Christmas Part 2: Blue Skies and Sunshine

And our Christmas continued.

Last year (as in 2012, since it might be confusing because I'm writing this so very late), we decided to try to get time off to go to Florida for Christmas in 2013.  We hadn't seen Brian's family during the holidays since 2005 I think.

We stopped traveling on Christmas for two reasons.

One...we wanted to begin our own traditions with the boys in our own house.

Two....honestly, it is just so so so difficult to travel so far with small children - especially during the holidays.

So we made a decision when we moved to St. Louis to be at home on Christmas, and we have never regretted that.  So nice to sit in your jammies all day and not have any obligations - just enjoying the day.

However, like I said, we had not seen our family in Florida over the holidays in 8 years I think.

And because we asked so early (a whole year ahead of time) for the time off, it was granted and we were able to go.

We decided to break our tradition and travel.

I will admit that it was stressful with a capital S to get ready for the trip during the most stressful time of the year.

Part of me wanted to say forget it and plan to see them in the spring or fall when we usually do.

The other part really wanted to spend the Christmas week with them and let the boys experience their traditions since they were too young to really remember being there at Christmas before.

That's the part that won out in the end.

And it was the best Christmas week I've had in a long time.

We went with Beth and Rick and Rick's sister, Evelyn, and niece, Lisa, to the Grand Floridian to see the Christmas decorations out there.  The life sized gingerbread house is always one of my favorites and it did not disappoint this year either.

A nice man even took a group picture of us in front of the huge...I mean HUGE...tree in the Grand Floridian's lobby.

I should say that we also ventured over to The Contemporary and The Polynesian that night, but the decorations there were....ummmm.... less impressive.  I would say those two stops were a waste of time, but we laughed so hard so many times that I wouldn't have missed it!

Christmas morning.

Ethan found a new bat under the tree.

Elliott found a laptop that he had been begging for.

Can you tell who the dramatic one is?

Beth and Rick gave Nana and PaPa a new rocking chair for the porch.

It even has the Army symbol on it - PaPa's branch of service.

Making apple salad for the feast to come later that afternoon, and discussing the preparations for the gathering Beth hosted the night before.

Brian and the boys and I took off one night out to The Boardwalk to get some dinner and just enjoy.

I love that all things Disney are so close to his parents' house because we always feel like we are on vacation as soon as we set foot on Disney property.

This was the lobby at The Boardwalk.  Such beautiful decorations.

The boys talked us into renting this surrey to ride around the Boardwalk.  It was all fun and games until we had to ride it uphill.  Maybe next time a few of us will get out and run beside the thing.  Good grief that was a workout!  Thankfully, the second time around the loop, a man saw us struggling up the hill and pushed us.  Ahhh....that was better.  Thank you kind man!

In front of the Dolphin.

The walkway was line with palm trees covered in lights that danced to music.

So fun.

The chocolate display at The Swan.

All of this is made of chocolate - unbelievable talent!

Apparently, someone tried to eat some of it last year.

I love chocolate, but not that much....yuck!

The Dolphin again.

The tree inside the Dolphin was so pretty.

There was even snow that fell every so often that the kids loved.

(well, my kids weren't so impressed since they see the real thing so much, but the other kids were enjoying it)

And a stop at Beaches and Cream.

The boys want to get The Kitchen Sink next time.

Google it and see why that won't be happening.

Love this picture.

Definitely not a great photograph judging by technical aspects, but I love their faces.  

Totally captured each of their personalities.

The week was over too early.

One more pose with Beth and Rick.

I'm pretty sure the boys would move in with them.

And one more with Nana and PaPa.

Loved getting to spend so much time with them and celebrate Christmas together.

Hopefully we will get to do it again soon!

Over the River and Through the Woods.....

We celebrated Christmas at my parents' house early this year so that we could all be together before the four of us went to Florida over the Christmas break.

Santa hats are a must at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

We all drew names this year for the gift exchange, and Ethan ended up with Ben's.  At Thanksgiving Ben kept talking about the Christmas tree at his house - he loved it and wanted to hug it.  So cute!  He  said he wanted his own Christmas tree that he could hug and put a blanket around the bottom.  Charlie Brown, perhaps?  

So Ethan set off on a mission to find one for him and find one he did.

Ben carried the box with the tree in it all around the house the day we opened gifts.  Erin was smart to not let him open the box until they got home.  He was just so funny with it!

