When Christmas Doesn't Feel Like Christmas...

Merry Christmas friends. 

This December has been hard for me to get in to the Christmas Spirit. It just hasn't felt like Christmas this year. All month, I've felt like something is missing, but I haven't been able to put my finger on it. 

Was it that our kids didn't have Christmas performances?

It seemed to take us forever to finally go for our Christmas Light Night Drive?

We moved and we're away from family?

DJ's working more to prepare for a bowl game?

We just moved and I really didn't feel like decorating? 

I had no idea what presents to buy for our family?

I couldn't quite figure out why this month wasn't as magical as what I remember it in the past. 

Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, but this year, it has been hard. 

On Christmas Eve Eve, Adalyn woke up with a fever, which basically put the rest of my magical plans on hold. We spent most of Sunday morning laying around, cleaning house, and getting ready to have some family over for dinner. Our Christmas Eve Eve was fairly lazy. 

We woke up on Christmas Eve to our annual North Pole breakfast, but even that felt forced and not as enjoyable as I remember it being in the past. 

It's Christmas Eve afternoon, and most of us are still in pj's. We haven't budged off the sofa, we haven't baked our cookies, and I'm not sure we will......

As I'm typing this, Megan comes in from jumping on our new trampoline, and asks if we're going to bake cookies. I responded with, "I don't know", and she says "for Santa!"

And I feel like we need to, but I just don't want to. 

I suppose that eventually, I'll force myself to get up and bake the cookies, and honestly, while this month has been harder than most, I also appreciate the time we've had to just slow down. The two days we've had of lying around, watching random Christmas movies.... being together. 

We probably put too much pressure on ourselves anyway. In the days of Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and blogs- we want to show everyone that we're having the best time, or that our traditions are the best. We constantly try to out do everyone, and that's not what Christmas is about at all. 

I'm trying to remember that this is exactly where God wants us to be. Together, in our house in Texas, taking time to just be together, because we haven't really been together since early last summer.

God knows exactly what we need, and for some reason, I've been trying to fight it all and have my perfect Christmas rather than His. 

Friends, if this Christmas doesn't look like the Christmas that you imagined, I pray you'll take refuge in His arms and settle in to knowing that this is exactly where you need to be. 

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday before Christmas! I'm officially declaring today Netflix and Chill day. The girls are off to school until noon, so I have just a few hours to get the wrapping done for all the grandparents and get to the post office. So, I'm staying home in my comfy clothes, turning on Netflix, and wrapping lots of gifts this morning! 

I'm linking up with Erika, Narci, and Andrea for Friday Favorites and sharing a random list of favorites from the past week.  

DJ and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary on Monday. Sunday night we hired a babysitter and went to Perrys in downtown Austin. Dinner was delicious. 

Monday, our actual anniversary, was pretty uneventful. 

This is how I summed up our day on Facebook.

"What does 13 years of marriage look like?

Well, for starters, it looks like your husband leaving for work before you wake up, because he had to be there at 6 am to set up a conference call.

It looked like rushing your kids around because no one wanted to wake up this morning, and missing breakfast because I was still full from last nights dinner. But, finding a card on your purse as you head out the door.

It looked like dropping kids off at school, and leaving a voicemail for your husband because he's in a meeting.

Leaving work, and finally talking to your husband for maybe 10 minutes before he had to go.

Driving home, picking up the girls, and them throwing their backpacks and lunch boxes everywhere. It meant, letting the dog out 20 times, the girls getting grass in the house, and then settling in to watch a few episodes of Fuller House.

It was answering the phone while you were on the toilet just for your husband to tell you that he found a pest control guy and he'd be home soon.

It meant, cooking dinner while flossing in the kitchen with a kiddo.... then, kids complaining about dinner.

It was a husband doing the dishes while you cleaned the table, and the girls cleaned their rooms. It meant telling each of them why they so desperately needed a bath, while your husband unloads the dishwasher. It looked like me vacuuming the dining room rug while he loaded the dishwasher. It was me mopping. Me giving Adalyn a bath. Me putting away laundry, while he's still cleaning the kitchen.

It meant me mopping more while he finally sat down for 15 minutes getting a break from his day.

Tucking kids in, reading them stories, fixing lunches.

Friends, 13 years is hard work, but I sure am blessed that I have a partner to dig in and do life with me even if we're grumbling at times."

