Christmas-This or That!

 

Naughty or Nice? Nice of course!

Elf or Home Alone? OH, this is HARD! Those are both my favorite and I am not sure I can pick. Home Alone reminds me of mine and Alexis’ NYC trip with everyone that was the best time. The girls and I can quote the whole movie and love watching it a ton of times over Christmas. Elf, well we have already watched it three times and it is only Dec 7^th! So, I love both! 😊

Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? This is hard too! I will have to say Christmas Eve because of how the girl’s always used to love the excitement of knowing Christmas was coming. Christmas Day because of the meaning and fun too!

Cookies for Santa or Carrots for the Reindeer? We leave cookies out for Santa, but nothing out for Rudolph.

Gift giving or gift receiving? I love giving and watching everyone open what they love or something special from me!

Wear an Ugly Sweater or a Santa Hat? I think most ugly Christmas sweaters are so ugly they’re cute so give me the sweater!

White Lights or Multi-Colored Lights? There is nothing like the warmth that I love from some white lights! Those multi though, those are fun too and Lily has developed a love for them so much so that her tree has them and she requested our hall tree to have them too!

Glove or Mittens? I don’t like wearing either. My hands get hot really fast but to choose, mittens.

Christmas or New Year? Christmas! We have lots of traditions we’ve created around Christmas Eve/Christmas Day but New Year’s Day is a bit different as we try to do a fun trip or something but allll the Christmas fun is best!

Stocking or Santa Hat? Stocking because I never look good in a hat!

Mariah Carey or Michael Buble? Considering I have Michael’s Christmas CD on repeat in my car….him…all day! When I think of Christmas, I think of him singing it! Ha!

Travel or Stay Home? I love to travel…and to stay home but if I had to pick, traveling and making memories!

Ribbons or Bells? I tend to use ribbons before I decorate with bells.

Real Tree or Fake Tree? Fake. A good fake tree last longer and is easier to take care of!

Sugar cookies or Gingerbread? For Christmas time, I love gingerbread!

Gift Bags or Wrapping Paper? I’m gift bags every other day of the year but I feel like Christmas presents must be wrapped but I am NOT good at wrapping at ALL so I toss it up and use both! Ha!

Presents on Christmas Eve Night or Christmas Day Morning? Well, this is tricky. For my little family we normally do it on Christmas Eve day because we have family stuff on Christmas Eve and actual Christmas day but since ‘Santa’ is now ‘known’ we may be switching and doing ours Christmas day before we go and do the Law family later in the day.

Secret Santa or White Elephant? I call White Elephant Dirty Santa and give me that all day!

Sleep In or Up Early? Usually the girls are up WAY early for Christmas and you all know who I am married to so, yeah, there is no sleep in!

More Lily and Ella Jingle fun!

 Lily is still doing all the things with Ella Jingle.

I have to say...I am impressed. What she has been doing so far had blown what I did for how many years...out of the water so far! ha! :)

Lily worked hard making these snowflakes and taping them all over my tree.  I told her she better hope she didnt mess up my lights on it. :) I love her creative side!

This morning she was Happy Bright and Merry! :)

A JSU Ballerina Kickmas!

 We have enjoyed going to this event the past couple of years so we were excited for it again!

This year even Tyler came and enjoyed it with us!

We had dinner at the girl's favorite place, the JSU Caf, before heading over to watch the annual

JSU Ballerina Kickmas show!

They did a great job and helped us get more into the Christmas spirit! 

Cocky was even there and they had some of the jazz band perform too so that was a new added bonus!

It was a great time!

I got to even see some of my students and my student worker up there too!

They refused to let me take a picture.........so I snagged one while they were watching the show. Baha....I promise they had fun watching even though their expressions may not show it! ha!

They sounded wonderful!

All the kicks happened!

Ella Jingle, Soccer........and Lily!

 Two things Lily loves........

Soccer........

and Ella Jingle!

