DPP Day 29: Covered in kids!

Love all these crazy kids. Even at 7am. 

DPP Day 28: Ouch!

Keaton took a spill on the scooter today. A good lesson to always wear his helmet even if he's not riding far! His new favorite phrase is "you should see the other guy!" 

DPP Day 27: Game Night

Wild game night playing Wits and Wagers with all the cousins!!

DPP Day 26: The Force Awakens

Finally our turn to see Star Wars. Papa graciously stayed home with Sailor. It was just as good as we expected! And the boys have been light saber fighting ever since...

DPP Day 25: Warm Weather!

It was 70* on Christmas Day! This girl sure enjoyed exploring the great outdoors with her brothers and cousins.

DPP Day 24: Cookies for Santa

DPP Day 23: My Princess

Her first princess nightgown! Thanks to Aunt Jenny (of course)! I loved NYC but it was sure great to squeeze my kids this morning! We are in SC now, and Sailor is excited to have a new tree to un- decorate!

DPP Day 22: Serendipity

This morning we finally got to try the frozen hot chocolate at the famous Serendiptity! We even got to recreate the Serendiptity movie by sitting at he same table as John Cusack and Kate Beckensdale in the movie. 

Little did we know, Jimmy Fallon and family were also enjoying the frozen hot chocolate somewhere else in this very tiny restaurant at the same time as us! 

DPP Day 21: Top of the Rock

New York is so amazing!!!

DPP Day 20: Welcome to New York

Our first day in NY!! We arrived at 8:15am had a blast walking all around the city. I already love NYC way more than I expected. So thankful that tomorrow is supposed to be warmer! My fingers and toes were freezing today. 

This is us next to the "Imagine" mosaic in Central Park. And yes, we do have aselfie  stick and we're not afraid to use it!

DPP Day 17: While you were sleeping

I was napping on the couch and Mark stole my phone and took about 50 photos. Here is one. 

DPP Day 16: Reading together

Today was our last day of bible study before Christmas. Sailor received a sweet gift of two new books from her teachers. Mark was "reading" them to her when we got home. 

DPP Day 15: Sing a long

It's extremely hard to find Mark in this picture but he had his preschool Christmas singalong this morning. It's such a fun time of singing carols with the kids. I think I will miss this school as much as Mark will next year!

DPP Day 14: Elf on the Shelf

Why couldn't I have thought of the Elf on the Shelf? I'd be rich! 

Mark can't wait to come downstairs every morning to find Thomas's new hiding place. Would you believe this sly elf even followed us to Williamsburg last weekend? He also does funny things like move our furniture around while Mark's at preschool. Of course, Keaton's way to smart for all of this fun, but he does play along for his brother. He even sneaks out of bed every night to help find the elf a new spot to hide.

DPP Day 13: Ready for church

DPP Day 12: Lunch with friends

So special to visit the Heaths and share a special Christmas lunch with them! Thankful for these sweet friends. Always a fun time when we get together!  

DPP Day 11: Toy Aisle

Sailor experienced the toy aisle at Costco today. She was in awe!

DPP Day 10: Reading to dogs

Every other Thursday our library brings in therapy dogs for the kids to read to. The kids love it & the dogs love it! 

DPP Day 9: Cookie Day

Today was our annual cookie decorating day! Mark helped me stir up and bake the cookies, and then they went to town decorating after Keaton got home from school. I never cease to be amazed at the amount of finger licking that goes into this project! 

DPP Day 8: Soccer

Mark's trying another new sport today! Glad it's finally his turn with the soccer ball. 

DPP Day 7: First time in the ice

The first time ice skating is always a little tricky. This is where Keaton "hung" out most of the time at the Colonial Williamsburg Liberty on Ice. It was slippery and scary but both boys had a blast learning! 

DPP Day 6: Waiting for the fireworks

We are in Williamsburg for a couple days, and this evening Colonial Williamsburg had a grand fireworks show. We got there early and had some time (like 3 hours) to kill. 

Sailor took a minute to snuggle in between running off to chase her crazy Bubbas. 