Young Living released a new foot scrub, and I tried it out this week, and yes, it's definitely going to be a favorite! First of all, it's a great size! The scrub contains four natural exfoliants—black volcanic sand from Iceland, volcanic rock pumice from Italy, diatomaceous earth from the seas of Denmark, and coconut shell powder from France—that reveal soft, silky, healthy-looking skin. The foot scrub also opens up your pores, so applying essential oils on the bottoms of your feet during your nightly routine gives you maximum absorption.

And psst- I may have tried it out on my face! 

Addy came in to my bathroom this week and claimed that her arms was disappeared! She was so proud of herself and thought she was so funny! 

I'm pretty sure Mary was one happy lady when the wise men brought her Frankincense and Myrrh! Which, just so happen to be some pretty epic essential oils! 

This cute little oily gift came in this week! My friend, Chrissy sent me the cutest little mason jar glass, a roller bottle, a Joy essential oil (which is literally my favorite), and a Thieves roller, which I hadn't had a chance to order yet! Chrissy has a big, big heart and just loves so big! She's heading in to the hospital this weekend and will have surgery next week, and will be away from her kiddos on Christmas. Can you do me a favor and lift her up in prayer?

The enneagram is quickly becoming my favorite. I took the enneagram test a few months ago, and then forgot my number. I took it this week, and I'm a "1", which this "bingo" from Enneagramandcoffee over on Instagram, describes me perfectly! 

I have a strong, opinionated personality, and I'm typically a go-getter perfectionist, but I also often question myself and wonder if I'm doing the right thing and making a good impression. 

Have you taken an Ennegram yet? 

Yesterday, the girls had their Christmas parties at school. I was able to move around my schedule to take the day off, and go to each party. 

I can't believe this was Gretchen's last Christmas party :( Next year, she'll be in middle school, so no more parties for her. Thankfully, this year, she's met sweet friends. 

Our last Christmas party selfie. 

Adalyn's party was around noon, and she had a fun time! Her class played a few games, ate some yummy snacks, and then they facetimed their teacher who has been on maternity leave. 

I love this little kindergarten cutie. 

Megan's entire grade celebrated together. They had a tons of food in their pod, and then crafts set up in the classrooms. They made candy cane ornaments and reindeer food, and a cute little coffee filter Santa. 

We had fun going from room to room and celebrating. 

Next week, we'll be celebrating my favorite holiday, and focusing on Jesus' birth and family. 

We are so thankful for this time of year.

Friends, I hope you're celebrating Jesus next week too. 

Come On In: Our Christmas Home Tour

Come on in friends! Today is a little Christmas home tour. I love getting a peek in to people's homes and seeing all their decorating style, so today, it's finally your turn to get a little peek in to our home. If you were here, I'd give you some hot cocoa and we'd chat over Christmas cookies. 

Come on in.

This year, I wanted to keep our decorations simple. After just getting moved in and settled, I didn't really want to pack everything away just to decorate for Christmas. 

In our entry way, I added greenery, twinkle lights, and a little nativity set. 

Come on in to our dining room. (We still need to get the curtains hung in here.)

I found the wooden reindeer this year at Hobby Lobby. My grandmother's dough bowl is in the middle of the table, along with my Spode salt and pepper shakes. 

I filled the bowl with holly that I bought when DJ and I were first married from a little boutique in Louisiana. I added burlap ornaments, sequin ornaments, and little antler ornaments inside the bowl.

In our dining room, I have an old sewing stand with a butcher block top. I placed these wooden Santa's on top, greenery, and burlap ornaments. 

These wooden Santa's were my mother's, and I love them. 

I didn't do much decorating in the kitchen. I'm trying to keep our counters as clutter free as possible, so....

I only put up our letter board and advent.  

Over the years, the girls have made little hand and footprint canvases. I hung them in our hallway. We need to add another set of canvases this year. 

On the other side of the hall, is another advent. Each bag is filled with a little activity. Some days, it's a fun Christmas activity- like read Rudolph, or go look at Christmas lights. Other days, it's something super simple like, "do a chore without complaining" or "tell your sister why you love her." I try to plan these out in advance, so on the nights the girls have gymnastics, we don't have something crazy to do. And honestly, some days we open the bags, and never do the activity. Whoops! 

Upstairs, I added a pre-lit garland. 

The girls have a little tree, and some bottle brush trees, along with a toy nativity. 

I added a little stand and trees. 

Next year, we plan on putting a tree in the playroom, but I wasn't up for it this year. 

