catching up...

 I have started and stopped this post multiple times.

Dragged away by something else, and left to 'post later.'

So now it's rather long.  

Because there is so much life happening.

And I guess I have been trying very hard not

to stress about all the to-do's so some of the to-do's have just

fallen by the wayside.

But it's ok, because the stress part hasn't been here.

So that's a good thing!

At the moment my kids are elbow deep in frosting

making (well eating) gingerbread houses.

Why is it the supplies never wind up matching the picture on the box?

I suppose it really doesn't matter.

So here we go with a quick catch up. 

Lights. Lights. Lights.

We don't always manage.

Well, like hardly ever manage.

But this year he did it for me.

He climbed up there and spent a Saturday afternoon

decking our outside halls.

He had some mighty eager little helpers.

Even though life was busy, he did it because he knows

pulling up our driveway to a celebrating home makes me oh so happy.

And these helpers also made my Christmas card assembly line easier.

You may or may not consider this child labor.

The season wouldn't be complete without a trip to candy cane lane.

We did actually celebrate Santa Lucia day.

It was a special new tradition.

They didn't really like the buns too much though.

A pretty little free printable found on pinterest that

is making me happy too.

 Reminiscing through pictures of Christmas past.

A beautiful rainbow on our rainy drive home.

 a warm cup of tea.

 preparing gifts of thanks to those we love.

 And what will probably be my most treasured gift this year.

The girl's tutor who helps me twice a week put this shadow box

together of pictures throughout the time she has worked with them.

The colors and style are so very much something I would gift

to someone else.  I feel so special that she took the time to do this for me.

And I know it'll continue to be a treasure for years and years to come.

 She helped the girls make this as their gift to me.

Adorable right?!

 And they've been helping with Christmas baking.

A trip alone to the mall to conquer Christmas gifts

led me to Anthropologie. 

 Which inspired me to do this in our home.

A slightly random, yet interesting night

having a sleep study done on this guy.

 To see how long he's in deep sleep.

So we had a slumber party.  It was sort of like

a science experiment.  

And we got to sneak away another night for a mother

son date to see the Hobbit.  I get more scared by these movies than he does.

A ballet performance in a show from their

Christian performing arts center.

Where the big girl's dances inspired them beyond belief.

And bringing the story of Jesus' birth and ultimate sacrifice to life,

through dance, I was brought to tears, in a good way.  

At the end of the night, they both said it was the best night of their lives.

And we're continuing a tradition new to us, to

have Tamales for Christmas Eve.

We headed to the gourmet tamale factory where you can

watch them preparing them.  It's pretty cool.

And the anticipation of Christmas, they're not excited at all.

Oh me oh my.

Just two more days.

But really it doesn't end there.

We can cherish loved ones and the fact that Love came down

on Christmas day, every day!

Here at willow of wonder we wish you the Merriest of 

Christmas Eve's eve!