Our Heartland Christmas Party

Can I just tell you how much fun we have when we go up to Andy's company Christmas party? I mean seriously it is just so much fun. Partly because it is just us and partly because they just really know how to make you feel special and appreciated!

First they set you up in a really nice hotel. The beds are just amazing. They have chocolates waiting for you in your room. The shuttle you over to their house and there is food like you would not believe. Tons and tons of amazing good quality gourmet food. Then on your way out the door you receive your gift. This year it was a crystal plate from Tiffany's. I am not going to lie, it was a little fun getting something in a little blue box for the first time.

After the festivities we normally go back to the hotel take off our "dress up's" and head to a movie. We had a great time.

Unfortunately this year the Friday of the party was Bennett's Christmas party at school which I am in charge of. So Thursday night in the hotel I was prepping last minute things for the party and left early Friday morning to come back the hour and a half to do his party then headed back up for Andy's party. It wasn't too bad, but not extra convenient. Especially because Andy's car does not have a radio. Boring! It all worked out and I was just so excited for my little time to get dressed up for a night out on the town with my sweet guy!

Their home.

Their beautiful great room.

Their amazing dining room.

The hotel.

I just love this guy so much. I am so happy he is such a hard worker and enjoys his job. He always says, you should pick a career where you don't feel like you are going to work everyday, you are going to do what you love to do. He sure loves it. IT is no doubt this is what he was born to do in the work field.

Headed to the movies!

Bennett's Christmas Class Party

Some of the party snacks.

The little gift we made Mrs. T.

Even though I kind of by default was nominated as Bennett's class room mother, I have actually really enjoyed it. I love finding something to put all my party energy towards. I love throwing a good party. I have had my fair share of doing so this school year.

This year I put most of the party together in our hotel room for Andy's company Christmas party. We had so much fun. I walked out of the hotel with 21 wrapped presents. I looked funny for sure.

For the party we had delish treats and snacks. We played several games. We played Bingo. We also played a game where there were 21 wrapped gifts and you had to go get one unwrap it and rewrap it and put it back under the tree and see who did it the fastest. It was really fun. The kids had a really good time as did we.

Family Visit's

The E side!

Michelle and I. I love her.
These boys are so funny!

BFFFFFFF's

These two girls just adore each other.

It is just always a party when they are around!

These four are so stinking cute! This will be such a fun picture to show them in about 20 years!

It is weird to think they are like only 6 months apart in age. Haley towers over these two!

Playing some Christmas Bingo.

Marc is one of the kids when he is around. He runs around with them. He is by far the most fun to kids.

Karl is so tall he could not only reach the ceiling going down the vaulted ceiling over the stairs to the basement, but he could change the light bulb!

Precious!

Fun fun times. I think Aunt Cherise and Uncle Karl are a favorite as well!

Play time.

Maddox wanting to get in a picture with Haley.

Marc put these shades on Maddox and he just laid back like this forever. It was so cute. Note to self...buy more sunglasses.

On the computer.

We have a ball when the E side gets together. It is loud and crazy and so so much fun. When Brandon and his family comes to town it gets even better. Our kids are just the very best of friends. Bennett just adores his cousins and cherishes ever moment he has with Taylor and Bradley. Most of their moments are on the computer. Bennett is NEVER on our computer. He is just not that into it, but B's kids show him the ropes and they play all kinds of games. They also play a lot of board games and hide and seek and just have such a great time. I can just not express how badly I wish they lived here, but I digress... The thing that I loved loved this time was how much fun Haley and Jadeyn had. Every time I turned around they were playing a card game or some other game and they really didn't know what they were doing, but they just loved being together. It was just so darn cute. I love that they love each other so much. Michelle and I did mention though that if we did live near each other we would never get anything else done other than spending time together. So for now, we will have to do just with the visits we get from them! I will take what I can get!

The Little Mama

My little girl is so mothering. I know I have mentioned before, by how she basically is raising Paxton, but she is just so sweet with the kids and helps out so much. I like this little video with her baby, named Emily, just like every other baby she has. Pure sweetness.

2005: our early Christmas gifts

This morning at 9 am, when I was snuggling with Jadeyn on the couch I reminisced about the on call Dr. telling me four years ago today to the minute, "ok, let's walk over to the hospital and meet your babies!" I was so eager to meet them up to that point, but for some reason when the time had actually come, I was second guessing this whole twin thing. I mean of course it was going to happen, but was I ready? It didn't really matter, they came anyway. I talked her into letting me go home and grab a bag and have someone come pick up Bennett and return back and that entire time I was just on a high. I could not believe the day I had been dreaming about, praying for and wanting so bad was here. I told Cortland today that for 3 years all 1095 days I wanted him so bad. I prayed and prayed and prayed for him, and finally the time had come, the RIGHT time was here and our sweet little hearts were born. Something was reborn within me that day. I knew that my life as a mother would never be the same, I knew that I was being entrusted with not only Bennett, but now two more special little ones and I was going to do everything I could to be the best I could be.