Well, ya know...last Christmas was the first Christmas that the girls discovered Santa wasnt the real deal.

All of us were in a state of sadness, with questions and all came to realize that we can still love Christmas even with them knowing that Daddy and I are Santa! :)

So............fast forward to this Christmas.............

and someone who comes over to our house every morning...........

still believes......

and the first thing she does is walk around trying to find Ella Jingle and see what she has done or where she has moved!

So..................................

Lily is busy every morning!

Before Callie gets to our house..........Lily is busy doing something silly for Ella Jingle!

It is the sweetest and to hear Callie {like this morning} say 'Ella Jingle's hair bow doesnt match that dress she has on!' cracks me up but brings sweet memories on how Lily and Alexis used to act the same!

This is what Lily did for Ella Jingle this morning! I thought it was cute! I have to agree with Callie, the bow does not match the dress! {Lily told me that was all she could find and thought it was silly so she went with it!} :) haha!

Today was dress like St. Nick! They mastered this!

And Soccer! Lily is his favorite HANDS down! She put sunglasses on him the other night and it was just hilarious! He didnt try and take them off.........mainly because Lily was the one that did it to him! :)

State Cheer!

 Whew....

it made for a looonnnggg day...

and the rain...

but...

the girls were determined to do State!

They placed 15 out of 26 so they were a little disappointed but they know what they need to change with the routine to make things better based off the feedback so they are ready to hit the ground and get ready for Nationals in February!

They had a great day together even with all the things....such as the bus driver getting lost and them being late to register....... but.....memories and fun are what counts!

Ready to go! I think their favorite part is getting out of school....having a fun lunch together and doing some shopping before the perform! :) {It would be mine!} :)

Look over there! The football team came! They surprised the girls! Only bad thing was...they got there before the girls and then left right after they performed so the boys didnt get to stay long or see the girls or hear the awards {because it was 3 hours later} so the girls really didnt even know they were there. BUT...........they were and it was nice of them to surprise them!

Alllll the teams! 26 teams is 4A category. It was a lot!

Lily's Dirty Santa!

 Lily's turn!

Whew...the level of loudness and energy her friends have...

just a whole different level! ha!

Carrie hosted, I helped................and I got to leave! :) 

Perfection!

We had a great time and the girls had a blast and made fun memories together! It was a win!

Now....if they will ever grasp how to play....and love their gift and not beg others to take their gift because they dont want it and because they want someone else's................will probably never happen! :)

I snapped a picture because it was such a hit! Grinch punch I made! Every one of them kept coming back asking for another cup! Green Hawaiian drink, lime sherbet, pineapple juice and sprite. A hit! And they all asked me to make it again next year and then also the ones that come for Halloween said it can be 'scary' for Halloween!

Entertainment while everyone was arriving! Oh gracious the singing and dancing!

I actually snagged a picture!

Time to EAT!

Then....cookie decorating time but up first they made the neatest ornaments! 

I have never seen it before but I am just amazed! You decorate a white plastic cup on the bottom and on the sides however you like. Then put the oven on 450 and put the cups in a line on a sheet tray with aluminum foil..............and just WATCH them melt down. You let them cool, put a hole with a hole puncher on it....and BAM an ornament! The coolest thing!!

One of Lily's favorite things to do is decorate cookies!

Dirty Santa time! So fun!.................and did I mention how loud they are?! :) :) :)

Jingle 5K! All in one day!

 Sooo...

What allllll can I fit in one day you say!?!?!

So, after having my Christmas party last night.....staying up late with cleaning, etc, with that...

I got roped in to running a 5K bright and early the next day!

I didnt want to do it AT ALL..............but I am SO glad I did!

It was worth it and proud of myself and this one was a memory maker for SURE!

Thought it was going to rain. Told it wasnt going to rain...

well...

it rained!

