Wintery Weekend

There was a lot of winter-themed shenanigans going on this past weekend. Our city had it's Grand Illumination and the Christmas parade. I took the hooligans to both completely alone last year, so I was pretty excited when that Billy's new job (while he is gone from 7am-7pm most days) allows him to be off on the weekends and he could assist me in the hooligan herding at Christmas festivities.

The Grand Illumination was a lot of fun...we looked at the lights, ate a funnel cake, chased Jericho through the city, comforted Jericho when he couldn't handle the sight of Santa and carried him for half the evening. I think he was afraid Santa was waiting to make a sneak attack and he obviously doesn't trust the man, so he wouldn't let me put him down. This is cute when you don't weight 35 pounds.

The next morning we went to the Christmas parade. It was a bit on the chilly side. I'm raising winter wimps, just like myself, I'm afraid. We got there, found a good spot, and Merrick and Tirzah said, "We're cold...can we go to lunch now?" The parade hadn't even started yet. We toughed it out...me ending up sitting on the frozen sidewalk holding two hooligans (Jericho either doesn't know how to express that he's cold, or all that padding kept him nice and warm) who were ONLY warm in that position. The things you do for your offspring.

We did end up making an exit from the parade before it was over. We had parked in a spot close enough that we could kinda see from the van...so we finished the last 30 minutes warm and cozy. Merrick later told me, "Winter is the worst thing. EVER", so I think, like his mother, he just doesn't have quite the constitution to survive winter weather. (And yes, I KNOW 40 degrees isn't "winter weather" to some of you people...but to that I say brrr.)

Sunday ended up being a day where we pretty much sat in the house and did nothing. It was magical. It was sleeting and raining (lovely combo) so we just stayed home and enjoyed each other's company. And by "enjoyed each other's company" I mean we kept ripping Merrick and Tirzah apart and had to scrub the wall because Jericho colored on it. Oh, and we did watch some football and eat ice cream. So I guess it all evened out.

Jericho Needs Some Attention

That statement is probably not true. I think he gets plenty of attention. I just don't think I've written nearly the same amount about his "growing up" on the blog as I did with the other two. (#thirdbabyproblems) So I just wanted to take a second to post a few pictures of one of my favorite faces. He is a goofball, and even though I may not document his every first...he certainly is leaving his mark on our daily lives.

So thankful for this "big ol' baby"! Speaking of, he is so much too quiet right now...I think because he's putting things in the toilet that don't go in the toilet. So really, I could probably relieve myself of some guilt by saying it's his own fault he doesn't make the blog much. If he'd just stop putting stuff in the toilet every time I try to blog...

Gifted

Recently at church we've been doing a women's Bible study. It's been based on the book 1000 Gifts, by Ann Voskamp. I've always loved her writing. I cry about 90% of the time I read her blog. So I've really enjoyed the in-depth study, and the fellowship with people who don't need me to change their diapers.

It's been good to be reminded of how much grace I'm given, and how that grace shows itself in the many gifts (ones I may recognize, and ones I may never quite understand...good and seemingly bad) I've been given through no doing of my own. *deep breath* Nothing I did to deserve it...meaning nothing I can do to lose that same grace. Such a comforting reality.

Realizing this, this undeserved gifting of enormous grace, is fitting of the Christmas season. We are surrounded by lots of warm and fuzzy and glitter this time of year. But for all our talk of the "reason for the season" I think it's even bigger than we realize. It's not just about not being materialistic...it's about being wrapped up in grace. It's about seeing that grace and thanking Him for it. Seeing it in every one of the tiny moments that make up the seasons we walk through, gifted beyond what can be put under a tree or even always completely understood by our human hearts.

Christmas-ified

We decorated for Christmas this past weekend. The hooligans are thrilled. So many news things to trash! (Jericho might not have said that out loud, but I'm preeetttty sure he thought it.) So many more lights to unplug and strangle each other with! (They haven't officially strangled each other yet, but I have seen lights strands used to lasso sisters.)

I tried to take a few pictures of the hooligans amidst the Christmas decor. Too bad doing so removed most of my Christmas cheer. ;) That picture in the Christmas ball? Ohmyword. This will be the last year I try that. (I also think I said that last year. I know I did. But it's just so funny. I mean look at Jericho's head. It's even bigger than usual.) I took about 40 shots, and that one up there? THE ONLY one that all 3 of their heads were pointing the same direction and no one was crying. No, I'm not exaggerating. Ask Billy.

The picture about turned out a little better. Maybe because it's really hard for them to look any direction but up when laying on their backs with me standing on their legs so they don't roll away. (Prettymuch.) I do love that Jericho liked to say "cheese" now, in pictures. It shows off all his gap teefers.

Billy decorated the outside of the house for us. Jericho is smitten with all the lights. His first word was "light", and it's still his favorite, and so now he has SO MUCH to talk about. Christmas lights are everywhere...so as a man of the fewest words, now he's never short on conversation starters.

Since Billy decorated the outside of the house, the older two hooligans took it upon themselves to decorate the inside of the house. I got back from a run, and these lights were strung up across the living room between the plug and the upstairs balcony. We have since convinced them to relocate their set of lights elsewhere, because I knew it was only a matter of time before it crossed Merrick's little mind to use those lights in a Tarzan-esque move that will surely break something. 

Last night I had put out some cute little candy canes in a festive Christmas container by the door. (I hadn't really intended on eating them, since I'm not a fan, but I'm sure they will slowly disappear anyway as someone named Billy who will remain nameless will snatch them as he leaves the house.) I overheard Tirzah attempting to make the first snatch, and Merrick yelling at her: "No Tirzah! Those are only for customers!" Uhhh...what exactly does he think we are selling around here?

I'm really enjoying seeing Christmas through their eyes as usual. And putting things on their heads while we shop. Always. ;)

Cup of Cozy

Our family typically does Thanksgiving on the Wednesday evening before the actual holiday. It's been like that for as long as I've been around, and we kinda like it. It makes the actual holiday really chill. We heat up the leftovers and lay around on the couch in food induced comas, and if you're part of the Barron section of the family you run a half marathon "turkey trot", but that's another story. ;)

Now that the actual Thanksgiving holiday has been celebrated around these parts, I'm all about bringing on the Christmas. It's such a cozy time of year...and the perfect time for stuff like hot chocolate. The other night it was cold and rainy and the forecast was calling for "make hot chocolate or else". So I hunted down a paleo version of hot chocolate. (I love paleo recipes...I'm really getting into using natural ingredients and trying to cut processed stuff out of our diet. Beside the point...but hey.)

I really like this recipe...it was just the cozy, warm sumthin' sumthin' that I needed. The kids liked it, too. Billy rarely likes anything paleo except for straight up meat wrapped in bacon, but he did drink some of it. ;) It was also so simple that even I didn't burn/spill/ruin/explode anything. Yahoo.

So now that I can allow myself to listen to Christmas carols and decorate, (I'm a firm believer in NOT mixing my holidays...Thanksgiving needs the proper attention before Christmas gets it's turn so that it doesn't feel left out.) I think a cup or two of this will come in handy. Hope all y'all had a great Thanksgiving!