some of sully's tricks

usually kiddies don't preform when you ask them to. but sully kind of loves the camera.

sully is 16 months. and we love him so much. cannot believe he will be going into the nursery in february!......

first (hopefully annual!) ornament exchange

my friends and i had our first ornament slash cookie exchange last week. i set up the cookie table a day early because i love how party decorations make a home feel so festive.

i made my ginger cookies for the exchange. and for my breakfast, lunch and dinner the next day.

when all the girls got here, we exchanged our ornaments. we had picked names out of hat and kept it all secret until it was time to open the ornaments.

the cookie table with everyone's treats.

a couple of hours before the party i panicked because i had no idea how everyone was going to get their cookies home. so my mom ran to packaging specialties for me and picked up these amazing treat boxes. score one for my mom.

all of our beautiful ornaments.

pretty soon, i am going to be wearing these things.

because i cant get enough of my vintage ornaments. so i am trying to come up with different ways to display them around my house (one can only have so many ornament wreaths around a little apartment). i saw this idea of hanging them on an old screen door and loved it. this is my version.

christmas carol 2011

this year, craig's family joined us for our annual trip to see the christmas carol.

i love getting dressed up and going downtown with craig.

afterwards, we went over to the sheraton to see the amazing gingerbread houses. this "rudolph the red nosed reindeer" inspired house was our favorite. and we got to meet the creative artist who made it. :)

downtown seattle, (when dry!) during the christmas season, is so special.

seeing santa
we took the boys to see santa this week. we were positive that sully would not be able to handle it (he is QUITE the mama's boy). but despite some back-arching and crying, we managed to get this not-completely-tragic shot of him. and of course, tagg was as happy as can be.

finding our tree

we went to get our tree last friday. my boys love this tradition. stomping though mud, carrying a saw, and chopping down a tree. whats not to love?

i cant ever resist a picture at a painted cut out. i love my happy little elves.

after trekking through the farm twice, we decided on this tree.

luckily, tagg brought his little saw along to help with the process. he is one hundred percent nuts.

i am not kidding. nuts. (this picture was taken 2 seconds after he had bonked heads with sully a little too hard.)

tagg and his tree all ready to go!

happy december!

my friends and i got together and made advent calendars last week. nothing like crafting with my girls. i found this piece of wood on the side of the road and craig kindly braved the rain to fetch it for me. i then painted it white (surprise.), painted the clothes pins white, glittered them, stamped numbers on the little kraft bags (filled with goodies) and put it all together. i hope tagg and sully enjoy counting down to christmas this year.