Welcome, December!

December started and we kicked off "all things Christmas" in our house!  In honesty, it started the week of Thanksgiving break, but we put up our bucket list from Kelle Hampton's blog and got started on crossing off our fun seasonal things!

First up, after decorating the house, was to make paper snowflakes.  A few horrible attempts and a quick tutorial on youtube and I was ready to show the boys the magic of making paper snowflakes.  They turned out great!  The paper got a bit thick to cut for them at points, but with a little help they made some beauties!

Our friend, Chippy the Elf, came to visit on December 1st and as tradition over the past few years, brought advent calendars (we have four this year...)!  The boys were excited and every morning they've enjoyed jumping out of bed and running around the house looking for him.  Here's a few things he's been up to...

We watched Home Alone last Friday night and made some popcorn.  Sean really like comparing what Kevin McCallister was able to do home alone at 8 years old to what he could do.  Let's be honest...Sean would probably not make it.  But, we had a good laugh about it!

Scott and I enjoyed a date night on Saturday night.  We had a wedding we were supposed to go to, but it was cancelled.  So, we ended up doing some Christmas shopping, grabbing an appetizer and some beers at World of Beer, dinner at Basement Burger Bar, and came home to just relax.  The weather was rain and freezing rain, so we decided not to go back out and go bowling.  I decided to wrap the boys gifts while they were at Grandma and Grandpa's for the night.  It was a nice, low-key evening.

The mild weather on Sunday let us be able to take a dip in the hot tub at Grandma's house and we also drove out to see G.G.'s grave for the first time since it was her birthday in heaven.  She would have been 94.  

This week we've been running around like crazy.  When it rains, it pours.  Parent-teacher conferences at the boys' school, their skating night, their book fair, and car problems with Scott.  Our porch has been busy with Christmas gift deliveries and we're looking forward to this weekend when we'll head over to "Christmas in Plymouth" on Thursday evening and Campus Martius on Saturday night for dinner and ice skating.  It will be the first time the boys see the big tree.  So, I'm excited!

Thanksgiving Break

It's Monday and we're back to work and school after a fun five day break and I'm feeling the blues today.  It's snowing and I wish we could all be at home in our pajamas enjoying the winter weather.  But, only four more weeks until a two-week break so I'll hold strong for now. 

We started our Thanksgiving break off with the boys' last swim lesson for the year at Goldfish.  We wanted to take the month of December off from all activities with the exception of Catechism for Sean.  After their class, we ate out at Chili's, which was tasty but the service was very slow.

Wednesday morning was a productive morning at home.  We decluttered more rooms in the house, the kids played, and I had a hair appointment before our family photos at JcPenney's. This is what it's like being the only girl in the house...

The photo session was a total disaster.  The entire experience took 2 and a half hours, the boys were slap happy while he was taking pictures, and I thought Scott was going to go off on the woman working the counter.  But, I have to say.  Our pictures turned out much better than I expected and the good news is that we have 60 double-sided Shutterfly cards ordered with those pictures on them for only $25!  Win!

We got the kids to bed, packed for the parade the next morning, and did our annual viewing of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles on the new Xbox that came in the mail earlier in the day. 

Thanksgiving morning I was up early!  I couldn't sleep.  I was shopping the sales on Target's website, baking cinnamon rolls, and making sure we had everything ready for our first trip to the parade with the boys.  It was a bit of a scheduling nightmare since Scott and Sean were staying after to go to the Lion's game, but Evan and I needed to be back home then on to Jackie's house.  But, we made it work. 

The boys loved the parade!  We booked a parking spot over by LCA and right off the freeway the night before and saved money doing it that way.  We had no traffic, no parking problems, a short walk to the LCA, and we found great seats that had a restaurant right behind us letting people in to use the bathroom or simply to warm up.  We stayed for an hour and a half and then it was time to head back to our car to drop stuff off and get Evan's car seat (him and I took an Uber back home).

Scott and Sean met up with Mindy and Matt and enjoyed the game, even though the Lion's lost.  Matt bought Sean two claws to try and get him on TV since they were at the 50 yard line and had great seats.  Sean came home one happy boy and I think he learned a thing or two about football.  Evan and I went to Jackie's to visit with Scott's family for a bit.  We brought a charcuterie board and played Apples to Apples while watching the Lion's.

Evan and I then drove out to my parents' house in Troy for dinner with my Uncle Ron.  Scott and Sean met us there when the game was over.  Dinner was delicious, as always!  The boys picked at their food, but they both ate turkey.  Kids...

Friday was a busy day around the house.  We put the Christmas decorations inside and outside and cleaned up the yard since it was finally warm enough to get out there and pick up leaves.  Whew!  It was exhausting.

That night Santa arrived in downtown Plymouth, so I took the boys there to meet up with some friends.  It was fun and I'm glad that it wasn't super cold as it has been in the past at that event.  Evan was bummed he didn't get to actually sit and talk to Santa, but I planned to take the kids to see him soon.

Saturday I met a former student up for lunch in Redford and when I got back home the kids were bouncing off the walls.  Scott was trying to watch the big Michigan game, so I told him I'd take the boys to The Henry Ford Museum to get out of the house for a bit.  The museum was crowded, but we got lucky and the line for Santa was less than five minutes so I let the boys meet him.  Evan brought his magazine cut-out of what he wants for Christmas, which was adorable.  We had such a great time at the museum and both boys were raving about it on the ride home (which was refreshing to hear them thankful and appreciative for a change...).

Sunday we went to church in the morning and to the grocery store.  I cooked all early afternoon stocking up on things for the week.  My parents came over late afternoon with an early Christmas gift for the boys - a foosball table!  It was a huge hit and it was fun playing together in the basement.  I made crockpot lasagna for dinner for everyone and we played board games with the boys until bedtime.  It was a nice end to a fun week!  I can't say I'm more rested from break, but I guess that's what happens when you have two very active boys.