We were woken up Christmas morning to the sound of Timmy singing Jingle Bells very loudly. I’m so sad that I thought I was videotaping and I wasn’t. They ran to the tree and Timmy ripped open his red jeep and say, “Oh. My.” And folds his hands to the sky and says thank you Santa. He is too cute. Then the unwrapped Gracie’s fancy baby stroller. They both also got butt scooters tho I’m not sure that’s the real name for them. Timmy got a Leap frog dog and Grace a sit and spin. We do 3 gifts each just like Jesus got 3 gifts from the Wise Men. 

 
Christmas Day is at our house. Breakfast, presents, naps, snacks and dinner is the usual schedule. We really had a beautiful day. 

We told everyone to come in their pajamas.  

 
We had one more special gift to give the kids that we were especially excited about.  

 Yup this is our last Christmas as a family of FOUR! Baby Dube #3 will be here in August. It was so nice to tell everyone at the same time in the same room. Gracie didn’t quite get the idea and wanted to wear the onsie. 

 
Dinner was so delicious. I love that we all are at one big table. And for the kids we did a picnic on the floor. 

 We are so blessed.

I’ve seriously been on super drive since 6:30am but I want to get a few things on here before I erase all my pictures to make room for Christmas Day.

We’ve been cooking and baking all day. Lucky for me I’ve have 2 little helpers. 

Yup I let them lick the batter 🙈 pretty sure all good moms do.

 First time making peanut butter pie and we taste tested this too. Amazing!  
I’m most nervous about these cinnamon rolls. These are daddy’s favorite and I always just buy the ones in the can. This year I thought I’d step it up a notch. We will see. Kinda wishing I had a can for backup.

    
 They did quite a job with Jesus’ birthday cake. Sprinkles galore. 

Ericas house looked like Santas workshop. Endless gifts. These kids are spoiled. I had to hold them back from opening every single gift. 

 Santa even made a surprise visit. 

Grace asked Santa for a baby 😉

The kids had so much fun together. 

We took ALL of December off from school. But we were still busy learning.

We are doing Truth in the Tinsel where each day we learn a verse and make an ornament to go with it. It’s very cute and the kids totally get it this year.  

We decorated some cookies with Great Grandma. 

    
 
At church playgroup we read the story of the first Christmas and did some Jesus crafts. Then we went on a candy cane hunt!   

The next week church playgroup went to visit a nursing home to spread some Christmas spirit. The kids made handprint reindeer and handed them out to the patients. It was a beautiful day.  
Timmy was there but was hiding from the paparazzi. 

Our church had a breakfast with Santa on Sunday with pancakes, eggs and sausage. All free. And then Santa took pictures with the kids. He gave each kid a candy cane that instantly turned that place into a mad house.  

 
On Tuesday we had Light up for Christ. All the Catholic Churches at the same time around the country sing Christmas carols and tell the story of the first Christmas. Then at 7:00 they turn on the Christnas light display. After they serve hot chocolate and cookies. I just love my church so much it’s so cute. 

This is all the kids listening to Father Ulto tell the Christmas show.

    
  
We had a Christmas play date at Brynn & Jo’s house. We all wore our Christmas Jammie’s. 

 
The kids built gingerbread houses and it was not as easy as it looks.  

Poor Max had a sub par construction crew.

 
Timmys came out cute.  
Then we watched the Grinch and had some Grimch popcorn. Timmy could not handle that the marshmellows were green. He kept holding his nose saying he didn’t want any stinky marshmellows.   
Homemade hot chocolate tastes like liquid chocolate ice cream. Was amazing! 

Nothing says Christmas spirit like a dip in the pool. It is so frustrating and really a little depressing that it is this hot. 
 
Our elves have been busy too. 

It is exactly ONE week until Christmas Day. So we will be taking it easy baking and getting this house ready for everyone to come over on Christmas morning. 🎄
    

Our John Denver Christmas cd is on because that’s the tradition Tims parents had when he was a kid when they decorated the tree. Our kids are drinking hot chocolate piled high with marshmellows watching Daddy hang the lights on the tree. 💗 

 This is a funny sweet story… We had just picked up some drive thru McDonald’s and Sam and Logan were in the back seat. They ordered a #7 with a Dr Pepper. Fifteen minutes later Timmy was asking, “Aunt Sam how come you don’t feel so good?” And we’re all like Timmy Aunt Sam is fine. So he says, “Well how come she is needing Dr Pepper?” Precious. Tim explained it was like a Coke and he was like are you kidding?

This was our first year decorating outside. We laughed the whole time. Tim trying to figure out how to put together his parents ancient decorations took skill. But he did it and the kids love it.

Grace just spread out a blanket and she’s having a picnic with her babies. 

  
A mothers work is never done. Even in the middle of a play date she takes time to care for the children. 

 
And the way she eats pizza! It’s so gross. She only eats the tops and she starts in the middle. 

Jingle Bells with a twist

Jingle Bells Jingle Bells, Jingle on the the way. Oh what fun it is to ride on a rumpus rumpus sleigh! Hey!

Hmmmm he sang that for our priest. Lol.

Grace is obsessed with being a baby and all things baby related. If you tell her she’s a big girl she will fight you and then in her baby voice convince you she’s still a baby.

BUT today, just this moment I said let me hold my baby and she said, “No mom I’m a very big girl.” Cue the tears. 

