living with it, but, for now, I'll just soak in the excitement and beauty while I can still appreciate it.