i missed Christmas!

We tried to be intentional this Christmas and be all-in with our kiddos. We did a little advent tree and had a list of fun Christmas-season things to do. (note to self, don't overwhelm yourself or you will dislike the month of December.) We visited Christmas lights around town (perhaps a few times a week) and watched Christmas movies and made Christmas cookies. I did almost all my Christmas shopping on amazon which made the season even more delightful! A pain deep in my heart will always be the lack of actual winter here in AZ. Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful for beautiful weather, but it just doesn't feel like Christmas without snow. At least our kiddos don't know anything different ;) This winter was especially warm, but we cranked the heat and turned on Christmas music as often as we could. We watched the Polar Express on a regular basis and White Christmas at least once a week (you think I'm kidding.) We watched it enough for Jack to learn this song.

This Christmas Eve I made John's favorite ham and cheese rolls his Grandma made when he was a kiddo and our kids loved it! (which is a rare thing in our little fam.) We kept some nice and warm in tin foil until daddy got home, but couldn't wait for him to eat. I also made this delicious potato soup (per a friend's recipe) and we chowed down for days on that.

Get ready for picture overload.

It amazes me how much Jack has grown even since these pictures were taken.

We also rode on the Polar Express with Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Justin, Aunt Leilani, Aunt Maggie and cousins Andy and Aaron. It was so much fun! Grandma and Papa came up early to make cookies with us. 

this is just so them.

our ham and cheese rolls. we may or may not be watching a veggie tale christmas movie.

Christmas morning!

that's a fake fire, for the record.

 our birdie was happy to just chow on raisins.

these two were busy for hours.

and little miss had to remove both her's and her dolly's clothes.

merry Christmas in April!!!!!!