Christmas With the Wood's

This year Christmas was just delightful! It was so nice to be home and not all crazy and traveling and out of sorts. After all the shopping shenanigans came together and I was finally  on break we could relax and enjoy the glory that is Christmas!
We drove up to Platteville on Saturday afternoon and spent the night at Brien's parents. It seriously the best! The kids were almost all getting along, we had yummy treats, a hot cocoa bar that my sister in law put together, a gingerbread house competition and a pajama party! I love my sweet family SO much!

  Phanneth had the best idea to these chocolate, spoons using the fancy looking plastic spoons, melted chocolate and crushed candy canes! We saw them at Vintage Market a few weeks ago and they were selling for $4 a spoon! She totally nailed it! Until we put them outside to harden up and it started snowing and it was windy and they got a little wet, but no one seemed to notice or care! 

Someone was not thrilled with sitting in the chair with 4 other cousins....

The next morning we had a breakfast feast complete with mimosa's and cinnamon rolls! Then we let the kids run loose and do their annual scavenger hunt. My mother in law is poetry gangster when it comes to making up these clues!

These little critters found all of their treasures in a hurry! Then it was present time! I love my mother in law's philosophy of  something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read!

After presents we had a delicious lunch! I have never had lobster before, that was amazing. I get it, now! After visiting and playing we packed up and headed home to get ready for Santa! 

At home we lit a fire, watched a little Rudolph (which as an adult, I think is a terrible movie! How did I miss this as a child?) and laid out the cookies and hit the hay!

Brien and I did our traditional last minute terrible wrapping and watched Love Actually and it was off to bed for Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

The children were up at the crack of dawn of course and ready for presents. Kellen got his prized dinosaur volcano and Callie got a phone. We finally broke down and got it for her, really as an emergency, safety thing, but she thought it was pretty great and totally unexpected!

After presents at home, it was a mad dash to get my parents and have Christmas with them. It was whirlwind of presents and laughing and finally just relaxing and really enjoying family and Christmas. I was a little caught up in the days before, but it kind of hit me, that these little nuggets will only be little so long and I want to make sure that Christmas is magical for them, just the way my parents made Christmas magical for my brother and I.

It was such a fun day with family, I was super sad when the day was over so quick. Christmas came and went a little too fast for me this year! 

We were beyond blessed this year and I can't say it enough, we have the most amazing parents and extended family.  In the words of my little/bigger brother--"Merry Happy!"

December to Remember

What a month it has been! I don't know how we made it but somehow we have and now it's almost over... Sad times! December, minus the frigid weather, which in reality was unseasonably warm, is one of my favorite months! 

School went right up until the last minute, which was SO stressful. I told anyone who would listen how rough it was keeping 7 year olds' busy until literally 3 days before Christmas! In the meantime I totally neglected my own families' Christmas shopping, it was pretty much an underwear and socks kind of Christmas until my fella swooped in on his day off and saved the day, while I was at school working on report cards! (which PS I just finished about 5 minutes ago. Only a week late.) Well, him and Amazon! Next year I am doing ALL of my shopping online. In October.

Besides ordering presents and teaching my heiney off all month we did other fun stuff too!

The first weekend in December we went to our future small town, country Christmas. It was delightful and fun! The first weekend of Christmas season, little ol' Strasburg, does a festival with Santa at the bank, real life reindeer, hot cocoa on every corner, bonfires, cookies, nacho, hot dogs, firetrucks and all the fun stuff. All of the little shops open at night and have fun things for the kids to do. It was a blast! 

It was a super fun night! I can't wait to go back next year when we are real legit country people! 

The next weekend Callie and I headed to Colorado Springs with my sister in law, mother in Law and brother in law's girlfriend for the Vintage Christmas Craft fair. It was worth the drive! I got my shopping started, and got a ton of ideas for crafty things for next year! If my real life job afforded me some more down time, I think I could make a pretty good go of selling fun things I make... Maybe some day!

I mean lets be real...

Literally a cone wrapped in sequins with lights inside--$80

Scraps of fabric and twine...$35

2x4's with a triangle cut into the top $5 each... 

I could be a millionaire. Well at least a thousandaire...

Callie was digging the fudge, candy and this sweet lady playing the harp...

