The Days Leading Up to Christmas

We had a whirlwind three weeks of school in between Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. The public schools around here were in session all the way up until Dec.23!  Luckily, we got out on Dec.16. It was nice to have a full week of break before Christmas and one after Christmas.  

Hudson was a shepherd in the school Christmas production of Lessons and Carols.

I hope someday he'll look back and be grateful to see me in his photos.  I read about the phenomenon of moms always being behind the camera and not in the photos.  I want my kids to see all of us in pictures.

After somewhat of a lag in my reading, I jumped back into it with the hopes of ending this month with a total of at least 60 books read for the year.  (I'm proud to say I accomplished this!)

The school staff got together to enjoy a Christmas party at a restaurant with some really indulgent food.

By Thursday of the last week before vacation, I was in a bit of a slump.  In my defense, I had been sick all the week before and was having a bit of a relapse.  (I'm still not running at 100% four weeks later!)  Hudson and I were a bit tired during play practice.

Hudson made us a pretty Christmas ornament for the tree.  It's made out of a toilet paper tube!

On our first Sunday of vacation, we did the Sunnyside Bicycles breakfast ride.  Hudson made it all the way out to the restaurant.  No flats this time!

Rock star!  The payoff is getting to order pancakes for breakfast!

A perfect winter night: fire, Christmas tree, lights, and reading with Kid #2 and a little dog!

One of my new Christmas decorations.  I bought about four or five things this year.  I try to be very purposeful about adding new things to my collection of decorations.  I have to really love them to buy them.

It's a Christmas miracle!  I managed to not have to wrap most of our Christmas presents.  Gift bags and pre-printed boxes to the rescue!

I did not get tired of this view all December.

Hudson and I had a movie date to see Sing.

We went to MB2 to race.  That included both Eric and me as well!  We got a groupon for four, so mom and dad got in on the action for the first time.  It was fun, but I'll go ahead and say drifting and almost hitting the walls is not really my thing!

I made my Christmas bread and Hudson helped me punch down the dough.  Actually, both boys helped me roll out the dough into braids for baking.  They were a big help this year.  Eric took videos that made us laugh.

I'm still liking my dark hair.  I'm now becoming infatuated with bright lipstick as well.  Maybe 2017 is the year of bold, bright lips for me!

Catch Up

I can't possibly catch up with everything that has been going on, but I'd like to give it a go since I've got more time being on vacation!

I started exercising.  I'm doing a boot camp called FitForLife Solutions.  I love it and have signed up for a year membership.  I feel strong.  I'm also building up my running and cycling again.  Feels good to feel strong.

Slow and steady.  Doesn't matter if I only ran/walked 1.77 miles.  The point is I moved.

I think one of my goals for January is to hit 10,000 steps each day.

We got the house decorated.  I put up the gold tree and the small blue tree in the game room.  The red tree came to school to be enjoyed there.  I love having decorations in my classroom!

I love a simple vase filled with ornaments and lights.  Happy.

Messing around with borders and captions.

One of my girls is moving over the break, so we threw her a potato bar party.  She always says, "Oh potato!" when she gets frustrated, so that's where the potato bar came in!  I felt so kitchen accomplished!

And I felt pretty and confident that day!

All the potatoes!

It's nice to have the convent kitchen to work out of for parties such as these.

OLDDDDDD oven!

It had a turn dial for the temperature setting!  Made me chuckle, but it worked well!

It's been cold lately.  My mom gave me blankets for my classroom.  I use them!

Potato party was successful.  More importantly, I'm going to miss my kiddo that's leaving.

Whole30 is over, but I'm still trying to make good food choices.

We bought Harry a sweater.  He likes being warm.  He hates the sweater.

Now that we have to purchase plastic bags in California, we invested in these large Trader Joe's bags.  I love them!

Mr. Skinny taking the bag off the tree.

We got the tree and I decorated it.

My favorite areas in the house right now.

Rocking the sweater.

I'm starting a Nutcracker collection.  I have four.  The gold one was from last year.  The red one was a new addition.  Love him!

A boy and his dog.

Sweetness.

Eric's new ornament.

My new ornament.

Hudson's new ornament.

Evan's new ornament.

Where I sit every morning to drink coffee and read by the light of the tree.  Hallmark moment?  I think so.

Buddy came to lick my head when I was on the ground after a workout.

One of my favorite little girls didn't feel well at school.  Her auntie had to come rescue her from Christmas play practice.

This one stopped for a snuggle on the way back from the bathroom.

I think that is enough photo catch up for one day.  I'll post more, hopefully, in the days to follow.  I really do like looking at old posts and pictures, so I want to make sure to keep posting!