Currently: In a Time Where Time Doesn't Exist

Current Book

Book 2 in a YA Fantasy series - doesn't sound like me at all? {grin}

Current Song

Dylan Rockoff - You're the One That I Want

{Grease remake, it's an amazing stretch routine we do in Pilates!}

Current TV Show

I might be the one Texan who doesn't love Yellowstone,

BUT I am WAY into 1883.

I've also been watching And Just Like That...' 

Jury is still out on my overall thoughts.

Current Podcast/Audiobook

Just listened to this, and it is FASCINATING.

Current Drink

Chai with oat milk, it's so good!

Current Food

My Granny got these for me every Christmas, and I haven't had them in years.

My sister gifted me some this year, yay!

Current Shame-Inducing Pleasure

It's the week between Christmas and New Year's...

if your answer isn't 'all the food I've been consuming' are you even American?

Current Outfit

It was 70 degrees this morning, but I had to wear my new AmpedUp swag!

Current Celebrity Crush

The whole cast of 1883 is great, but how adorable is Isabel May?!

Current Mood

Sad Christmas is over, but excited for our trip!

And also stressed - MUST DO ALL THE THINGS TO GET READY

Current Anticipation

We leave TOMORROW for Ruidoso!!!!!!!

Current Movie

Hoping for some kid dates soon...

plus Allison and I have a few nominated films we hope to knock out!

Current Picture

This kid is something else. 

We signed up to take care of the chickens over break a few times

{his class takes care of them as part of their microeconomy},

and watching him love on them and take care of them is the sweetest.

Holly Jolly

Happy 5th Birthday, Paige Noelle!

And just like that...this giant baby has turned 5!

I knew in my heart our family wasn't complete without this little girl.

And I am so thankful she is who God blessed us with.

Happy 5th birthday to our family's caboose - 

she is silly and fun and loving and wonderful!

When Your Outfit Revolves Around Your Shoes

I love going to Brent's work holiday party! It helps that 2 of my best friends are the wives of 2 of his co-workers {also 2 of his best friends}, so we have a blast. As expected, their company didn't have a holiday party in 2020, but right after Christmas last year, I was at Dillard's with my mother-in-law and found the most amazing pair of shoes that I knew would be AMAZING for this party. Not knowing when we'd have another party, but assuming we'd get back to them eventually, I bought them. Yes, I bought a pair of shoes for a specific party a year before the party would potentially be held. {grin}

BUT LOOK AT THEM!!! Aren't they so perfect for a holiday party?

I tried on a lot of duds before finding the winner outfit, but I finally put together a cute outfit, and last weekend was Brent's party! YES! We got to have one in 2021!

We decided to make a weekend of it, and we went up Friday early afternoon with our neighbors/friends, the Sladeks. We went out to eat Friday but didn't take any pictures. Saturday, Susie and I did all the things - got our nails down and had our hair fixed!

Brunch Saturday morning!

I'm irritated we didn't take any other pictures from the day, ha. I did also get some new eye make-up and tried to go a little more dramatic with my look.

The finished face!

The full look with THE SHOES!

Our other friends

~ Derek and Dez ~ Riley and Susannah ~ 

LJA Wives - lots of years of friendship with these ladies

We spent a lot of time in the piano bar room singing along to every song!

Sunday morning we got up early-ish, had brunch, and got back on the road to get our babies. Again, annoyed I didn't get a picture of everyone! The kids stayed with my parents and had a great time. They weren't spoiled at all. {grin}

The girls with my mom's Christmas cactus

Paige reading to alllllll the Santas!

And now it TRULY feels like Christmas-time! 

I Spy Week 48

Linking up with Lysha at A Camera and A Cookbook for I Spy! This ended up being very Christmas-focused, but honestly, this time of year that shouldn't surprise anyone!

{starts with U}

The view under my tree! I still have a lot to wrap, but it's looking good!

{red}

I LOVE red pomegranates, yum.

{small building}

The girls have been playing with this manger, which is a small building, set a lot.

Yesterday, Brent sat down with them and all I could hear was hysterical giggling.

Not sure how Mary, Joseph, and Jesus ended up on top but they were having fun! 

{sweet}

I ordered stocking stuffers from Wal-Mart.

I thought I ordered 3 York peppermint patties as something sweet for the kids.

Apparently, I actually ordered 3 BAGS, oops.

{your choice}

Last night, Drew and I finally finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!

We started this one in the summer, it has taken us FOREVER to finish.

I left my physical, hardback, copy at the lake this summer,

so we have checked out an e-copy countless times to get it done.

BUT WE DID IT! YAY!

Now onto probably my fave book of the series, whoop!

#AMonthofFaves Moments of 2021

I like the girlxoxo #AMonthofFaves prompts and plan to do a handful of them! I really like this prompt and enjoyed looking back at the year to find my favorite moments of the year. 2021 put us back into a somewhat more normal life which was so fantastic, and there were MANY things to be thankful for and happy about.

Back to the Movies

It was a long 11 months of not going to the movies, ha.