I can’t believe it. How my little baby boy is a four year old kid I do not know but it’s true.

He is the sweetest little boy ever. We went on our traditional Disney trip to celebrate and every person that passed by he was wishing them a Merry Christmas! There’s definitely something special about him. He has an extra big heart for people. 

We were all very excited for our trip, even the elves! 

We started our trip bright {dark} and early for Magic Kingdom. Weather was more than perfect and the lines super short. We take this same picture every year on Aladdins Carpets because it’s Timmys favorite ride but I’m guessing that will change soon.

 
We met some princesses which you would think was all about Grace but from the looks of it Timmy seems happier about it than Grace. 

    
    
Timmy played the plate in the Beauty and the Beast show.

 
Timmy’s best friend Cade joined us in the afternoon for some fun. 

 
Timmys other favorite rides, dumbo and the car racing. But his ultimate favorite is Buzz Lightyear ride. Toy story is his new obsession. 

   
Grace is all about it’s a small world bc she thinks all those baby dolls are hers and she’s crazy about the carousel. 

 
The next day we took it easy then went to Hollywood studios at 2:00. This was my kids first trip there. We saw Disney Jr and Frozen sing-a-long. Let me tell you that Frozen show is the best thing I’ve ever seen! Amazing. Then we went on Toy Story Mania, a new favorite. Such a cute ride.  

 
Then we went to the Osbourne Light Show. It really blows you away. I’m so sad that it’s over forever.  

On the way out of the park we ran into Lightening McQueen and Tow Mater. 

 Then we went back to the hotel for hot chocolate overflowing with marshmellows and a candy cane stirrer. 

 The next day we spent at the pool. Timmy had the best time going on the slides.  

For dinner we went to Celebration. The cutest town ever, where it snows on the hour from 5-9pm.  

    
 
And we met with Santa! Timmy asked for a red jeep and Grace a new baby stroller. 

 
The next morning was Timmys birthday! The elves were so excited they helped decorate. 

   
Timmys birthday wish was for pancakes. So mama delivered. 

   
Then we went to ICE. The theme was “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” It was incredible. They give you 30 minutes to walk thru but turns out you only need like 10. 9 degrees is cold, very cold. 

     
 
Then Timmy went snow tubing with Aunt Sam, Aunt Toria and Aunt Erica.   

This seems like the birthday that never ends. I always have trouble with this. Lol. I just don’t ever want his birthday to be overshadowed by Christmas so I go alittle overboard. When we got home we had cake for family that couldn’t come to Disney with us. 

Thanks giving is almost here but really it kinda feels like Thanksgiving has come and gone. It is so hard not to get so excited about the Christmas season. I really tried to stay away from Christmas anything until after that turkey was served but I failed. This morning we watched Elf on the Shelf and Mickey Saves Santa. There might also be Christmas music playing in my house along with a pine scented candle.

We have been learning about Thanksgiving alittle but tho. Last week at our first church playgroup we sang the song “Count Your Blessings” and we made a Blessing Tree. We traced the kids hands and wrote down what they were thankful for starting with Jesus. Timmy was thankful for oranges {which he won’t eat}, costumes, chicken and ketchup. Gracie was thankful for mommy, max, Timmy and Aunt Jessica. 

 We’ve been reading Thanksgiving books every night in November. Surprisingly we have a lot of them. 

We put crafting into overdrive. 

Thanksgiving day started very early this year. We had to be out the door by 9:30 to get to Aunt Jessica’s. This world has turned a thankful holiday into a shopping holiday. It’s just terrible. I will pay double the price for something before you catch me shopping on Thanksgiving. Never. Unfortunately tho my mom has to work and every year it’s earlier so we are at noon. It was amazing. Seriously probably the best thanksgiving food ever. Look at this big group!

 
My kids had a ball with their cousins. They were both pretty obsessed with Carter. 

    
 Getting a picture of all three cousins smiling was a a total fail. This was the best ones.

    
   
More of the fam 

Just recently Timmy has started praying on his own, unprompted, anywhere and everywhere. It is adorable.

“Jesus please give me all the beetles.”

Or at the museum, “Jesus please give me a dinosaur.”

Last night in bed my husband hears him whisper, “Jesus please make me a dog.”

Today he was sitting right next to me and then all of a sudden he’s in prayer, “Jesus please help mommy make me a cake. Amen.”

Every time his little hands folded and eyes shut. And though his requests are silly to us, the process is 100% right.

My little boy believes with all his heart that he can pray to Jesus for anything and everything, that no request is impossible. I love that his time with Jesus is anywhere he sees fit and that his words are conversational. 

I can’t take any credit for this. We really don’t know where he learned it. He has always been close to God. 

“Mom do you want to spend time together?” Ugh this boy melts my heart.

Grace was a born mama. No doubt. This baby got a very nice warm bath and a towel.  
Timmy looks like he’s working on something serious. He says to me from under this stroller, “Can someone hand me my hard wrench?” 

 
“Goodnight baby I love you. Mom can you say goodnight to my baby?” Seriously these kids are the sweetest. 

The kids woke up especially early today and got into a tickle fight with Daddy. The best. They thought it was so funny.

“I’m going bye bye mommy I’ll be right back.” Dressed her baby and packed her purse. And I can hear her asking her baby if she wants chicken nuggets for lunch. 

“Mommy my toilet is broken!”

Ok I’ll tell Daddy

“Yea because Daddy fixes everrrything!”