the big day.

i am a CLASSIC non-sleeper on christmas eve. probably the only christmas eve that i slept well was when i was prego with the bug. this year was no different. we got done putting everything together around 10:30, vaccuumed and packed then it was off to bed for the hubbs & i. but starting at 1:13 i saw every hour on the hour. and i mean every hour.

2:13. 3:13. 4:13. 5:13. 6:13. 

6:30 our alarm went off and i popped out of bed. the hubbs, on the otherhand, not so much. he would have snoozed all day if it weren't for our little 3 year old yelling "i'm going tee tee!" 

luckily we saved him from seeing the loot from santa before we were in there to properly document. whew.

the bug had a radio flyer christmas. 

the lil' miss got a sweet little red-headed freckly-faced cabbage patch named brianna. i bought two others before the hubbs and i found this one last week. i still need to return the last one. 

she's in a cute little shopping cart that had a pink cozy coupe attached. i knew it had to be c's as soon as i saw it! 

after the hubbs took his sweet time getting coffee / breakfast / showering {who showers on christmas morning before presents?!} etc. we finally went in to tell b that it was time. 

after the santa fun and a few trips down the street we headed over to my in-laws' house for more presents, tamales, treats and family fun.

{i feel like we're missing someone in this picture. are we??? hmm......... *mel?*}

it was our first christmas without pops. he was there in spirit, for sure, and we love having the hope of seeing him again in heaven. my father-in-law read this really sweet poem that a friend sent him about it being pops's first christmas with jesus. it was such a great reminder.  

love this family.

christmas eve.

whew. i don't think i could even attempt to have enough coffee this morning.

i love christmas. and love all that it entails.

but when it's over, i am...... grateful. SO grateful. 

grateful for the slowness of the week between christmas and new year's. grateful for a vaccuum that finally will get all of the glitter, fake snow and needles off the floor. grateful for a fresh start.

this year is different than most. our christmas season was busy. probably not unlike most of your christmas seasons. christmas parties, family gatherings, traditions, friends, baking, eating, movie watching, story telling.... etc. etc. etc.

but while my christmas season is ending... now it's only giving way to an even busier january. and february. and now march.

but that's what we have chosen. and we're happy that we followed the path the the Lord so clearly set in front of us. well, happy may not be the right word some days. content is probably the best word. that peace that passes all understanding that the bible talks about? yeah. that's what it is.

either way.... i still can't undecorate, unglitter, unglam fast enough. and now my body aches. my feet are tired and my mind is swirling with the potential organization on the horizon. the returns to be made and the gift certificates to be used... how can i use them wisely? that's always the million dollar question for me.

so.... without further procastination on my part, here are pics from our sweet christmas eve. complete with waiting for santa, finding a present a bit early at mimi's house and candlelight.

enjoy.

some favorites.

what are you doing this tuesday night?

i took down our christmas tree. well.... not really.

i undecorated it like i normally do as SOON as possible after christmas is over. THEN i thought i was doing a nice thing by taking the lights off. {the hubbs normally swears up & down after he takes the lights off each year that we will NOT have a live tree next year...}

well, it was not. apparently i should have taken the tree outside first. duh. apparently needles aren't the best thing for the vaccuum cleaner. double duh.

either way, the christmas tree is gone. the needles are gone. and i'm not even attempting to load my 200 pics from this weekend on the computer.

instead i will share a few of my favorite things that santa & friends brought.

the bug got a radio flyer scooter & bicycle. classic. red. fun.

have you heard of design sponge? 

it's an awesome blog with tons of DIY stuff. my sister got me this awesome ORANGE coffee table book. it's like a hall of fame for their DIY. and flower arrangements. love.

oh - and santa brought me some sparkly toms. 

it's lovely to get a surprise that sparkles, isn't it?

one of my very favorites for this little plain jane blog.

a makeover from the fabulous fabulous k herself. 

i can't wait. 

what are your favorites??? are you undecorating yet? 

happy christmas.

around our house.

an undone christmas project.

hopefully it will get done!!!!!!

and........ cinnamon rolls!!! 

if you decide to take these on - which i HIGHLY recommend - after your kiddos go to sleep of course - just beware. i only used HALF of my dough yesterday. 

and i got SIX pans. SIX. 

so - be prepared to give some away. i'm delivering two of my pans today. give me a shout if you want one!! they're frozen so they'll keep for a long time... but we already ate one pan this morning. and they're kinda like pringles.... once you pop you can't stop.

friends.

as i mentioned earlier this week, i had the privelage of taking family pictures for some sweet friends of ours.

b and their little girl, riley were in the same class last year at MDO. 

 

 

everyday when b. got home he would tell me that he played with riley at school. then follow it up with, "i love riley, mommy." so precious.

so i just HAD to get to know this riley girl's momma.

and i did. and i LOVE her. 

we don't get together near enough but we, apparently, go way back. to elementary school. when i lived in MARYLAND! can you believe it? 

anyway. these pics are too cute not to share.

   

 

she's surprising her parents with these. i can't wait to hear how they react!

small world.

pinterest.

do you LOVE pinterest like i do?

do you find that not only does it suck hours out of your day {as in, where did that entire naptime go?} but it also leaves you overwhelmed with inspiration? where do i even start?

i cannot tell you how many trips i make to hobby lobby that i leave empty handed. not being able to decide on which project to do first. which one will be the cheapest. most doable in the alloted time. most useful. most loved.

many of you know that i'm obsessed with a certain blogger out there. love her.

and last year around christmas - before pinterest was even created - she made an ornament wreath. beautiflul, right?

well - this year they are ALL over pinterest.

and i made one.

and get this - for FREE!!!!

i had a wreath form that i had bought this summer for some other project - i can't even remember which one. i had muslin from making c's bedding. and i had ornaments from previous christmas trees - and i just didn't use as many on my tree this year.

so i went to town with my gluegun.

i was NOT methodical like some of those tutorials tell you to be.

i just started gluing. sections at a time.

 and there you have it.