Christmas Eve was spent with extended family of Aunt Tiffanni and Uncle Ruben and Todd and Dena and Kortni and Brandon and all those cousins. We had scones and sang songs and the kids played their Christmas piano songs.

I made everyone set their phones in the bucket and it made the evening better I swear! 

We had an activity where everyone wrote their gift to baby Jesus on "straw" to help keep Him warm in His manger. 

Christmas Jammies! Penelope had called right before this so she still had tears :( she also didn't want to wear her new Jammies because they had sleeves but Stephen convinced her. 

After everything is all done and all kids asleep it's always so peaceful to sit by the tree. The kids were up most of the night. Remmy was sick with a cough and Paisley could not settle down. Then Beck woke up about 3 and tried to wake up Penny, so everyone ended up in our room. 

Such a magical time and all the kids had a great morning! 

But Christmas makes for one totes mama! 

Children that decide to sleep by the fire place.... I haven't felt this much exhilaration at getting caught since I was a teenager trying to sneak out of the house! 

On a side note Paisley finally went to sleep and then came bounding up the stairs 30 min later as I was putting together a tent and about gave me a heart attack! I think I caught her in time, but she was yelling "it's Christmas!!!" I swear she was sleep walking because I took her to the bathroom and she mumbled something about horses and then fell asleep in her bed. 

I hear baby Violet stirring, so this tired mama is out. Sweet dreams my friends and family and Merry Christmas! 

Our last day before Christmas break actually turned into a no school snow day! Beck got invited to sledding at the sand dunes with his friend Adam Wiseman and the rest of us took off to Nelson cousins and took some turns sledding behind the truck! Fun times with family! 

Violet's first time sledding! 

Violet turned 8 months old today! She started scooting around and army crawling a few days ago and is getting really mobile. I need to get her started on real food but she's such a champion nurser it hard to add one more messy face to the bunch at meal time! She's all smiles and loves people as long as mom Is within eye sight. She is a sweet angel and seems to have a little funny personality. We just adore her. 

I've been meaning to tackle my craft room for a long time and finally jumped in! Here are some before pictures. I admit freely to being a craft hoarded, but if someone needs something I love having it to lend out! 

I sold my big desk that Stephen bought me almost 8 years ago. 

Here is a work in progress. I got most of the cabinets for free and paid $12 for fhe large one on the bottom on the left of the "white cabinet wall."

I paid $160 (yikes!) for the vintage lockers are the farthest wall and found a deal on the lockers on the left wall and ended up getting them for free because a friend bought all the other lockers on my deal and ended up with a good deal so she passed on the savings to me. 

Keri Perez helped me paint and I spend about 3 weeks in total from take down, organizing and purging, to finish up. 

I love my new space! My grand total spent was $250. The most expensive being the above poctures vintage lockers and the counter top was $84 everything else was free or stuff I had. I also sold the large desk and some other odds and ends that helped keep costs down. 

Fun photo shoots with some of the kids. 

Lots of Christmas stuff happening around here! 

Violet's first Christmas! 

We got a tree from Grandpa Jerry Herrud's yard and the kids and I set it up and decorated it while Stephen was gone at church meetings. It only fell over once! 

Stephen headed up the community nativity down at the church and we finally got a nativity picture this year. 

Our annual Christmas photo complete with ugly sweaters. 

Picking out a tree at Grandpa Jerrys! 

Seeing Santa at the Moses Lake museum. 

Violet was all smiles and Beck forgot to ask for a Madden16 game. 

Paisley decided just to ask for candy and big smarties. 

Penelope surprised us and asked for an American Girl doll "because that's what Paisley wants too."

Remmy was nervous at first but asked for fast cars and went back to get his candy cane Santa forgot to give him.