Emily and I decided to detour the route and ran the first two miles in the rain and the last mile inside the REC center on the indoor track because it was raining so hard. Kudos to the ones that ran the entire thing outside!

I am exhausted!

So...came home...got a shower....warmed up.....

geared up/blew up balloons for Lex's Christmas lunch.....

came home from that....cleaned up.....and now getting ready for Lily's Christmas party!

Yeah...

I hope I sleep good tonight because I am tired but ALL great things!

Who looks like they just rolled out of bed......................

me...

that would be me.....

because I did and boy was I dragging! ha!

I am back there somewhere! Promise!

And......who looks like a drowned rat.....

me...

that would be me also!

If it wasnt for Emily.....her and I kept each other going......not sure I would have made it! We make a great running team together!

Cocky looks fabulous as always! :)

A Christmas girl's lunch!

 Decided to do something different this time since the 'bigs' are getting.......well bigger!

Decided to have a lunch out with them and they loved it.......

and I have to say...it was easier on me too! :)

Lily's is tonight......and she is so excited so more to come with that one!

Love these girls!

They are just growing up so fast! This time next year.....they will be close to actually being able to drive themselves! SHOCKING I know!

Love!

Sweet friends!

Dirty Santa time!

They had a great time...and sweet memories made!

Most wonderful time of year!

 OH I love Christmas!

And...I loved last night!

Sweet friends, laughing so hard, and just having the best time!

Just what we all needed!

Perfection and a great way to kick off Christmas!

I tried my hand with charcuterie boards........I impressed myself!

Yummy food!

Ready for the crew!

Such fun!

Love having people come together and have a great time!

Fabulous four!

Love these ladies!

Love them too!

These three have been coming...for 11 years now! They got a special award! :)

Our annual picture that our girls always recreates!

Jville Christmas parade!

 It is always one of my favorite traditions!

Tyler said it was the biggest parade to date!

It was a perfect night for it too!

Tyler and Lily met the Messers for dinner and enjoyed the parade!

Alexis and I had an ortho appt and cheer practice to take care of so we were not able to make it. BOO!

Lily came home and said she got more candy than from Halloween!

This is the only picture I got from Tyler...after begging him to send me pictures...and its blurry...but, at least I got something! :)

It is December!

 I slacked in November with low posts. I think that month was the lowest number I have ever posted. There were some events that I didnt get around to posting about but we were busy, November was good to us and it was full of basketball, Thanksgiving and the every day groove!

But...

today is December!

I love December!

Now, remember, I dont like the cold but I just love the 'cozy' of December. The excitement of Christmas, the lights, the warmth of my blanket watching a Christmas movie with Lily sitting in my chair with me which means she is basically on top of me because she is getting too big for both of us to be in the same chair (makes me sad) while the tree is lit!

All the fun things in December that is coming up!

I just love it all!

Today marked Lily's first dress up days for school! She has the '12 days of Christmas' list of all the dress up fun. Today she dressed as Rudolph! :)

And..................

Ella Jingle still made her grand entrance!

This year...my second year.... I dont have to WORRY with moving her or doing it! I loved those days of seeing Lily and Alexis racing around the house to try and find her to see what trick she had pulled or where she was hanging, etc. They really loved Ella Jingle and allllll the crazy things she has done over the years.

There are so many fun memories of that season of life!

Now, well, Lily will have fun sitting her around and doing crazy things with her if she wants to. I am no longer in charge. :)

Ella Jingle always brings her friends with her on December 1st!..............and a little 'happy' for the girls too. Talk about EXCITED to get a Starbucks gift card. {I just dont know what the 'thrill' is about there but both girls love that place} :)

And meet Lily the reindeer! :)

Happy December 1st!

We are in the Christmas spirit!

 We dont care that it isnt December 1st but we do care that Leah is leaving us tomorrow so we are dressing in our matching Christmas gear and having a fun day/lunch to wish her on her new adventure with JSU!

Love our shirts!