Christmas Break {2014}

It has been SO nice to have a break from school to spend 2 weeks with my kids! I can't believe 1 week is already over!! Our next half of our break will be spent in Kansas visiting my family and Emma keeps saying, "I can't believe we are going to Kansas tomorrow!" It's safe to say we are all very excited!

 Christmas morning

 Kellen was a sick little man

 Drew learned to crawl up a few stairs!

 Sledding!

Christmas Decor

here's the thing. most the time i love blogging more for the opportunity i have had to find other inspiring blogs and read them...it's one of my "me" things that i do to relax. but honestly i get in slumps of keeping this thing updated for myself. so instead of thinking about how i should have at least done one "thankful" post, i'm just moving on and keeping up instead of looking back : )

on another note this is my christmas decor post done completely with iphone pics because i sent in my digital camera to be fixed and sold my dslr. it's kind of weird/annoying not actually having a real camera at the moment.

the kid's favorite new addition this year is their little people nativity set that great grandma fowles gave them as a present last year!

my mother in law gave me this "peace" sign and it kind of inspired my glitter and gold theme.

my home made burlap stockings got some glitter initials added this year that hang on the peg with them...a walmart 97cent score. 

here is where the crafting came in this year. 

the deer came from this picture and i just used modge podge and glitter  the gold easel is from the thrift store for $1

here is the link to the nativity printable and the frame is another thrift find for a whopping 75 cents.

i painted most of the sticks gold and some of the pine cones got glittered with modge podge. 

the trees are just hanging from a white piece of thread and were bought in a pack of 10 from walmart.

the tree and "jingle" blocks are from past years. 

and the beloved tree. 

i used scrap burlap and cream fabric that i had laying around and it worked perfectly for a tree skirt and matched my stockings. 

someday i will make one like this or this. 

it did have a big bow on top made of the same gold ribbon but emma INSISTED we had a star...so grandma shelly saved the day and sent the cutest star that is made from a bunch of tiny little bells! thanks again mom!

all my inspiration can be found on my holiday pinterest board including these favorites below!

happy holiday decorating!!!!

Christmas 2012

We had such a fun Christmas with Trevor's family this year. I swear it just gets better as the number and age of kiddos increases!

He had a fever and wasn't feeling well but was such a trooper for pictures : )

Emma on the other hand couldn't keep her eyes open with the flash.

Dschaak cousins!

He wasn't much into the presents...like I said he was a sick kid.

Kellen's new Boise State bouncing horse! He loves this thing and can already bounce and ride it himself!

Skiing at Pomerelle on Christmas day.

Trevor and his mom!

Thanksmas

Since my family lives in Kansas and Trevor's lives in Idaho we switch off Thanksgiving and Christmas every other year. This was our year to go to Kansas for Thanksgiving and so we call it Thanksmas because a day or two after we also celebrate Christmas. We had a blast all week, ate WAY too much, and didn't get nearly enough sleep but the 18 hour drive each way was SO worth it : )

Christmas in Kansas

I thought I could just do a quick post of a few Christmas pictures...I was wrong. I haven't look at these since I took them and there were so many to choose from! We had an excellent Christmas with my family in Kansas which was nice because we had a less than excellent time traveling there. We decided to take the Greyhound bus because it was about $600 cheaper than flying. Well there is a reason for that. Lets just say there are very interesting people who ride those buses. We witnessed one drug deal and heard about another. We also ate at McDonalds wayyyyyy too many times because that is the only place the bus stops besides the gas station. Being pregnant made the small uncomfortable seats worse and by the time we got to Utah, on our way home, my feet were so swollen I was scared they might stretch out and stay that way. Moral of the story....DON'T EVER TAKE THE BUS.

Colton and Emma opening stockings Christmas morning!

Very happy for 4am. Yes we woke up wayyyy too early because my family is crazy. And it took 3 1/2 hours to open all the gifts before church. jeeze.

Little Anna.

Backwards, but Santa (Great grandpa Sloop) brought Christmas eve PJ's for everyone!

Christmas Eve. My sister Meagan, Reid, and Anna.

Colton and Emma playing ring around the rosie.

They were little trouble makers.

KISSES AND HUGS!

Baby Anna

They had quite a fun time in the tub. : )