Christmas Traditions

I love traditions and here's two I didn't want to let pass by without highlighting ...

Every year we get together with a group of friends we've known since high school for what we like to call "Thank-mas". We haven't gotten together with this group since the end of May but isn't it the best when you can just pick right up as of you haven't missed a day?! Such great memories with all these precious friends ... especially with the crazy Norwegian troll that keeps making his way back to the gift exchange each year...

And then there's Dessert Night!  This is always such a treat and this year was no exception! As usual the evening was magical, the tables beautiful and the ladies couldn't stop talking to listen to the singers! Ha ha! {You think I'm joking don't you?!} This year was an extra treat for me because I had absolutely no responsibilities! I just showed up, sat at a table of other moms with young kids and chit-chatted about GMO's, food allergies and preschool learning websites! Ha ha ha! Typical!

Tradition of Blessing

Have I mentioned how much I love my church?!

Just one of the many reasons is for it's traditions, especially the tradition involving new babies! Whenever a baby comes to church for the first time (and my pastor is aware of it) he brings the baby upfront and prays a blessing over the child. It's not a dedication (that's the parents responsibility) it's a blessing ... asking the Lord to guide and direct this new little one in all their days. It's very precious! 

And then if that wasn't enough, the "Women of the Cloth" (our churches quilting ministry) give the new baby a quilt.

Like I've said before, traditions make my heart smile! And these two traditions make it smile 'til it hurts!

Keeping Busy ...

... so we don't loose our minds waiting for baby to come! 

Our days are simple and our evenings are impromptu and it's been nice, really nice actually!

We've had soup and white elephant laughs

Beautiful mornings and family walks

Popcorn and Christmas lights

Remembering last year...

... and thinking about what next year will be like with two kids {it's hard to imagine right now, but also weird to think that by next week it will be hard to remember life without this new little one}

Big Band Christmas!

Last Sunday was my churches annual Ladies Dessert Night and it is always something I very much look forward to!

This year was great and really a lot of fun! I mean how can you go wrong with Big Band music and swing dancing?

And then of course there is the food! I forgot to take a picture of dinner because it was so good and I just jumped right in and devoured my salad, Thai pasta, sandwich and root-beer float!

But I remembered my camera when the desserts came out! :)

'Twas the Night Before ....

... Thanksgiving and all thru the house every creature was hungry, longing for Yard House!

Yep... it's the truth ... and so off we went to our local Yard House to fulfill our newly established and super tasty, tradition!

You see, last year, after spending the day together, Adam, Mary Beth, Bennett and I all went to The Yard House for a dinner made up entirely of the half price happy hour menu ... it was fabulous!

So, not wanting to break "tradition" we did the same thing again.
And again, we so enjoyed ourselves.

Bennett got a water AND a milk. He was a happy man despite his face in the below picture.

Traditions make my heart smile!

Harvesting Fun!

We always love to get an invitation out to the picture perfect Taft home and this time was no different! We had a great time with our sweet Shelton friends (and their families too of course)!

This was Adam's frist time on a horse since leaving Texas (he was 10 when he moved), and what a handsome "Country Boy" he is!

It took Bennett a few hours {no joke} to decided that he did in fact want to get on the horse. Up until this point he enjoyed looking at it, feeding it and petting it but every time someone asked if he wanted a ride he quickly responded with "No!"

But once Adam offered to get on with him ... I didn't even offer {I'm a really nice mom, I know} he changed his tune and finally said "Yes!"
So here he is, first time on a horse ever! YAY big boy!!

They had a bit of a ruff start getting the horse to even want to move but once they got it going Bennett and Adam were all smiles for their one lap around!

The horse fun of course continued and the funny {I mean sad} thing is this little guy is the horse he fell off of!

Jenny's family pretty much goes all out for anything so of course they had all the typical cuteness you would expect from a Harvest party all set up!

This picture is quite possibly the funniest family picture from the scariest hay ride {we for some reason kept going up and down hills} that there ever was! I can not get over my "city girl" pearls, Adam's "Country Boy" shirt and Bennett's Hillbilly "smile" full of cookie!
I seriously crack up each time I look at this picture!
{If we were doing Christmas cards this year, this one would be in the running! Ha ha!}

All the kids got marked down on the chart ... made me happy, 'cause this means it's going to happen next year too! :)

And what Harvest party is complete without decorating your pumpkin to look like a sparkly pirate! ha ha!
Bennett loves his pumpkin and tries to pick his "pun-kin" as his toy to bring in the car every time we go somewhere!

Taft family, thank you once again for a fabulous afternoon/evening full of great family memories!

Bed Time

Without really trying to Bennett and I have created a bedtime routine that I am rather in love with.

First we read a book or two or three... then we pick out people to pray for (said list can include anyone from Mommy and Daddy to Uncle Casey to his monkey or trains or even himself - I think it's pretty stink'n cute when he picks himself!). After praying for them we always sing the same two songs which are usually followed by requests for more books to which I kiss him and say, "You can read books but mommy has to go get ready for bed too and I'll be back to check on you." and without a doubt he's asleep within 15 min with a giant pile of books next to him!

The other night as I walked out of the room I was thinking, "Oh I wish I could get that on video so I don't forget how cute he is singing those songs." After a week or so of thinking that same thing each night I figured I might as well try and it worked perfectly! I was worried the camera would throw him off and he wouldn't want to sing but he didn't even notice that I set it on the edge of the bed and I captured a very typical evening with my sweet boy... this video makes my heart happy, I really could watch it like 100 times a day!!!

Where has the time gone...

So if there is anyone still reading this, you may remember I mentioned some computer issues and me having a Christmas job... well, those two things came together and they got the best of me and thus the blog sort of died.

But let's be honest, blogging is far less important than these two:

But nonetheless, blogging is fun and thus I will continue! 

Bennett has been learning and changing so much! 

The change that comes to mind right now is this:

Yes, he's learned that he has power of this clothes.

Both to remove and to put on ... I'm staying busy.

SOooooo, here's a brief

not even boxer briefs, just plain 'ol tighty whitey breifs 

over view of December:

Advent of course occurred

 as did Hanukkah! Oy Vey!

My brother Aaron made it out from the frozen tundra of Wyoming for a visit

We went to Christmas Eve service 

check out the cute cello player

We got dressed up in Christmas PJ's and went and looked at lights!

We opened presents...

... both store bought 

... and homemade! 

(it's a jewelry holder)

and we had tons of fun doing all of it!

again with the no clothes... where are that kids parents?

Adam and I worked on this project together:

(We are for hire ... no joke)

We had to say good bye to our good friends the Durham's who moved to Texas

Bennett figured out where the advent candy is stored

 

... and was asking for it non stop! 

Basically, we had a very happy Christmas and New Years and we hope that you all did too! 

Love,

the Elwers

PS. this picture is just too good to pass up

We were having a nice family lunch at Panera in San Marcos when we looked over to find this little weirdo next to us!