Cocoa and Christmas Lights!

Over the weekend, Kit's parents came into town to spend time with us and to do our annual tradition of looking at Christmas lights!

We of course start by seeing our favorite train set up in Tustin!

I love this man.  He is the BEST!

 Then we head to Brea.  95 houses participate in this house decorating:

 Every home goes CRAZY!

 And the life nativity scene is beautiful!

Then we end by drining down a street in Fullerton...

Teh whole neighborhood is lined withthese glowing spheres suspended in the air!

We had fun before and after our Christmas lights adventure as well!

Eden gave Monkey Papa and manicure while we worked on a special project!

We can't wait to show you later this week!

Early morning games were played:

 We even got to give early Christmas presents!

 It was such a quick trip, but we love every chance we get to be together!

On a date!

This last weekend, Eden went on a date with Kit to Target and to eat lunch at BJ's and Ryder and I went on a mini date to Yogurtland and to call Santa.

Since Kit had worn a suit two days in a row last week, Eden set this little number out for him to wear:

Then Ryder and I headed out:

 The Frozen hot chocolate was SO good!

 And even better with gummy worms!

 I love the plain tart with fruit and gummi bears...

While we ate, we called Santa:

 We took a little photo, then Ryder talked about how silly his smiles were...

 ...which led to us laughing and giggling!

We love the time that we get to spend with our babies... There will be a time that we are the last people they want to hang out.  We are capitalizing on every chance we have to get this time together!

family time...

Since Kit missed out last college family hang out, we were able to get a date that a few of the families were able to make it to this last weekend:

We started with some pool time...

 Then we made tacos and talked:

 These three were room mates in a triple the first year of college.  I have loved watching their friendship over the last several years:

 We played Codenames and laughed SO HARD.  Then we sat by the fire pit and shared life and talked and loved on one another through sharing joy and struggles and speaking truth into one another's lives... 

Though the whole group wasn't able to be together, it was so good to have Kit be able to experience time with these people that we love so much!  They are our family!

A Tustin Tradition!

There are really no words to say how amazing this man's creation is:

We LOVE it EVERY year!

Thank you Domenico for creating this incredible masterpiece each year!❤︎

"Just as long as he's not on the ladder..."

Every year, Ryder asks to help Kit put up our house Christmas lights, and every year, my only request is that Ryder is not on the ladder...

So Ryder will using play on the lawn until the high part of our roof is done...

Then Ryder is always my house photographer:

Our Holiday Tradition With Our Church Staff 2017

We get to host our church staff after our church leadership party each year! 

So first we get to be together with our volunteers and leaders at church. Each team affirmed their volunteers and kit closed the evening saying thank you to all that make our church what it is!

Here were some snapshots of that event:

These four did a lip sync:

We have such an incredible team!

Then we get to have everyone in our home.  We make a big pot of chili and pan of cornbread.  Then we just sit around our house talking and spending time together:  

I didn't get many pictures, I was too busy talking...❤︎
We had between 30-40 people come over and it made my heart so happy to have our home filled with people that we LOVE!

Two years ago we did it for the first time.  It was our first Christmas in our Tustin house.  Then last year we were all set to host everyone, and at the church party, Ryder got sick and spent the evening throwing up with the stomach flu.  I cried.  We were so bummed to have to cancel, not to mention that Ryder could not understand why we couldn't have people over after he had thrown up!  I think that made this year even more special.  It's evenings like these that remind me not only why we moved to be closer to our church, but also how amazing our church and out staff and leaders are!❤︎

advent chocolate 2017

Each year, Ryder and Eden's Mia and Papa get chocolate advent calendars for them.

It's the simplest thing, but they love it SO MUCH and look forward to opening it each day...

I never want to forget how excited they would get about this tradition...  

They are so precious to me!❤︎