it was a merry Christmas (part 2)

On Christmas afternoon we headed back to Craig and Julie's for a little Crazy Christmas. There were 23 of us for dinner and a crazy gift exchange.

I think in the end Pete and I ended up with a new game and stacking cookie racks.

The little guys all got a new book and a transformer from Grandmother- very exciting!

It was a merry Christmas (part 1)

Pete and I have a tradition of spending the night with my parents on Christmas eve....so we headed to Hot Springs with the boys on Thursday night to join my parents and 2 of my cousins for Christmas fun.

The boys woke up while it was still mostly dark (6:45), but not as early as my brother and I use to ( i think even as teenagers we would wake my parents around 5 a.m.)

They had so much fun with presents and stockings...

...and the best part, our traditional scavenger hunt.

These are the faces of 2 little boys who are CRAZY excited about their BIG Christmas present.

We had a great day hanging with my family in our pj's.

And then we packed it up and headed to Pete's parents (aka: our current residents) for more Christmas fun.

Merry Christmas

We had such a great time today celebrating with family. Really hope you all did too. Can't wait to share our Christmas stories and read some of yours too.
Merry Christmas!!!!

twas the day before Christmas

...and man there is a LOT of rain!
So we are taking this opportunity to enjoy some Christmas movies and take it easy.

the boys are loving it. Wilson even turned all the lights, except the Christmas tree, off to create a movie theater feel.

Hope you are all enjoying this time to take it easy and prepare for the celebration of CHRISTMAS.

10 years

10 years ago today! Actually almost to the minute, we got married at 1 o'clock.

time flies

and it really has been fun.
Tomorrow Pete and I celebrate 10 years of marriage!!!!
I truly can't believe it.
Thanks Pete for being my best friend and growing up with me.
I love you so much more today than I could have imagined 10 years ago.

i heart weekends

both mornings this weekend i woke up to my sweet boys doing this.
they are currently LOVING calvin & hobbes books.
they have been falling asleep reading them and waking up talking about them.
this growing up stuff is KILLING me!!!! I really love 4 & 6.
sorry for the bad pic...i just can't post w/o a picture.

cookies

This weekend my favorite helpers and I made some yummy chocolate chip coconut cookies. I took our favorite chocolate chip recipe and then rolled the balls of dough in coconut. (I did not use the nuts....usually do, but just not with the addition of the coconut)

The boys love to use the kitchen aid and the cookie scoop and this was even more fun because they got to roll it all in a bowl of coconut.

They turned out super yummy! They were not exactly what I was going for, but we will for sure make them again.

Happy Thanksgiving

Family is together

love all around

place cards made

menu set

turkey in the oven

other goodies too

table set

We are ready to go!
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
What does your prep include?
I love holidays and tradition.

a little of this

....a little of that.......who are we kidding it is a LOT of this and that.

We are officially in full swing. The Chinos arrived today and we will have a fun filled 24 hours before our 17 drops to 16. Pete will be heading back to LR tomorrow afternoon for Starbucks post-Thanksgiving duties. The rest of us will enjoy a few more days of fun which includes, but is not limited to, lots of eating. I might have mentioned that we are staying with a pastry chef. Did I mention freshly made dessert every day since we have been here? Did I mention that my husband would like to come live with his sister? If food were a love language she would be speaking his. And did I mention that tonight alone there were 4 (FOUR) dessert choices after dinner. It is not even thanksgiving!

pumpkin chocolate chip bars

glazed sugar cookies

pumpkin cookies with maple icing

and cinnamon crisps

family pics and popcorn shop

We enjoyed the beautiful weekend we had her in Chicago. On Sunday afternoon I had a chance to spend some time taking pictures of the Davidsons and then we met my guys at the popcorn shop, a Wheaton fav of mine.

This was the first time for the boys to visit the popcorn shop. My first time was 12 years ago, the 1st time I came to Chicago. It is a tiny shop with candy lining one wall and you pay and buy popcorn at the end and then shimmy out past the candy-LOVE IT!

and so did my little guys.

in Chicago

We arrived in Chicago in the wee hours of yesterday morning. We are excited about a week with family.....one of who might be a pastry chef.....I'm just say'n.
Hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving week!

SOLD

We bought a new house this week! In fact as i type Peter and some very wonderful helpers are over there working on demolition. I plan to keep you up to date on our adventures in remodeling....so stay tuned.

trick

Tonight was a first experience with true trick-or-treating. We have done trunk or treat at our church since the boys were babies and we have always done that. We decided that the best way to start was with someone we knew...so we made a phone call.

Also best to go somewhere people know you if you are 30 and in costume.

The Chino kids were rockin it out as Harry Potter characters.

And the Loibner boys were doing the Star Wars characters proud.

Happy Halloween!