My little Bennett at that time did not seem so little. He was four and that seemed SO old. In fact, I told Andy that when he came to the hospital to see the twins for the first time, I talked to him like he was an adult, and handed off the babies to him like he could handle it all. He was ONLY four! Now that the twins are that age, it seems SO little and young. I guess the difference is he was my first and seemed a lot older? I don't know, but none the less, I cannot believe they are now the age Bennett was when I had them. Seems impossible.

That day December 14, 2009, was the day our family jumped from a family of three to a family of five. We skipped right over two children. I had ALWAYS wanted a large(er) family and what I wanted was right there in front of my eyes. I had CHILDREN. I had a beautiful little tiny baby girl and two amazing little boys. I could not have asked for anything more. I was as happy as I could possibly be.

All day long I have been saying in my head and aloud, "my babies are four today", "I cannot believe you are four", "it is your birthday"...and so on. I just cannot wrap my brain around that. I can't. We had a busy day today. Well busy in the sense of not ever sitting down, but not in the sense of being outside the house. My mom came over and we baked cookies all day. Well it was more like she did all my laundry and I baked the cookies, I think I got off lucky and she thinks the same, so we are a good team! We let the kids play with all their new toys they got last night at their party, and just run around and had a good time. We took them to Monkey Joe's tonight and let them jump around and play and then out to dinner where kids eat free and my parents and Andy and I got the two meals for 14.99, so our party of 9 ate for 29 dollars. That is incredible I think and needed to be noted in their birthday blog post;)!

I think they have been asked enough today, how old are you and they are used to saying four now. I am not sure if I am used to them being four yet, and I am not sure if that will ever happen to tell you the truth. Sometimes I like to close my eyes and picture them just 4 and 6 pounds again, hugging them, cradling them and catching the sweet baby scent from their presence and pretend like they are just tiny babies again, and pretend like I could be lucky enough to relive these past four years with them, but I cannot and so I will just enjoy these days with them and the many many more to come. I feel so blessed to have them in my life. Andy and I both do. We take time to talk about each one of our children before we go to bed and we always end up saying, "how did we get so lucky to have these five?" I am thankful to be their mom, to have not only the boy/girl twins I always wanted, but to be Jadeyn and Cortland's mommy.

HELP!

I am crafting and I CANNOT STOP! It is getting a little crazy around here, like for instance I cannot see my island counter right now. That is a problem. I have fabric and ornaments and pillows and paper and frames and all kinds of things all over the place. AND when my life is crazy and the house is crazy it seems like the kids in return, are crazy! It has been a hard balance the last three days, yes that is how long this has been going on, but I need to nip this in the bud and get going. I have two more projects to do and that will complete my 18 projects. Geesh, that sounds in sane now that I have counted it all up! On top of all this, I have the twins party I am getting ready for this weekend as well as the church party. Then next week is when the craziness really starts. Holiday parties and family coming into town. Oh boy. Good things I got started early-ish on all of this. Here is to hoping my pirate cake and princess cake will be easy and NOT messy. {Who are we kidding, when I make cakes it is disaster city and I will find coloring gels around the house for months to come!}

BOO!

Maddox is just so fun. After Halloween he really got into being scary. He is real scary, let me tell ya. All 26 pounds of him. The greatest thing about it, is he would just turn his head and then turn to you and say boo! Like you couldn't see him when he head was turned because he couldn't see you! Makes sense? Right? What a fun boy!

Little P Diddy

One day I heard Paxton and couldn't pin point where he was until

I saw this. He crawled under the tree but could not seem to get out from behind it.

So adorable.

Welcome Christmastime and welcome to you!

Welcome to our home.

Love this wreath. I wish you could see it's beauty in this picture. Note the darling little hand welcoming you in. What a perfect tough for holiday cheer!

Tree number one. This tree we have most of the ornaments that are meaningful. Like baby's first Christmas or little ones the kids have made.

I love our five little stockings. I love the peace stocking holders I scored last year too!

How amazing is this cross stitch that my mother in law made. Someday I will get it framed professionally not just in our family frame makeshift!

Tree number two that never really takes a good picture. I really like it in "real" life. This tree has more of the breakable ornaments and bigger ornaments.

My stairs. I just love my banisters this time of year.

Another shot!

I just added these frames here from our family photo shoot, still not sure about it,

but love the pictures for sure!

My little sleigh to hopefully fill with Christmas cards!

Possibly my favorite Christmas decoration in our home.

Some fresh beautiful winter flowers.

Pointsettias.

A beautiful Holiday cake!
A decoration I made long ago.

A cute little decoration. This year I decided to keep the knick knacks at wrap and just bring out a few. I like this idea and will probably just do this every year and rotate my things!

Love this tile. So true. Wise men still do seek him.

I even spiced up my hutch for the holidays!

Just a little look into our home this holiday season.

I am so happy for all the wonderful times that will be had within these four walls this season.

Merry Christmas to all and hope you enjoyed your tour!

*I do plan to add some outdoor shots hopefully. I love our outside this year. Andy did a great job up on the house risking his life. It was worth it:}!