Matching Jammies and a Gingerbread House Competition

Sunday was the sweetest day.  As in, I didn't want it to end.

After church, we changed into matching jammies (my favorite),

then, we got ready for our annual gingerbread house competition (everyone's favorite)!

This year, we changed things a bit and upgraded to big gingerbread houses, instead of the mini ones that we usually do!  This was so much more fun!

Each year, we all get really into it--the trash talking actually began the night before while we were watching Elf!  Bryan stood the whole time to work on his!  It was so funny!

This is Papa Bear's.

This is mine.  

I don't want to brag or anything, but I've won in Sarah's online poll the last two years!

This is Sarah's.

And this is Jackson's.

We had so much fun!  This is another one of our favorite traditions!  It started years ago when Sarah was little--she and I would make a gingerbread house together.  And now, all 4 of us make one, and it's turned into a competition.  It's just the best!  Sarah was even talking about how she can't wait to bring her husband home and have him participate with us!  How cute is that?!

Elf Night

Saturday night, we had one of our favorites--Elf night!  We watched Elf, while eating our Elf-themed dinner!

This is one of Jackson's favorite stops...for obvious reasons!

We love this night so much!

Breakfast for Dinner

On Monday, we had breakfast for dinner!

Bryan made red velvet waffles--the kids' favorite!

We had homemade hot chocolate with homemade whipped cream.

Adorable snowmen.

Pigs in the blanket.

And fruit.

Pip Namebe is Back

Pip Namebe came back on Saturday!  Jackson's been so excited for him to return!  He's been asking about him since November!  He's actually changed his name to Buddy...I don't know how I feel about that!  Either way, we're happy to have him back!

December is Here!

December is our favorite month of the year--because it includes Christmas, our favorite holiday!

We finally have our house all decked out, and we just love it!  The sweet kids have both told me that the Christmas decorations make them so happy, and that in turn, makes me so happy!

I think the mantel in the den is my favorite this year.  I got this canvas with "O Holy Night" on it, and I just adore it!

Bryan and I hung the garland on the banister together, and I snapped a picture so we could remember how to do it for next year!

After I hung the mistletoe up, Jackson saw it, and asked me if he could kiss me under it.  I love him so!

We all worked on hanging the ornaments on the tree together, and that's my favorite part of decorating each year!  We put Christmas music on and make warm apple cider and the kids talk about which ornaments are their favorite, and it's just the best!  I can't wait until they are all grown up and they've moved away, and I make them come home just so they can help Papa Bear and me decorate the tree!

The tree at night is so pretty and magical, and I never want to take it down.

Thanksgiving

We had a sweet Thanksgiving last week that included my favorite tradition--taking our thankful picture!  There's nothing I'm more thankful for than God's love and these three!

Baking with Sarah

On Monday, Sarah and I baked two pies for her Friendsgiving.  We had the best time together!  I just love being in the kitchen with her!

 I taught her how to crimp the edges of the pie crust.  She was a natural.

While we were baking, she told me that I was her favorite...the feeling is definitely mutual.

Breakfast Helper

Jackson helped me make breakfast the other day, and his faces while doing so cracked me up!

He's the best!

Twins

It's not everyday that I get to be twins with my littlest!

To quote him, he's "my BFF!"

2nd in State

A couple of weeks ago, Sarah and the marching band went to San Antonio to perform at the State Marching Competition.   They placed 2nd!  We were so excited for her!  She had a great time and gained some really great memories!

Red Ribbon Week

Last week was Red Ribbon Week at J's school, and he had fun dressing up each day!  They had wear red day and wear your Halloween costume day, so I didn't take pictures on those days--just on the more fun ones!

One of the days was wear your jammies to school, and Jackson was all in, wearing a robe and slippers!

One day was crazy hair day, so we turned his hair green--his favorite color!  He loved it!

Halloween

Jackson was Boba Fett for Halloween--his second year in a row to be a Star Wars character! 

He even got to wear his costume to school--which he loved!  And before we even left for school yesterday morning, he had already shot and killed me and Sissy!

When I saw earlier in the week that it was supposed to rain on Halloween night, I came up with a back-up plan.  I bought J's favorite candy and a few little treats just in case we had to trick-or-treat at our house.  And that's exactly what we ended up having to do.

He was skeptical at first, but once he saw his goodies, he quickly changed his mind!

He loved all of his stuff!

Who else gets a whole bag of candy corn?!

We ended up having a sweet night in with our little Boba Fett!