Decking the halls

Sometimes I think it would be easier to do all holiday decorating when the kids are asleep. Actually, I know it would be easier. But also way less fun and magical! Millie and Max begged to put up our tree for a while and we gave in just before Thanksgiving. They were so excited to help.

Poor Harvey had no part in decorating, and has no access to the tree at all. We have it blocked off with the couches and ottoman so he can't even get to it! But he had fun banging the pots and pans around like usual.

We also found the Target toy catalog and the kids had so much fun looking through that. Millie helped Max write a letter to Santa and wrote one herself, both including a picture cut out of the magazine!

Operation: Finish Projects

The irony about the title of this post is that it has been sitting in my drafts since October! Love it.

I have a way of getting super-excited about stuff. I love the beginning of things. I set lots of goals and start many projects, but my problem is follow-through! Time to sell/donate what I don't use or need, finish things I've started, and organize the rest. 

First up was this wreath. I saw one like it at Target (this was a year ago) and decided instead of paying $20 for it I'd make one! Finally, 7 months later, I finished it. Just in time to... store it for next year.

Mom helped me finish this skirt I started in July. It's so cute and has an exposed zipper in the back that I really like. 

I saw this garland on Pinterest and had all the paper set aside to do it while with my family in Lufkin for Thanksgiving last year! It was finally up at Christmas this year.

I've wanted to make curtains for the family room and turn the coffee table to an ottoman for a long time, and I finally did it! But definitely not by myself. Enter my expert-at-everything mother!

And my daughter who wanted to help. She even marked on the curtains for me! So helpful! Sense my sarcasm?? Luckily it was pencil and it erased pretty easily. I learned my lesson and gave her a piece of scrap fabric to do whatever she wanted to do.

Doing the grommets was my favorite part. Really easy with a nice result!

I'm considering adding two more panels, but we'll see how this is for a little while.

Turning this coffee table into an ottoman will get its own post, because I took a lot of pictures of the process!

It feels good to get some things actually finished!

Little things

He tends to hold on with every body part he can.

So happy in the exersaucer that Sharon let us borrow. He loves it!

Millie has started talking to her turtle. She took it outside one afternoon so the turtle could sit on her lap and they could have a picnic. Where does she come up with this stuff??

I finally painted the washboard I bought for $6 at an antique shop in Lufkin a looong time ago. It now holds our keys! Someday I'll have our house all the way decorated.

I'm going to be sad when summer's over and I can see this boy in his swim suit anymore!

Pineapples were only 88 cents each the other day, so I bought 3. I ate one and froze the other two to use for smoothies. Also, I have a weird talent for picking good ones.

We went on a walk one evening to look at the landscaping around the neighborhood (we're considering having ours re-done) and it ended with no one in the stroller! Funny kids.

Millie was playing with her princesses (what else?) and I asked her if Cinderella was going to the ball with her pretty dress on. She said, "No Mom, she's just pretend. She's not going anywhere." I'm glad she has a good grip on reality!

House tour: Living room at Christmas {and new couches!!}

This was our living room, until about 8 days ago.

Almost 2 weeks ago we picked out new couches!! A big thank you goes to Gigi and Poppy for one of the best Christmas gifts ever. Thanks also to Star Furniture for having great deals. I love the dark gray and am excited to find a new rug and cover the coffee table to make it an ottoman! 

Keeping Millie entertained

The ultimate winner

Runner up 

A blurry pic as we drove away. Thanks Star!

They go great with our light gray walls and dark gray mantle. We are so excited!

Christmas-y things

Christmas time is in full swing at our house. Millie is at such a great age where every light and decoration is magical! It's so fun to watch her be so excited about it all. I already posted about how she woke up from a nap to find I had put up the Christmas decorations, but her excitement is just as high every time she sees it all again! I love it. She calls Joseph "Joe" every time she sees a nativity, which cracks us up. She's also got a funny way of saying Christmas tree. It started out as "miss tree" but now it's "misstree tree." Someday she'll get it right, but I'll really miss her little mispronunciations.

We started a new tradition this year of a scripture advent candle. Every night we light this red candle and read some verses about Jesus as it burns. It was the gift we gave our YW this year and I was so happy to get one too! We'll definitely keep this tradition. Despite her face, Millie is not scared of the candle. This sometimes just happens when I tell her to smile.

We ordered a big Christmas tree this year, but it didn't come for a while after we'd put up everything else. So I finally gave in and Millie and I put up our little tree that Tyler and I got with wedding gift cards our first Christmas! This little tree will always be special to us, and Millie loved "helping."

I tried to teach her not to touch the ornaments, but when I found her taking them off and lining them up on the windowsill, I just couldn't be mad. 

Our big tree finally came and we put it up on Saturday! We couldn't even wait long enough to get out of our pajamas.

Once the heavy lifting/assembling part was done, I stepped in and finished decorating it during Millie's nap.

We've already knocked out a few holiday events, too! Thursday night we went to Tyler's team Christmas dinner. Gigi and Poppy were nice enough to watch Millie. It was fun to get dressed up and go to the City Centre, where we ate at The Capital Grille. It was fancy and yummy and we had a great time!

Saturday was our ward's Christmas party. In addition to dinner and a program they had fun things set up around the church. We loved walking around the nativity display, where they even had a table full of ones that kids could touch. 

And then the kids got to make snowglobes! She is mildly obsessed with it now.

These next pictures were taken Saturday night. Since the big tree replaced the little tree in the living room, we moved the little tree up to the front room by the piano. Millie can do whatever she wants with it, and she does!

We watched the Christmas Devotional on Sunday with Gigi, Poppy, Nana, and Botz. Millie was especially crazy, thanks to a very off-schedule couple of days with all of the holiday partying. Oh, and sugar.

"SONGS!"

This is such a fun time of year!