We hosted our annual New Years Eve party with our favorite friends! Unfortunately the Allens all got sick and so they had to bail. Russ smoked everyone some brisket and all the other food was amazing as well. We even got Brandon (neighbor) to come over for some food and games. We had the best time staying up till around 130 and it took me about a week to recover from staying up so late because I am old. Haha!
Russ promised bowling (or something "fun") because she had such good behavior and was so helpful on one of the days he watched all the kids. Hallie felt so special. Ever since then Brooks has asked what he can do to have Dad take him bowling "'all by himself" too. Our kids are obsessed with with their Dad. I am grateful they have such a great dad to look up to.
For Christmas this year I asked for Russ to build lockers for the kids to put their things in. We don't really have an ideal place to put a mudroom. So, we are going to build one upstairs in a little nook off of the staircase. Our garage is overflowing with kid's backpacks, sports stuff, coats, boots and shoes. Having another place for them to put their stuff will help alleviate some clutter in the garage that has quite frankly become a tripping hazard.
I am lucky enough to have Russ who can build anything I want him to. And he makes it looks so good that you would never know we diy'd it. But, he also works a full time job and is a very involved Dad so having time to do a side project is tricky. And he cut his finger cutting ribs the day before Christmas Eve (hand injuries around Christmas time are starting to become a tradition I guess) so that put him out of project commission too. Eventually I'd like to have some lockers for the kids but its not going to be any time soon. Haha!
My inspo picture
Christmas with our 3 littles was amazing. I felt like they were super happy and grateful for what they got. They are all at such fun ages to celebrate with!
Highlights from Christmas:
*Hallie- Kindle from Santa, rubix cube game, 3D pen art, 3D lizard and a subscription to an art box. The kindle has probably been the best gift we have ever given Hallie. She easily reads an hour a day with that thing! Her next favorite gift was probably the monthly subscription art box. Hallie wrote the most thoughtful cards for each of us and asked me to put them in their respective stockings on Christmas Eve. So cute!
*Brooks- Jazz/LA basketball tickets from Santa, wood markers, squishmallow, game boy and nerf ball guns. His most favorite gift was by far the fact that he and Russ are going to the Jazz/Laker game in January. His 2nd favorite gift is probably the game boy followed by his squishmallow that he now sleeps with every night.
*Stockton- Scooter from Santa, magna tiles, El Toro Loco monster truck, paw patrol stuffed animals and a leap frog kids tablet. I think Stockton just loved all the gifts everyone else got. Haha!
*Russ- Wireless meat thermometers, Blackstone griddle (for camping), ice plunge, Jazz sweatshirt, cricut machine, and steak knife. I think Russ' favorites were the ice plunge and cricut machine. He has loved making his own vinyl lettering for t-shirts.
*Kylee- Lockers that Russ will make eventually for me and our family, the biggest and most comfy sleeping blanket ever and Rosie car air freshners that I absolutely died laughing about but now never want a different air freshner then these ones again. I also loved the present Brooks wrapped for me which was a bag of candy I bought for Halloween this year but never needed to use. Haha!