She was not a fan of the fireworks, by the way. She would anxiously peer up at the sky and then bury her face in my coat after each BOOM! Poor baby! 

DDP Day 5: Santa

Santa made a stop at Occoquan Town Hall this morning!

Sailor liked him from afar, but not up close!

DPP Day 4: Date Night

Fun date night tonight. Enjoyed some okay food, some pretty good beer, and excellent company!

DPP Day 3: An Apple A Day

This girl really thought she was big stuff chewing on my apple core! 

SJ is 13 months old today!

DPP Day 2: Toothless by the tree.

I hate to admit it, but he really does look different. (Sniff, Sniff)

DPP Day 1: Oh! What fun!

I'm on a roll with the daily blogging! Time for a picture a day in December! Ambitious, yes. Especially since I'll be traveling a good bit of the month but here goes...

This girl loves Christmas time already! She walks (Yes, she WALKS now!) around all day saying "Oh! Oh!"

30 days of Thanks: Day 30

Today I'm thankful that this boy finally lost his front tooth!  He's been agonizing about it for about a week now. Why was he nervous about losing his front tooth, you ask? 

 Because he was afraid it would hurt? Nope. 

Because it would bleed? Nope.

We had this conversation about 25 times in the last week. 

"Will I look different?" 

"No, you'll look the same. You'll just be missing a front tooth." 

"But what if I don't like how I look without my front tooth?!" (sniff, sniff)

"Keaton, it will be fine. You'll look great." 

"But, I don't want to look DIFFERENT!!"

*TEARS*

Finally, tonight. It was hanging on by the tiniest thread. I finally convinced him that it would be better if he could lose it at home instead of school.

I told him to smile and I would take one last picture of him with his baby front tooth.

 Then, he very determinedly walked into the bathroom and pulled it right out. 

You would have thought he would have just given birth or something - with all the moaning and joyful, relieved sobs.

"So, how does it look?

Different. But, he decided he likes how he looks! 

Bad news though. The other front tooth is loose too.

"But, what if I don't like how I look with BOTH front teeth missing?
What if I look weird?
What if no one likes me anymore? 
(sniff, sniff)
What if I look like a BEAVER when my grownup teeth come in?"

*TEARS*
 

30 Days of Thanks: Day 29

Today, on Sunday, I'm thankful that we live in a country where we are not forced to worship in secret or study Scripture in private. I'm also so thankful for our church family at Crossroads Presbyterian. Wonderful sermon this morning by one of our elders with a focus on giving. So convicting! 

Since I have no coordinating picture, here's a funny that made me laugh yesterday - a most accurate depiction of how my kids (and sometimes my husband) act when they've lost something.

30 Days of Thanks: Day 28

Today I'm thankful that we decorated for Christmas! Mark was so excited when he woke up this morning. He came downstairs in his snow pants (it was 70* today), and said, 

 "I can't wait to get out the Christmas decorations and drink hot chocolate and watch Home Alone!" 

 

Because of Sailor and because we are going to be out of town for two weeks over the holidays, we opted for an artificial tree this year. It's only 6 ft. tall and we have to keep most of the ornaments on the top half of the tree, so Sailor cannot reach them. It's not the prettiest tree we've ever had, but the boys had a blast decorating it.

And Sailor had a blast UN-decorating it.

 We finished off our night with popcorn and  "Home Alone," which has become our traditional kick off the holidays movie.

Sailor loves the tree. She just kept pointing at it saying "Oh! Oh! Oh!"

Let's the Christmas Season begin!!

30 Days of Thanks: Day 27

Today I'm thankful for another unseasonably warm day! We had some more playground time and soaked in this warmth while it lasts - I know it can't last much longer!

Sailor loves the playground!

I'm also thankful we were able to meet Daddy after work and visit the National Portrait Gallery. There was so much to see there - we barely scratched the surface. Keaton very much enjoyed the Presidential Gallery (of course). And Sailor had fun practicing her walking skills! Can't wait to go back again without kids! So many cool FREE places to visit in DC!