After 21 months of praying and waiting our house has SOLD! (hence the reason for the lack of blog activity this past month). It's been a pretty crazy Christmas break. We've had two and half weeks from the time of the offer until we need to be out. Closing is tomorrow and hopefully the last of several trips to a storage facility.

As soon as things settle down next week I will post some pictures of our December activities, Christmas activities and the whole moving process.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas Palooza

Christmas Palooza (our created day set aside for traditions and celebrating the start of the advent season) seemed to come upon us so fast this year. We were out of town a couple days for Thanksgiving and then poof there it was. We usually start off the morning with some delicious fresh baked goods...it's a good thing I had pumpkin scone dough in the freezer. 

We spent the rest of the morning selecting the perfect tree

And the afternoon decorating it. Sadly, Jack had a birthday party in the afternoon and with Max sleeping it was just me and my girl.
The past few years we've had a pizza picnic for dinner but who can pass up BOGO at Qdoba?

and so we ended the evening with pj's and for the first time watching 'Elf'

Thanksgiving

Here's a little snip-it of Thanksgiving...

My mom had the kids over the weekend before to do a little thanksgiving crafting.

Over the holiday we spent two nights with Josh's family at this little house in the middle of nowhere. Friends of his parents graciously let us stay. The outside doesn't look like much, but the inside was totally redecorated...one of those where the refridgerator looks like just another cupboard and the dish washer like a kitchen drawer...It was beautiful inside

And because Instafriday was replaced with black friday...

 Ellie and my niece Kennedy were taking turns being the photographer as we enjoyed a little fresh air. I think I had over 100 pictures to delete by the time they were done, but it wasn't for nought. I think they got some keepers.

Instafriday

This week Ellie found old "footie" pjs of Jacks and the hat I pulled out for Max to wear this winter. This girl couldn't be happier with her brothers' stuff.

riding shoulders to the Rockford football playoffs

Oh sweet face, he looks so much like Jack did

Loving leaves!