My favorite season..

This is by far my favorite season of the year.. right next to fall.. There is just a magic (and I don't like using that word but it fits) that comes along with it. the feelings. The Smells. The Sounds.. I love every minute of it. As Kaiden gets older I see that sparkle in his eyes.. He doesn't even have a concept of what we are celebrating but its still there.. He knows its "baby Jesus' birthday" Which he is excited about .. I cant wait to see his face as we share our day together and make memories and share in traditions.. its what family is about..

This year I am able to focus more on family and the real Gift this season as we decided to change the way we gave. We decided that we are making what we can. something personal and that we know they will love.. or if we did buy it was consumables.. It sure is a good feeling knowing you are catering a gift to a specific person and investing time into it instead of just throwing something in your cart.. a whole different level. we want to continue this with our children as we encourage them to create gifts for others on this day.. as God gave his greatest gift to us... we should be doing our best also..

A few of my favorite Christmas memories and traditions are:

When the whole family including all cousins would all haul out to Grandma and Grandpa Freebergs house and spend the night for Christmas.. We would open stockings at night and then the next day we would usually do a little performance of the manger scene played by all kids.. some years we would even play carols with our instruments from band.. great times.. I love watching the videos from then...

The years that My grandparents had a pond and every Christmas they would plow it off so we could ice skate.. I especially remember the year the plow truck fell through the ice!

Every year My grandma pat would give all of us grand kids pajamas for Christmas.. so special..

The reading of the Birth of Jesus every Christmas.. Its a must.. Its the reason why we celebrate. Why He did what he did for us.. Amazing.. IT was great last year seeing the little boys enjoy hearing the story also.. I cant wait for this year..

The singing of our favorite carols..love it..

there are so many more.. these are just a few that stand out to me right now.. I cant wait to make more and new memories these next few days!

Also a picture of the chub.. I love it!! I just want to squish her every second..

a little bit of this and that...

A little randomography.....what I found outside the refrigerator door..nice..and yes that is a whole stick of butter unwrapped.

We are gearing up for Christmas in just a few days.. finishing up gifts and trying to get in some quality family time.. Looks like we will not be heading out of town as planned. Aaron has to work this weekend. but that's okay.. We are so grateful he has a job and a great one at that.. We know how it is going through months and months without employment. We will make the best of our Christmas weekend and enjoy every minute of it even if we are snowed in which is also in our forecast..

I have been doing fairly well this week so far managing the stress that comes along with this season. It is usually very overwhelming for me.. I have been praying alot about certain things that really have been affecting our family and I have felt a good sense of peace these past two days which is not the normal.. I just wish that some people would really think about how their words and actions effect the ones they love. Its really sad to see things come between families when people don't want to talk about issues or sweep everything under the rug and avoid them.. don't they realize that it just makes it worse? Someone will trip over it sooner or later and they blowout will be devastating if things are not brought out and talked about.. its sad because no one should have to deal with that during this season of peace and especially with family.. I want my family to focus on the gift that God gave us this season and what the real meaning of it is.. apparently not everyone is focused on the same purpose..

Baby Girl...

Love her...

Wishlist...

I decided to put together a little wishlist just for fun and maybe for those who still need ideas:)... anyway..

Must have this book.. love her blog and now I can have all the recipes in one book!
This book I hear is also great.. cuz i really need more project ideas...

Big frames like this.. I want to get a group of them so I can print some family pictures and display on my walls:)

Dont these look comfy??


I want some binders like this so I can orangainze all my recipes in them without haveing a mound of papers stuffed in a drawer.. I have seen them at target with cute patterns on them...

this is cute!!


this would be awesome consisering our is broken and you have to hold the handle down for as long as you want it toasted:)

scrapbooking/crafts

Most of these things you can find at walmart, hobby lobby or michaels...any of the martha stewart or any other brand edge punches like this:

this circle cutting kit:


paper storage for 12x12:
>


I really like this also



these in green and red


a set of glasses..



thats all I have for now!

two months...

What a difference a month makes.. she is getting to be quite the charmer:).. and looking more and more cute everyday...we adore her..

click to make bigger

Traditions...

We went on our annual hunt for the perfect Christmas tree a little over a week ago. We have made it a tradition to go the Saturday after thanksgiving. Now my whole family goes. Its great fun... I remember the first year we had kaiden it was a crazy blizzard out and he was screaming the whole time in his snowsuit:).. how fun... last year he was running all around with the best of them out there.. this year.. we are 4.. Brinley slept through the whole thing... Kaiden was running again.. just faster this year..

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to the best Mimi ever....

Untitled from Melissa Rakowski on Vimeo.