November 3 - Eden's "touchdown" picture to send to Aunt Sara during the Alabama game.

November 4 - Bath time!

November 5 - Kids playing with the fridge. I was watching Hazel while her mommy went to the dentist. 

November 5 - I got the stroller out to go for a run and quickly discovered that the "color" from our run didn't wash away like I thought it did. The handle of the stroller was still covered in the dust even though I couldn't see it!

November 5 - Poor Eden! She got a 24 hour bug and was sick, sick, sick! She was laying in my lap one minute and the next she was puking in it! All other vomits were successfully captured by her bucket!

November 6 - Hunter wiped his avocados in his hair... 

November 6 - Hunter was nursing before nap time and when I went into Eden's room to sit with her before she fell asleep this is what I found. I guess even though she wasn't barfing anymore she was pretty worn out from the night before.

November 6 - Taking the kids for a run. Since it gets so dark so early now I put glowing flash lights above each kid so we can make sure we're seen. These are in addition to the red blinking light behind me and the flashlight app on my phone that sits in the cup holder above the kids so I can see in front of us. 

November 7 - I went to Old Navy to get shirts for our Christmas pictures and Eden found a bench. When she saw the bench she posed on top and said, "Mommy, take my picture!"

November 7 - In love with the fact that there are leaves on the ground! We don't get much of a fall around here, so with any sign of fall I want to have it documented so I don't forget!!!

November 7 - Cael and Eden having a lunch date at Panera. 

November 8 - Love those chunky thighs!!! 

November 9 - Eden was taking pictures and this one actually captured a face in it!

November 10 - Ready for Christmas pictures! We had to send Mimi a picture since she got Eden's dress for her.

November 10 - Another picture that Eden took. This one was at the grocery store and I laughed so hard when I was going back through the pictures she took. I thought it was priceless.

November 11 - Another picture courtesy of Eden. I only kept it because there's hardly ever a picture of me on here, so I thought it was a keeper {though clearly it isn't really}

The rest of these may be slightly out of date order, but since I'm having to re-fix things that I didn't realize were wrong with previous posts, I'm tired, and lazy, so I'll caption them, but not date them. There are plenty, trust me! We've been up to a lot around here, after all, Christmas is my favorite time of year.

A SoCal Christmas with lights in the palm.

Our days are warm, but our nights are cold. I take full advantage of these chilly nights and have hot chocolate, apple cider, or even coffee. A peppermint taste added to hot chocolate *might* be just as good as marshmallows!

The kids at the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert. Hunter slept through the whole thing, and Eden tried to dance her way through her second wind, but didn't make it until the end!

TSO Concert

TSO Concert

While we were having fun at the Marine Corps Ball, our babysitters were busy being awesome! They made these crafts for each of the kids {Hunter didn't cooperate for a full tree} and gave them to us when we went over there one evening.

When we put the ornaments on our tree the day after Thanksgiving I noticed this one. It was Grampie's ornament from the year he moved in with my mom and dad. He and Grammie always had cardinal stuff around and it was his new home that Christmas. I'm not sure how it ended up in my stash of ornaments, but I'm thankful that it did. He was a great guy and I miss him a lot.

My Christmas table in the kitchen.

We went to a football game to watch our babysitter cheer. This was how we "watched" most of the game because it was so foggy.

Eden and I went shopping the Saturday after Thanksgiving and we had a cake pop date together. It was nice to get out of the house and do something with just the 2 of us. I think we both needed it.

The chair I want! I finally took a picture of it because I keep talking myself out of it, but if I keep seeing it, maybe I'll give in and buy it.

This is how I found Eden sleeping. I could watch her all the time.

I'm doing an advent Bible study and this was part of the notes one evening. "Offer yourself willingly, even when the outcome seems disastrous" referring to Mary willingly carrying Jesus though she was a virgin. It also reminded us that she was the most unlikely candidate {poor, female, and young} to be the chosen mother of Jesus, but that didn't stop God from asking. We should never belittle ourselves when we are asked to carry out a task.

My homemade taco seasoning before shaking it up and mixing everything together.

Our advent candles that we light each night at dinner. It has been nice to try to simplify the words that the candles represent for Eden. I think often times, as adults, we think we have to dig deeper into different studies and meanings to "get it" but when we try to understand the simplicity of the word "hope" or "love" {the candles lit so far during this advent season} we can truly understand. To simply tell Eden that we light the first candle to remind us that Jesus came to this world so we could live in Heaven was an awesome revelation to me. So simple, yet so true. He came to give us hope. He came to teach us love. Simplicity is sometimes where it's at!

Oh Hunter...what am I ever going to do with you. You never learn!

After a girls night out, I came home and this is what I found. he's just so peaceful!

Hunter wearing a shirt that was given to Eden by Tommie at her first Christmas. 

Hot chocolate date night with Eden because Daddy was out of town for the night. We watched Beauty and the Beast together while we snuggled in my bed.

She looked like such a natural!

Bib and burp cloth that I'm making.

The start of my reindeer shirts for Eden's Daigle cousins.Sewing is much easier when my kids sleep!

Close up of the burp cloth.

Parker's ship has a facebook page and they post random pictures often. I look through them in hopes that I'll see one of him, but usually don't get so lucky. He's the fourth one from the left, standing. I was giddy when I saw him! I'm proud of him and the pride he takes in wearing that uniform.

When the kids don't sleep, I don't sleep, so they get to watch more than normal amounts of tv. I'm glad Christmas shows are on all the time now!

Hunter just chillin' with his arm up on the couch watching tv in his tie shirt. How did he get so cute?!?

He's been feeling under the weather, so he wanted to cuddle with Mommy. I'll take it - well, the cuddles, but I could do without the grumpy and under the weather part!

Feeling a little bit better today. He's learning how to wave!