In our living room, we kept our tree simple. I honestly set it up and would've been fine not hanging ornaments this year! But, the girls insisted ;) 

Our ornaments are a hodge podge. My mom buys the girls ornaments each year, and when we go on vacations, we buy an ornament as a keepsake. 

We don't have a fireplace, which I'm still trying to get over the disappointment.

So, I purchased a little stocking stand from Kirkland's, and our stockings are over by the tree. 

When we looked at houses, it was very common to not have a fireplace, but I'm really missing it right now! 

My little tiered stand, has a few candles, and a little tree. 

These white trees on our end table came from Hobby Lobby.

Our bookcase holds all of our Santa pictures and a few of my favorite Christmas pieces. Again, I didn't get everything out this year. 

Beside the bookcase is our Christmas book collection. I just leave these out and the girls snuggle up and read them all the time. 

On top of the bookcase, are a few snowmen, a Spode cheese tray, and a little "Happy Holidays" sign.

And again, our Christmas pictures throughout the years are in the bookcase.

And that's it! 

A few warm and cozy touches throughout the house, but nothing over the top crazy this year. 

Thanks friends for coming over today.

Happy Holidays

What's Up Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! I'm linking up with Shay over at Mix and Match Mama for What's Up Wednesday! 

Once a month, we answer these questions. 

1. What We're Eating This Week.....

Honestly, I have no idea. 

Monday night, I threw together nachos.

Tuesday, I picked up a rotisserie chicken from Costco. You can see my favorite Costco finds here. 

and I haven't began to think about what's for dinner tonight. 

Honestly, meal planning is not always my forte. 

I'm just happy we have food in the house and we eat! Ha! 

2. What I'm Reminiscing About.....

Back in 2014, we were spending the week in Miami for the Miami Beach Bowl, and those pictures have been flooding me Facebook memories. 

Next week, we'll be in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl, but man, take me back to that beach. 

3. What I'm Loving....

Currently.... Amazon! Ha!

Much thanks to Amazon a lot of my Christmas shopping this year has been done on the couch. I can totally appreciate their prime shipping, and the fact that they have everything. 

4. What We've Been Up To.....

Friday night we had our annual Christmas Night Light, and then on Saturday...

we had an Ugly Sweater Party with a few of the girls friends from school! 

5. What I'm Dreading....

Next week, we're heading to New Orleans, and while I'm super pumped to get away, I'm dreading packing for 4 of us. DJ will take care of himself, but packing for 7 days for 4 people isn't always fun.

6. What I'm Working On......

I'm currently working on our Christmas home tour, coming to the blog tomorrow! 

I procrastinated forever with getting this post published.....

and, I'm working on some fun oily surprises for my team coming up!

7. What I'm Excited About....

We're obviously excited about Christmas morning, but we also can't wait to cheer on the Longhorns in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. This football season has been fun, and while the move to Austin was somewhat difficult at times, we're so excited that God placed us here with this team. 

8. What I'm Watching/Reading....

DJ and I have been watching Ozark together.

It's not a family friendly show at all, so make sure your kids are in bed, but the plot line sucked us in. 

9. What I'm Listening To.....

all the Christmas music 

10. What I'm Wearing....

It's been cold, so my beanie has been worn a ton! 

11. What I'm Doing This Weekend....

Anyone else planning on squeezing in last minute Christmas stuff this weekend? I'll be wrapping presents, buying last minute gifts, squeezing in some fun activities for the girls. I mean, I can't believe Christmas is next week, and we've been so busy that we haven't had time to just slow down and enjoy the season. 

12. What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month....

This sweet baby is turning 11. 

This feels just like yesterday. 

She's asking for a Harry Potter themed sleepover, so that's what we'll do :) 

13. What Else Is New.....

Hmmmm.... not much else :) 

We need to find an acting class for Gretchen and she has a science fair project she's been working on. 

Megan is enjoying gymnastics and she's thriving in reading!

Adalyn is loving school and having so much fun. 

I'm still loving my job even though my commute is long.

DJ is getting ready for the bowl game so he's been super busy at work! 

14. Last Minute Gift Ideas.....

If you're in Texas, grab a box of cookies. 

A box of popcorn with a movie gift certificate would be a fun gift idea!

But, I ordered several of these a few weeks ago for gift ideas. 

Handmade wooden ornaments with a little lava bead inside. Throw in a Christmas Spirit essential oil and you have the cutest gift. The girls teachers are receiving these this year.