I know that's a slightly silly thing to be thankful for,

but I absolutely LOVE being able to be back in theaters!

My first movie back with Allison!

I've seen 7 movies in 2021 and hoping to get a few more in before the year ends!

Body Pump Certification

One goal I met in early 2021 was getting certified in Body Pump

and beginning to teach at the local studio I love so much!

Snow-pocalypse

It might be weird to list this as a 'fave',

but I mean it more as something we'll never forget!

Being snowed in for a week, having more snow than I've ever seen,

temperatures lower than I've ever had at home, loss of electricity...

it was a CRAZY experience but I was stuck with my favorite people!

Easter with Family

Easter 2021 was the first time my extended family got together.

We missed so many celebrations as a family,

and it was amazing to be back together again!

Drew's First Communion

We celebrated Drew's First Holy Communion in May!

Such a special day and so happy we were able to do it!!

Normal Start to the School Year

We started the school year about 75% normal, and it was glorious.

And it has remained goooooood!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

It was a dream come true to spend a few days at HP World with my BFF.

We've only been talking about going together since it opened,

and it was amazing!!!

And I can't close this post without saying it's to be expected/hoped that every year your people get to celebrate their birthdays and remain healthy, but this year it felt extra special!

Movie Review: Encanto

I took the girls to see Encanto over the weekend with some of our best buds.

Plot: A young Colombian girl has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers.

I love this theater because while the girls were having snacks,

the mommies were having WINE!!!

Review: SO SO SO good! We all really enjoyed this one. It was fun, had GREAT music {duh, you had to know that going into it with Lin-Manuel Miranda involved}, and had a great message. I even cried at the end because it was so touching. Can't rave about this one enough!

Monthly Musings: Holiday Preview

I am always late when I do a Monthly Musings post, but I think the questions are usually pretty good that I eventually get around to them. {grin}

1. Share your favorite holiday traditions

Here's what I can think of off the top of my head:

• Christmas decorations inside and out!
• Christmas clothes
• Decorating Gingerbread houses
• Going to look at Christmas lights
• Listening to Christmas carols until we are sick of them
• Watching Christmas movies
• Pictures with Santa

2. Do you see holiday lights? Driving tour or your own? Attend a park or festival?

We will drive around to look at them as a family. Sometimes we go special places to see them, like a coffee shop in Austin, Mozart's, that does a crazy display. I LOVE Christmas lights and really love looking at them. My mother-in-law also loves lights, so I can usually convince her to go places with me. There used to be a house in our neighborhood that did an INSANE display with lights timed to music and they raised money for Make a Wish, but the owners moved, such a bummer.

Mozart's 2017

The awesome Christmas house!

3. Favorite holiday recipe?

I have 2! 

I must have my mother-in-law's Cranberry Tea. She starts making it in November and we drink it through January, yay!

It also isn't Christmas without my Granny's Christmas wreaths.

4. Must have holiday fashion staple?

Christmas t-shirts, Christmas pajamas, and Buffalo plaid! Lots and lots of RED!

5. Any festive or extra special plans this year?

We are taking a trip to New Mexico the week after Christmas with friends! There will be 10 adults and 11 kids staying in 1 house - it has 8 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms, so I *think* we will be okay!

6. Best holiday planning tip

Start Christmas shopping as early as possible! I usually start thinking about gifts in October and buy once I have some good ideas to spread everything out. It's December 5 as I'm filling this out, and I need to figure out a gift for my sister-in-law and that's it! I'm done!

7. Favorite holiday movie

I think I have 2 for similar reasons! We watch Christmas movies with the kids, and we just love watching Home Alone with them! Plus every year, Brent and I watch White Christmas together, and I enjoy sharing that time with him.

8. Die Hard...Christmas movie or not?

To me, Christmas has to be integral to the plot of the movie for it to be a Christmas movie, so I vote 'no'. To me, Die Hard is just a movie set at Christmas.

9. Tree/decorations up before or after Thanksgiving?

Typically we decorate the week OF Thanksgiving - the kids are off school the whole week, and I take off work. It's nice to have a week to do it and not stress about it vs. waiting until AFTER Thanksgiving and just having the weekend to get it done before going back to work and school.

10. Do you celebrate other holidays in December? Hanukkah? Kwanza? Others?

I know the rest of the world won't consider this as a 'holiday' but we also celebrate Paige's birthday! {grin} Our littlest peanut's birthday is December 21, so of course we celebrate her in December!!

Paige's 4th birthday

I Spy Week 47

Trying to get better at linking up with Lysha because I really like this link-up! Maybe a goal for 2022 to do this weekly?

{festivities}

She looks ready for holiday festivities does she not?

{food}

I took this picture at Chipotle {we love their food}

to show the height difference in Miles and Trent - crazy!

{free}

Drew's bed: sometimes free isn't always good, ha.

However, we got it fixed!

{fortune}

I spend a fortune on Christmas decorations but love it so much!

{your choice}

Hogwarts Tournament of Houses with my Harry Potter fans

is definitely my choice for how to spend an evening!