Something like 14 inches of snow had fallen at my parents' before we got there.  It had melted quite a bit, but there was still enough to build a snowman and take a ride on the sled.

And even Santa showed up!

Gideon was willing to sit on his lap, but was definitely keeping an eye on the jolly ole guy.

Very fun Christmas with family.

back in the groove

Over Christmas break, a friend texted me, with however much giddiness you can text, that she was engaged!  I cried.  I knew it was coming sometime in the near future but had no idea it would be then.  I've known her for several years, watched her grow into a wonderful young woman and watched this love blossom from the beginning.

This past weekend, you know.....Polar Vortex weekend.....she asked if I could meet up with them to photograph them in the snow.  I was a little nervous but so excited that she had asked me!  I hadn't really picked up my camera much since September.  I had started to feel like I had lost all desire to use a lens and a memory card.  Things were mostly contained chaos at our house the latter part of 2013, and photography was pretty much at the bottom of the priority list.

The night before I was to meet up with them I started scouring Pinterest for some ideas.  I am always able to find good ideas but not always able to remember them when I get to the shoot.  So I saved them to my camera roll on my phone this time so that they would be easy to find.  Of course I didn't really remember to look at it except for maybe one time.  But it didn't matter, because she had come armed with the best ideas anyway!  These two made this shoot so fun!  I can see why photographers love to shoot weddings.  The full-blown wedding makes me completely nervous, but I would love to do the engagement part - such fun!

So my hope was that I would be able to get at least two good shots for them to be able to use.  And her posing ideas turned out really adorable, so I think we met the goal.  

And I believe my love for photography has been rekindled.

Thanks for tromping around in the snow with me you two!

2014

Okay, I knew it was already 2014.  But it's already 2014!

It finally hit me when I went to upload pictures today and had to make a brand new folder for them.  

I've spent the majority of the past 4 days scanning in every piece of the boys' schoolwork or artwork that I've saved.  I had scanned some here and there but there was an overflowing 12x12 binder with stuff that still needed to be done.

See?  Not exaggerating.  And then there was another 3 inch binder with more sports pictures and memorabilia too.  It all started when I decided to organize the office.  I didn't get very far before I found these binders and decided I was motivated enough to take them on.  

I just finished tonight - woohoo!!  

Needless to say, though .... the rest of the office is still waiting for its turn at the organizing.

The boys have been on their own missions this week.

First, they set up a hot cocoa stand at the end of the drive with some friends.

I was pretty surprised that they actually made some money.

Two of them stood at the end of the street waving this sign like the oil change places do .

The rest of them manned the table.

Then came this on Sunday.

This was actually about an hour after I had shoveled the first time.  I keep seeing reports that our area only got 5.5 inches, but I'm here to tell you that it was more than that.  I feel like I shoveled 5 or 6 inches both times I was out there.  For sure the first time and then the second time it had started blowing so much that some areas were less, some more.  But really, it had to be 9 or 10 at least.

The good news is that shoveling snow burns 285 calories per hour, so I burned close to 600 calories counting the shoveling I had to do today.  Who needs the gym, right?

Ethan and one of our neighbors made a snow fort in the front yard - didn't last long though since it just kept filling up with snow.  They all had a great time though.

And all of the boys were awesome help in shoveling our drive. 

By evening it was getting pretty cold, so after dinner we made a fire.

Surprisingly, I'm not good at this.  I know, right?

But with some popsicle sticks, cardboard and clever maneuvering of the logs, we finally managed to get this loveliness.

And I had scooped up some snow earlier in the afternoon so that we could have snow ice cream.  The boys had had it before when they were much younger, but they were too young to remember.  Elliott had tasted it at the neighbors' house earlier that day, but this was Ethan's first taste and will be his last.  He did not like it one bit.  Oh well.

And today we woke to these temperatures.

Brrr.

The boys and I stuck our heads out the back door just to see what -31 degrees felt like.

It felt like -31 degrees.

We shut the door.

Since it's been so cold, we've been inside even more today.

Last night I remembered that I had pinned some loom bracelet designs, so I showed the boys and they have been busy making all kinds of bracelets today when they need a break from Minecraft or Clash of Clans or whatever.

I can't remember the names of all of these.  I think the one on the right is a Triple Single - only because he made me one and it looks like that.  Elliott even found a piano design that is really cool that I will have to photograph tomorrow.

Right now I'm going to bed.  Goodnight and stay warm my friends!