After we shopped til we dropped we headed to Maggianos on the way home for a fancy cocktail and appetizers. I love these ladies. It was a super fun day!

Even though we didn't squeeze in our regular traditions of  Zoo lights and ice skating (yet) we have had a fun month of Christmas-y things! Happy almost New Year!

Catching up and making time

It has been too long since I had a chance to update! Things have been a bit busy as of late, but here is what we have been up to...

We finished up the semester at school! Yay! I got to experience the glory and chaos of my first elementary Christmas party. That was a trip, let me tell you!

We had a hot cocoa party, made presents and watched Christmas movies, what a super fun day! I don't know how I could go back to teaching the upper grades, when elementary is so extraordinary fabulous!

So a few years ago, Callie's teachers gifted her students with some reindeer food and I thought, "Those silly elementary teachers, they must have so much time on their hands." Yeah. I did it, and no I did not have extra time on my hands. Along with a new book and pencils and erasers, my students were the most excited about oatmeal and glitter. It is pretty magical!

We choir-ed it up! I had no idea how demanding the job is for elementary choir students is, we attended not one, not two, but three performances for this little budding singer. 

We had the MOST fun favorite things party with my 2nd grade team! We got together on our first real day of break and had a feast while the kiddos decorated Christmas cookies and we traded the most fun presents! Have you ever been to a favorite things party? They are a blast. I have been to two this month and it is super neato. You decide on a price limit, we picked $6. Then you buy three of your favorite things to trade and you leave with three new things that were some one else's favorite. I think I have a new favorite thing! 

How cute are these little nesting bowls?! They have a bunch of different shapes, shells, hearts, etc at World Market, but the stars are my favorite!

We also spent most of the week finishing our Christmas shopping and getting ready for our big trip to Texas! I really should have been a better planner and used my time in the beginning of the month to plan, shop and pack, but I chose to spend time to my family and friends instead!

It was refreshing to only think about what was coming in the immediate future(I.E that day or the next day) and not stress about what was happening in a week or in the next few days. I think that this is going to be one of my New Year's resolutions, to enjoy the present and the company I am in and worry about what is coming, when it comes.

I had all of these grand plans for travel kits and special presents for Callie's teachers etc and it just didn't happen. But you know what did happen, spending time with my book club girls, my family, my sweet teacher friends, church friends and that was time well spent!

So now we are home after a reeeeally long road trip and mountains of laundry to do and a house to clean and get ready for Christmas #2 and #3, more time to spend with the people I love the most and so far all I have done today is play school with Callie and cars with Kellen. So much for planing and making time!

What I wore Wednesday

I needed to get caught up on these posts over the break, but I made myself busy enjoying the kiddos and getting my house back in order. It always seems like a huge task to get the Christmas stuff put away, clean out the closets, get organized and find new places for new things!

I also am proud to report that I cleaned out my closet and actually got rid of things, I am weird about holding on to clothes. So this was a big step for me!!

On to the outfits...

I love how this outfit turned out and it was super warm for some freezing days before the break!

Sweater: Target, clearance

Plaid: Old Navy

Jeans: Old Navy

Boots: Amazon

This was for a another cozy day on our freezing winter break!

Sweater: Old Navy

Scarf: I made it!

Leggings: Jane

Tee: H&M, thrifted

Boots: Target

My Christmas eve, eve festive running last minute shopping errands!

Tunic:  Jane

Leggings: Jane

Scarf: Gift

Boots: Amazon

Back when the tree was still up..Yikes!

Top: Target

Scarf: Target

Jeans: Target

Boots: Kohls

My Christmas boots finally came and I love this SO much! How have I lived in CO for the past 7 years, without real snow boots??

Sweater: ???, thrifted

Jeans: Old Navy

Boots: Amazon

New Year, New You

The rest of our break went swimmingly, no more urgent care visits, no more crazy! Callie spent a lovely 4 days in the mountains skiing with her grandparents and Kellen and I just hung out at home. It was LOVELY!! We had a few shopping trips together, and I was so proud of my little trooper. By the end he was telling me what was cute and ugly. It was a hoot!
I love to start off the New Year with new sheets, pillows, underwear, socks and a couple of new outfits! I don't know why, there is just something about starting the year fresh. I also invested in some new work out clothes so I can start running again! Yay!

