Christmas Eve and Christmas 2016

Christmas Eve and Christmas 2016

The photos are jumbled up between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I shared some of my favorites from the two days.

This could be one of my very favorite photos of the boys ever, and it was taken on Christmas Eve night.

Making cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve.

A Christmas Eve selfie while we watched A Christmas Story

The boys always track Santa on the NORAD Santa Tracker, and when they see he is in the U.S. they know it's time to go to bed.

Christmas Morning

Santa found our new house.

 

 Back to Christmas Eve

Mark's family celebrates with a Christmas Eve breakfast.

Back home on Christmas Eve

We had to say goodbye to our Elf Pets

Last year we adopted a Reindeer named Speedy, and this year we added a new pet.  We adopted a St. Bernard that we named Jingle.

Also we said goodbye to our Elf, Bill, until next year. 

My guys

Our family on Christmas Eve 

Christmas in our new home

Our first Christmas in our new home!

It was everything I thought it would be.

Magical, Wonderful, Amazing, Delightful, Sweet, Sentimental, Joyous, Restful, Relaxing, Fun!

I took most of the photos on my iPhone.  I started decorating before Thanksgiving, and I plan to leave up the decorations until the new year.   It's been exciting to celebrate in our new home that we've dreamed about for so long that I couldn't take it all down just yet.

Happy Thanksgiving 2016

Happy Thanksgiving 2016

Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

Fall Decor in the New House

It's been special spending two seasons in the new house.  Summer was a big adjustment since we were still unpacking. Fall has been wonderful because we feel settled and at home.  In our old house, I was never one to change out decor for the seasons except for Christmas.  The new house has me inspired to change with the seasons.  Below are photos taken during the months of September, October, and November with fall decor around the house.  You can see that items changed slightly as I added things, moved things, and tried to find the perfect spot for pumpkins, leaves, and all things fall. 

 This one doesn't look particularly fall-ish but I wanted a photo of my chalkboard pantry door before I changed what was on it for Christmas.

 The kitchen towels reminded me of my grandma, so I had to add them to the kitchen.

Front porch 

 

Will is 10!

Today Will turns 10!

Here are a few photos from his party this weekend.  We had it at the new house and in our backyard.  It was fun and exhausting to have a house full of boys.  We made a lot of good memories.  

Two years ago we had a party at the land but it was so different then.  We did a scavenger hunt at that party, but the kids are older now so I couldn't repeat the same thing.  I made up clues and hid them in balloons.  They had to find the clue, pop the balloon, and read it to find out where to go next. The clues were hidden all over the land.

Here is Will reading clue #1. 

The scavenger hunt ended with everyone getting a headlamp, which came in handy because it was getting dark.

We are a sweaty mess, but we had a blast celebrating our big boy turning 10.

Here are some of Will's favorite things.

Favorite food: Turkey, cheese, mustard and mayo sandwich

Will's favorite drink is Coke. 

Favorite fruit: apples

Favorite veggie: potates

Favorite sport to play: Baseball

Will's favorite sports team is the Texas Rangers. 

Favorite toys: PS4, Ninetendo 3ds

The best show on television according to Will is Arthur.

Will's favorite thing to learn about in school is writing and reading.

Will's favorite thing about school is seeing friends.

If Will could go anywhere in the world, he'd go to Washington, D.C.

Will's favorite color is blue. 

When Will grows up he wants to be a road designer.

His favorite book is Book 13 Series of Unfortunate Events.

Favorite holiday: Christmas

Favorite animal: Dog

One of Will's favorite memories of the last year was going to the Mall of America, Target Field, and seeing the Lerews in Indiana  

Will really likes Texas Rangers baseball and any MLB games that are on TV. 

This morning we had donuts and this evening we took Will to eat at the new Chipotle in Greenville. 

10 LONG Months

It's been 10 very long months without Internet service at our home.  

Here is a timeline of those events.

We moved from our home in town to a rental property in December 2015, and we could not get Internet service.  

We moved into our new home in May 2016 and there was not a reliable Internet provider option.  

Finally we have Internet in our new home.  I shared the moment on my personal Facebook page this week.  When the Internet people arrived to do the install, one of the boys said, "Now my dreams have come true."   I wanted to hug them when they left but I knew that would be weird.  We felt like the family in the funny commercials that had to live without internet.  It's hilarious in commercials, not so much in real life.  The struggle--it was real!

September has been a good month.

We are back to normal.  It feels like the new house is perfect.

We take access to the Internet for granted and I have a new appreciation for how much I used it without even realizing it.  Of course, I've missed blogging and my social media has been limited, but there were other things that were more important like paying bills and taking care of appointments.  It's difficult to be an adult now without reliable internet.  

I'm excited to get back to blogging and writing some posts about our new home.  I haven't been able to share images of the house, like the photo above of our chalkboard pantry door.  

If anyone out there is still reading this old blog, then you are a faithful friend and family member.  Thanks for your patience.  

Imperfectly Wonderful World is back!