We're Alive!

Pretty much every day, I say I am going to jump on and blog and pretty much every day, I decide to just sit and chill when we finally get the kids to bed. Nice on one hand, not-so-nice on the other...mostly when I put my blog into a book for us as a keepsake and I have nothing to speak of our lives for weeks at a time! :)

We're alive--getting through the madness of work the days before a holiday and we are excited to relax (hopefully) and enjoy some downtime Wednesday through the weekend.

Our house is decorated for Christmas really early this year though we are still "respecting the turkey." But, when you find an ounce of spare time with two toddlers, you RUN WITH IT. :)

More to come (with some pics) soon on our trip to Christmas Candylane on Saturday with the kids. As a summary: FREEZING.

Thankfulness

They're everywhere, those "30 Days of Thankfulness." I like to read them and often agree that I, too, am thankful for many of the things people are writing.

But if I'm being frank, lately I'm stressed and low on patience. Therefore, I sometimes find it hard to "be thankful in all circumstances." I'm not the first mom to have two toddlers but parenting has been especially tough lately for some reason. Mostly on those days where they gang up on us, fight non-stop, and get up at o' dark thirty (in Ran terms, that translates to roughly 4:53 a.m. I wish I was kidding). I find myself short with Seth, yelling more than I should, getting annoyed at the hundredth "mommy?" in a 10-minute timespan...you get my drift.

We've been convicted lately to work on our patience with the kids. Some days, I literally have to grit my teeth to maintain composure, and we're not perfect. I still lose my ever-loving mind sometimes (though who doesn't with small kids, a full-time job, a marriage, and a house....at the holidays?!?). :)

I read something a few days ago about making your home a place of safety--where you, your spouse, and kids can always go to feel safe. No "attacking." No rudeness. No opinions that aren't building someone up. If your home isn't "safe," there isn't a reason to seek refuge there, and that's downright scary when you're married and raising children.

I want to take time this holiday season to--first and foremost--slow down. I find that most of our stress comes from booking our weekends solid, always doing something or going somewhere, and generally just not being together. I literally cannot imagine my life without my husband and kids (on days when they're annoying to me or not), so it's time to kick up the thankfulness factor a bit and create a safe place for our family.

Halloween Festivities

Phew! That was quite the busy Halloween season. This year, we had a little cowboy and a little ice cream cone....and then a cowboy who changed his mind and became Lightning McQueen's pit crew. ;)

 

We kicked off the "Halloween season" by trick-or-treating to Aunt Michelle and Uncle Jason's, Gramma and Pa's, and Maw-Maw and Papa Ray's two weeks ago. As you can see, Addison had a death-grip on that baby doll throughout the experience. Ha!

 

Knock knock! Trick-or-treat!



Then, their daycare had two parades! My mom and grandma went to the one on Wednesday and I attended the one on Friday. Here is Addison, strapped in the baby buggy. I couldn't stop laughing because she had such a bulky costume on already and then a huge winter coat. Looked like a little marshmallow. :)

 

Chaos in the lobby of the assisted living facility!

 

Last night was our town's trick-or-treat. Carter chose to be the pit crew again. They were dying to go and were gearing up WELL before the 6:00 p.m. start time.

 

They had SO MUCH fun and Carter would have gone door-to-door for HOURS if we let him. Every time someone opened the door, he proudly said "trick or treat" and was very polite too. Addison didn't say much but was at the candy basket at each house just like him!

Their pumpkins were overflowing by the end of the night, and next week will promptly begin the get-rid-of-this-so-it's-not-a-temptation plan. All in all, a lot of fun with two cute kids who love to dress up! Now, onto Thanksgiving...love this time of year! :)