Oh christmas tree, Oh, christmas tree!

This weekend we got our tree up and decorated.  This is our first year that we went in the morning, right after breakfast and it was PERFECT! No one was there and there was a new batch of freshly cut trees and there were NO meltdowns.  We will be staying with this time frame in the future.

Smelling the trees:

 Noble firs that are 6-7 feet in height is what we like

 Found it!

It's loaded:

We knew exactly where it would go:

Little glimpses of our tree:

(The pictures of the kids just make me so happy!)

 Our nativity from Bethlehem from my parents:

 The two turtle dove ornament was a wedding gift from my Aunt Laurel and Uncle Bobby and came with this note:

I cry every time I read it and it has been at the top of our tree since our first Christmas.

There are three garlands that I have made over the years and to be honest, they are my favorite part of our tree: beads, buttons, and felt make the tree feel really kid friendly, which is what we want.

The large red wooden bead garland was on my first christmas tree as a baby.  My mom gave them to me a few years back and they are a favorite for me each year. 

The finished product!

It just feels like it's "us" and boy does it make me excited for our first christmas in this house!♥

Thanksgiving recap and the beginning of Advent...

Happy December first!  This marks the first day of Advent!
Here is what our family will be doing:
A devotional as a church...

And a family inspired one:

last year we did truth in the tinsel as a church and as a family and had lots of fun with it and are excited to try something a little different...
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Our thanksgiving recap:
This year posed a very unique holiday for us as a family.  Kit's side of the family was getting together in Santa Maria for a huge thanksgiving celebration and I was scheduled to work.

(I'm not complaining because I know I get paid really well and I only work 4 days a month and working holidays is part of the deal...)  So for this holiday, we embraced a plan:

Kit would take the kids from wednesday morning until friday to his parents house and I would stay and work the holiday.

We realized that Kit, though he takes care of them ALL THE time and there isn't anything I can do that he hasn't, (minus breastfeeding...) has never had the kids for an over night without me. He was CRAZY excited about the opportunity and ROCKED it... I swear, Kit can make things look so easy!♥

So here are the highlight photos of my sweet husband rocking the holiday and all the family festivities!

Preparing for the day:

Grandma and Eden at the Lego table:

Ryder showing grandpa his archery skills: 

 

Eating by the new pond!

Siblings:

Cookie decorating table:

 Cousins:

The food! 

The family pictures:

 The grandkids:

The whole crew!

I was so sad to miss it...

While he did that, he encouraged me to capitalize on some alone time and I am not going to lie, it was so good for my soul to be still and be in our home and enjoy quiet moments in my favorite space.

I ran twice. It was calm and peaceful and I prayed.  I will be making this a regular part of my routine. 

 Snack time...

A very full 13 hours...  

I am so THANKFUL for my job!

 Black friday morning...

Making chili:

And this recipe is a favorite of Kit's:

(It makes excellent frozen dough balls)

I napped, went christmas shopping, gardened, crafted, cooked, baked, and watched christmas movies... It was so delightful!

All that to say, I was so happy that the holiday went well and I was SO excited to be all together again:

I just wanted to kiss their faces off when they walked in the door, I missed them so much!♥