December 2015

 December was most likely our busiest month of the year, but we had so much fun!!

On December First I celebrated by dressing Connor in Christmas clothes. I think his little snowman booty looked especially cute!

I went to Hobby Lobby (gosh! I love that store) during lunch and was convinced that my sad little office needed a tree. Done!


We kept the my nephews Noah and Zay Friday night and I decided we would try to copy Mix and Match Mama and do a Jammy Cocoa Christmas. I showed the boys the rules and they agreed it they could follow them. haha



But first! We made homemade pizza. Cecil loves making his own pizza and I thought the boys would be really into it. They were disappointed when they realized we were not making or throwing any dough.

 

We bought dough, sauce, alfredo for Noah, cheese, pepperoni, and mushrooms.

 

I think they were having fun. Noah being sweet to me before "he turns" hahaha

Pepperoni for Zay and Alfredo cheese for Noah

And our pepperoni and mushroom pizza for The Hodges.

Well once their pizza came out, Noah had one bite and then sulked. ughhhh. We made him macaroni and cheese, but gahhhh he is the WORST eater. Zay is an Angel. :) 

Then I had the boys put on the PJs that Tinsel Dude had brought them (including Connor) and I tried to get a cute photo with my three boys.
#nailedit

While loading up in the car Noah got his hot chocolate taken away because he wasn't listening to Cecil and Zay doesn't even really love hot chocolate so we just looked at lights and then went home. Maybe next year Jammy Cocoa Christmas will go better......and I'll remember to NOT get in the pictures.

Saturday night we had our Annual (5th I think) Friends Christmas Dinner. This year we went to Bonnell's. We always eat and then exchange gifts.

The girls buy real gifts for each other This year Nicole was in charge so she picked the restaurant and the gift rules. She gave each of us girls a stocking and our price point was $50 - $75. Then we all drew pieces of paper out of a bag that said things like:
-Switch with the person with the shortest hair (me)
-Trade with the person that has been to NOLA most (3C)
We all went around a few times until the pieces of paper were gone. It was really fun!

The boys - They had a $20 limit and it had to be an As Seen On TV item. As always - it was hilarious and I nearly peed my pants from laughing so hard!

These are my girls (plus 3C and Tiffany) and I could not love them more! I love this sweet tradition of ours to celebrate the holidays together. We always go out after and (not surprising) this year was cute short due to babysitting issues - we had two babies join the group in 2015. I always look forward to our Christmas dinner and it always ends up being one of my favorite nights of the year.

Nana and Aunt T watched Connor for us and they worked on his ability to drink out of a cup. I am so thankful for them!! It's so nice to be able to leave Connor and know he is well loved and well taken care of. We were able to really relax and have fun.

Sunday we took our Luttrell Grandkid Christmas mini pictures with Jen

After pictures, Connor took a nap and I got a picture of his awesome bed head.

In December I made a conscious effort to work on Connor feeding himself. I have been bad about just feeding him with a spoon so that he doesn't get messy. So we do a lot more baths and have more nights that look like this!

Poor Connor got bit on the nose at school.

 

 I went to the Doctor on Thursday and confirmed I had a sinus infection.

 

Leslie got to go to Las Vegas for her birthday so we had the boys Thursday night before Dad came in town to watch them. Noah told me his ear hurt, but he was well enough to go to football practice. I picked all three boys up from school, Noah & Zay put on play clothes and I took them to practice while Cecil stayed home with Connor and put him to bed. They were so excited and had no problem hopping the fence - they are so big!

It was actually a really relaxing time. I just sat in the car in silence and played on my phone for 45 minutes while they practiced. It was amazing! I was in such a good mood when we left I told the boys we could go get hot chocolate (french fries for Zay) and see if the house with the awesome Grinch lights was still light up. I wasn't sure because it was 9:00pm on a week night, but they were still on! This street all does the Grinch theme and has their own radio station. One house in the cul-de-sac steals the show though - for sure!!

 

This neighborhood (and street especially) always has a lot of traffic, but I think since it was a weeknight and it was later in the evening, it really wasn't very crowded and we were able to stay and watch for a long time and we even drove around the cul-de-sac a few times. They spotted the Grinch for real in the backyard and it took us a few minutes to realize it was a screen.

Pictures don't do it justice. This house is amazing!

I convinced Zay to get out and be in the picture but the lighting is all off so it didn't turn out too well. Zay is just the best sport!  

We just love this house.  It was definitely a special night for me with Noah and Zay. Quality time for sure. I like doing special things with them - just so they remember I'm the fun Auntie.;)

Friday morning, Tinsel Dude came to our house and I got a picture of all three elves.

 

I took the all three boys to school and then picked Noah and Connor up early to go to the doctor. I had the doctor look at Connor since we were there anyways and he had been rubbing his ear. Connor refuses to take liquid medicine - he will just throw up the second it touches his mouth.  The doctor said we could give Connor a shot instead so we went that route. Noah was really nervous for his baby cousin - it was sweet. I swear the nurse injected the shot as slowly as possible and took forever to put the Band-Aid on. I really do not like that doctor's office.

