Hard to Say Goodbye & Video Cuteness

We had such a good month with Grandma B visiting. She came a week before Thanksgiving and stayed for a week after. The week 'The Cousins' came for Thanksgiving, poor Grandma was sick most of the week and missed out on a lot of the fun; but she still managed to cook pies and turkey. We love having Grandma come. She wanted to stay that extra week after Thanksgiving because she wanted to do some holiday baking with the kids and help kick off the Christmas season with them. It was a great success.

Last year we took Natalie to the Nutcracker on her end of chemo anniversary, but this year with Grandma being in town we didn't want to pass up the chance to take her, so we went early and checked out the Dallas Opera House for our first time. The Nutcracker is David's family tradition from growing up, so you can imagine that Grandma had a MARVELOUS time taking little Natalie.

We got our tree set up before The Cousins left, but of course there was still plenty of other decorations to get put up after they left. The stockings the kids picked out last year are a huge hit. Most days I find them both in Natalie's room laying on her dress up chest (Snow White style) with pillows, blankets, and surrounded by sparkly sheer curtains--quite a sight. The kitty and puppy have not lost their favor from last year.

The kids helped me a bit in the yard before Daddy got out their later and put up some real lights. I just put up candy canes lights and our first blow-up decoration. This snowman was quite the hit- you can tell from the hugs from The Colonel.







One of the things we have had the most fun with this year is David's little tree from his childhood. Last year we found some fun "baby decorations" for the little tree and this year we added more. Grandma also came with a collection of "baby" ornaments and even some fun mini personalized ones. We found blue, pink, and purple sparklies- VERY PERFECT. I love this little tree. I still remember decorating it with David when we were teenagers and putting our gifts to each other under it.

I have loved watching the kids interact together as they put up the ornaments, Stephen talks about the "sad branches" and then once they put an ornament on them, they are suddenly happy!! I love how cute they are. Natalie is very into everything about Baby Jesus and just tonight was telling me all about why we celebrate Christmas, because of the gift Jesus gave to us. I think these things resonate deeply in her little heart because of the life she has lived. She connects resurrection and Christmas perfectly in a way I don't think many six year olds do.

I love that she gets into the special memories with the ornaments as well. I look around at all the cool coordinating trees and I love them and think someday it would be nice to have two, but I would never give up the specialness and memories of our ornaments collected over the years and the story of each one. I love that we continue to add more ornaments and have the chance to make new stories and memories, it is something I will never take for granted.

The Christmas music started on the radio before Thanksgiving. I love Christmas music and have totally embraced it. I've been a little surprised at how much Natalie also LOVES Christmas music. For several days the radio station with all the Christmas music was doing a fundrasier for Natalie's hospital. She was SO into it. They were playing stories of different kids and she always asked Stephen to sit back and relax (code for be quiet) so she could listen to the stories. She was so into it and one time I heard her telling Stephen "these kids are sick" as if that explained entirely why he should be quiet so she could hear. She is growing into such a big girl and she has such a big heart.
Of course the other hit of the season at our house is the fire!! The kids are always asking Daddy to make them a fire and he LOVES doing it. The chair displaced by our ginormous Christmas tree (this is the first year the "North Pole" has had furniture) has found a cozy spot next to the fire and is the coveted place to sit in the house! The kids like the warmth, but I think they like the mood of it just as much. I'm sure they will grow up with cherished memories of fires and Christmas time.


These pictures of Grandma making Gingerbread Men with the kids are some of my favorites!!
This is Stephen dismayed because he is wearing a girl's apron! I am in love with this picture.





This is another favorite. This is Natalie meauring how tall she is with the counter top. She started doing this after we moved into this house. She used to be little, she was only 3 1/2 when we moved here. Now her head reaches all the way to the top...look at how surprised she looks about it.
And here she is measuring The Colonel. At least he is still little.


Ah yummy Gingerbread. I love that my kids like a Gingerbread, it is such a strong flavor that a lot of kids don't like it. It is Natalie's favorite.
The day Grandma had to go home, Natalie said goodbye to her in the morning before she left for school. Natalie held onto her and told Grandma that she was going to hold onto her forever so she couldn't leave. She gave her some of the biggest hugs, which was so cute because Natalie is almost as big as Grandma.
She wanted Grandma to stay for Christmas. She finally did let her go, but she did not want to have to say goodbye.


Later that afternoon when Stephen had to say goodbye to Grandma, this was his reaction--this is independent of Natalie--he was asleep when she said her goodbyes. He literally grabbed onto her legs and held on. It was the cutest, sweetest thing ever.

Luckily he wasn't devestated and was all smiles--he knows he is too cute and Grandma can't stay away for too long. My kids seem to attract all sorts of visits from family who can't get enough of them:)

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This is one of my other favorite pictures over the last few weeks. It has seemed like there is an abundance of silliness and happiness around here. Here are a collection of a few cute moments that I have been lucky enough to get on video.

This is a new thing at our house--spinning--and it is POPULAR, especially with The Colonel. He calls it his "circus."

And just a few more cute, random shots.