Also my sister in law introduced me this fitness lady Natalie Jill, who sends you a monthly work out calendar with videos. It is the best thing ever!! Check it out if you are looking to get a little more fit for the New Year!

At the Wood house we rang in the actual New Year with playdoh and finger painting...

After this kid crashed out we ate fried things, drank champagne and watched Pitch Perfect 2 and crashed ourselves at 11. It was delightful!!

The next day, my dearest husband got the itch to tear down walls in the basement, so it became a family affair!! The family that demos together, stays together!

On Saturday we ended up at Brien's family for the O'Brien family "Christmas" party, which was really a New Year's party, and was so delightful!

These crazy boys... I love them!

These were some tired babies on the way home!

We have had the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises in the winter! I love it!

I heart New Year's!! I always have. When I was a kid, I always liked the idea of starting fresh especially at school. I restocked on school supplies and vowed that I was going to be amazing. I usually ended up being ok, but just the idea of starting new, felt so great!

Today was our first day back to school and my kids are so funny. We started off class by setting New Year's resolutions for class. I have this precious boy, who usually is a nightmare, but today he was really embracing the idea of changing. When he walked in the door he said and I quote, "New Year, New me. Except I look the same, 'cause I am not getting plastic surgery." And he really was great and had one of the best classes in a loooonnngg time! So hopefully it will stick.

This year I am resolving several things:
1. Make time to read the Bible more
2. Make time to work out more
3. Be less stressed about school
4. Be a more thoughtful wife

So we shall see how this goes!!

Santa Claus, Gingerbread houses and Urgent care

This Christmas break has been anything but a break!! If it's not something it's something else...

Saturday morning we decided to venture to the larkridge shoppping center North Pole. This was the same place we went last year. Only this year we made the poor choice of going on a Saturday morning after doing some Christmas shopping. We stood in line and waited and waited. Santa was running a little late I guess?? But the big guy finally showed up and by that time the line had decreased significantly and we were in!

He was so excited!!

Callie cozied right up and got to the business of telling what she wanted. No surprises this year, praise the Lord!

And this was as close as Kellen would get! He shouted something about wanting trains and then took his cookies. So much for precious Christmas pictures like last year. Oh well. Maybe next year!

After a super long morning/afternoon of shopping and waiting, these kids were ready to go home, but we had a flat tire on the truck, so they had to wait even longer. It was stressful. I am not going to lie. Keeping 2 exhausted kids happy while they wait in a hot truck is not fun! And poor Brien changing that filthy tire out in the wind. Thank goodness for handy husbands!

                                                       

Sunday promised to be better. We had church, naps, Gingerbread houses, Family dinner. It was much better!

My handsome boy!

Kellen refused to stand in front of the tree to take pictures. This boy, I tell you what!

Gingerbread housing! They had a blast eating all of the candy. Needless to say there was not much to decorate with, but hey, they had fun and were filled with sugar!

Monday, I dropped Kellen off at the babysitter and Callie and I had a girls day finishing up our Christmas shopping, having a delightful lunch. Then home to wrap presents and binge watch "Fixer-Upper" while Callie stewed herself in an hour long "Luxury" bath! So Monday was great!

Tuesday, was another story... We had a few last minute Christmas errands to run and then I promised the kiddos that we go to the Jump-o-line place and they could play. I was really thinking, "Let's wear these crazies out, so I can get some crap done!" 

Kellen hadn't been here since he was way little and had a BLAST jumping on everything!

Next, it was home for chicken nuggets and a nap! Well, about an hour into nap time, I heard hysterical screaming from upstairs. NOOOOOOO! I got nothing done! I went up to check on him and put him back to bed but he was furiously scratching his legs and arms. When I pulled up his pant leg he was covered in a bright red, puffy rash. Oy Vay! This kid. I have learned that it's better to be safe then sorry with this boy. Needless to say we spent the afternoon at Urgent care. 

 Callie kept telling everyone who came in the room he had "Boils", she is ridiculous. Allergic reaction. Benedryl and home. So nothing was accomplished except for catchin' up on Sponge Bob in the waiting room. Oh well. We are still 2 for 2 as far as good days. I hope no more "occurrences" or "reactions" crop up in the next week or I will need a break from my break! Cheers and Merry Christmas!