Ampa came into town Friday evening and Tinsel Dude continued his antics Saturday morning.

 

Saturday morning we went to Noah and Zay's last football games (they had to reschedule one because of weather). Two hours of football was a little long for me!

Most of the time Cecil, Dad and I hung out while Connor slept in the truck. We just rolled down the window and listened for him to wake up. He slept for over an hour and then played in the truck bed when he work up. It was nice to have conversation with my two favorite men.

Peek a boo with Daddy.

We went to Red Robin for lunch and I found myself surrounded by BOYS. How did this happen?!?! Ampa is so cute to hold the boys hands....and then race them to the truck!

After lunch we went to a furniture store and Dad bought a second bunk bed for the condo at Angel Fire. They loaded it up while Noah & Zay played in the field behind the store. There is not much better than throwing rocks into a muddy puddle.

 

Monday I got a text that Connor had a fever and needed to be picked up at school.

  

 

I took Connor home and Cecil met us there and took him to the Doctor's office. He took this picture and I nearly threw in the towel on my efforts to prove Connor looks like me. I mean.....they are twins here....right??

 

After getting some Tylenol he was feeling better. This month he worked on his cruising along furniture and his standing.

 

Tuesday I stayed home with him and we rested.

After his nap we went to the store and I might have let him snack on a cookie from the bakery. And he might have been really happy about it and given me lots of his closed mouth smiles and hmmmms.

 

Connor played until Daddy came home and gave him a bottle that put him to sleep.

 

Cecil stayed home with Connor on Wednesday. We heard there had been a few cases of Hand, Foot, and Mouth at Connor's school and we didn't want to risk sending him back before he was healed. He decided he loved to climb. He loves the new stairs presents I added to the living room.

 

Wednesday evening, Connor met Santa and he wasn't too thrilled about it.

 

Then I met some friends for Happy Hour and they went home and Connor begged Cecil for some of his homemade soup. Poor baby.

Thursday Connor finally went back to school and I tried to wrap things up at work for a little while since I wouldn't be back for over a week.

I don't work on Fridays and usually Connor and I have a fun day together, but I had a few things to get done quickly before we went out of town so I took Connor to school for a few hours on Friday and enjoyed some alone time at Hobby Lobby (gosh! I love that store!).

 

I got crazy excited when I found these prints. It was less than $10 for a book of about 30 prints. I know I won't use them all, but plan to use at least 3. I've been wanting a succulent print for our living room for awhile and love this one! We had succulents as our wedding favors so they hold a special place in my heart. :)

 

Looks pretty great, huh? I'll show you how I used it in January's post.

 

 I also bought almost every single Christmas frame they had left. I framed Connor's Santa pictures, his individual Christmas picture I ordered from Jen, and Mom and Dad's present.

 

I completed Connor's presents for his teachers. I just used this print from Momfessionals and put some earrings on them. I had intended to do this much earlier in the year and when I didn't I just kept putting it off for Christmas. Procrastinating for the win???

We gave his teacher favorite main teacher a Nordstrom gift card, but these went to his other teachers.


Cecil came home and we picked him up from school together. Connor had a present wrapped up for us too!! It is so cute! I really appreciate the teachers making it for us. I look forward to hanging it up every year.


 Saturday, we packed up and got ready to head out SUPER EARLY Saturday morning for Angel Fire. Where we had a great time even though Connor was NOT a fan of the cold.

We drove home Wednesday and woke up Thursday with lots to do! I had to take Connor to the Doctor because he had gotten an eye infection. Luckily they told us he was 90% not contagious after the first drop and 99% not contagious after the second drop. Phew!!

Connor and I met Leslie for lunch at sushi since her boys were with Mom & Dad in Van Alstyne. The food was so good and Connor enjoyed feeding himself some rice.


That evening we had my family over for Christmas Eve and I had to get one last picture of our tree before we started opening presents. I love how the ornaments are NOT on the bottom of the tree. It was my favorite night and I just love these three boys so much. Look at all the love in this picture. Connors hands on their legs and both their arms around Connor.

 

 

Cecil, Connor, and I celebrated Christmas morning at home.


Then, we drove to my cousins house and celebrated with my Mom's side of the family.


Then, we went to my parents house the next day and celebrated with my Dad's side of the family.


Then, finally on the 27th we hosted Cecil's family at our house

 We went back to work on Monday and during lunch I went to Zay's birthday party. It was sort of nice to have a low key week back. I loved Christmas but was ready for it to be over. I was happy to welcome back our normal routine.

 

I loved seeing our Christmas cards from our family & friends hung on the wall by our table this year.

 

 

We worked on Connor trying new foods and feeding himself for dinner. How can the boy not like mandarin oranges?!? Crazy talk! He does love his Nana's dressing. That's for sure!

 

I went over to my friend Nicole's house to celebrate New Years Eve while Connor and Cecil stayed home. 2015 was the best and sometimes I cannot believe how much love I have in my life. Connor and his Daddy brighten every day and though there have been growing pains I have loved figuring out how to do life as a family of three with them.