Each year since moving into our house we’ve walked over to our neighbors Christmas Tree Farm. They always have great trees and it’s super simple to get a tree when it’s just a few steps away!

All festive in our holiday attire (James was not in the mood to smile, so he kind of ruined our attempt at the holiday card).

Cousins + Chandler

After we cut the tree down and get it loaded into the truck, we all enjoy peppermint sticks and hot cocoa!

I always love the baking that comes with the holidays. Our house is always warm and often filled with the smell of something yummy baking in the oven!

I bought reindeer antlers for both Max & Ruby. Looking back I am sad to say I have no pictures of Max in his holiday gear. I have plenty of pics of Ruby, I think she may have been more cooperative!

Max looking handsome and posing for a photo in front of the tree!

Christmas morning & ready to open gifts!

The bunny visited our house, hiding eggs & baskets full of candies & treats!

We spent the afternoon at my Aunt & Uncle’s house. It was a great time! We had a lovely meal and participated in both a kid & adult egg hunt.

The kids all got a chance to pet the Mama donkey & her baby, Donkey (That’s it’s name!).

After finding all the eggs they could find, the kids went inside to count their loot!

We had such a wonderful day with family…

~ Granddad, Abbie, Nana ~

Best Cousin Friends!

~ James & Amara ~

We ended a beautiful day at the Solari Family Home – They had us over for a tasty meal & dessert! What fun!

~Sofia, Abbie, Marco, Enzo~

Easter was a perfect day full of Family & Friends!

I used to fuss over the ornaments on our tree being placed just so, and with many things in life… I’ve had to let go. The kids love to decorate the tree and this year the bottom right side was heavily decorated with James’ very favorite ornaments and most of them were too big and too heavy to be on the small bottom branches, though there they stayed (until Abbie moved them!).

Of course, I’m getting ahead of myself. Before we can add those decorations, we need lights. We got the first string on before realizing they didn’t light up, awesome! After much teamwork, we got the lights figured out and on the tree

Abbie used the ladder to hang decorations up high to off set those really low ones!

And of course, our Cinnamon Bear star.

Here is James topping the tree with our silver star ~

and to be fair, because we are a fair family, here is Abbie topping the tree!

A there we have it. Our perfect & beautiful Christmas tree.

The day before our Thanksgiving holiday was set to begin, the kids and I got an added bonus – an extra day off due to to ice & snow. Josh however did not get so lucky. Instead of sleeping in, he had to brave the roads and head into work! The kids and I spent a lazy day doing not much of anything. James created a map – so he, Max, and I headed off to follow the map into the unknown.

It was chilly out there & we since we don’t have our winter tub out yet, we made due with things we could find around the house. We followed the map uphill & downhill & around a curve. Once we got too cold, we both decided the map was pointing us home.

Once home, James thought it would be fun to slide down the ice-covered driveway on his pockets.

When the sliding was too slow, he stood up & took a run for it… Max thought that looked like fun!

That night, Abbie and Chandler needed something to do, so I put them to work making some of our Thanksgiving Day goodies.They had 2 helpers waiting to assist, if needed!

The girls had fun making Puppy Chow especially once I convinced them to use their hands to mix the chocolate-peanut-buttery-goodness…

I’m thinking they had a good time making something I was kind of dreading… I now know who to call when I need messy snacks made.

Yummy! Great work girls!