A Little Christmas Life Lately

Well, we sure have been trying hard to make the most of it over here, but in the best way. We've tried to slow down, put some sweet events on the calendar, make the little things special, and schedule in lots of rest and downtime too, which are usually our very favorite!! Here are just a few little snapshots of some life lately around here!! 

This might be my favorite place that you can find all of us this season. We have been trying to sneak in as much time cozied up here as we can, even after church with a snack before nap!! 

You can find me here if I ever have a few free minutes when naps overlap... I bought Ruth Chou Simons' Emmanuel Advent devotional a few Christmases ago and have started working my way through it again this year, and it is a true favorite. 

It's just BEAUTIFUL, and filled with so much Scripture and thoughts and challenges for the heart and soul too this time of year. 

Another favorite is playing magnatiles with this girl... 

We got her this set when Andy was born as a gift for her to play with, and she has really started loving them the last month or so... 

And it's hard to say no when asks to build with her!! 

Bath-time snuggles with this little one is ALWAYS a fave!! 

I also LOVE watching these two littles play together in the mornings these days... Jane always asks if Andy can come play with her for a few minutes while I'm getting breakfast ready, and it's just a very sweet and favorite part of this little season to me. They both love it so much, and so do I!!

Another morning, another day when all babies are accounted for 😉 

Lots of cozy walks!! 

And I love being outside with these two!! 

We've had a few Christmas movie nights... 

And Saturday morning snuggles... 

Trying hard to soak. them. in!!!!

Lots and lots and lots of stickers these days... 

We all made our way to church on Friday night for one of our favorite traditions... 

Their Carolfest is just a favorite every year - a big Christmas night with lots of carols, lots of kids, lots of pajamas and sweetness and this year lots of jazz, which Pierce (and Jane) were BIG fans of, of course! (Pierce got Jane loving jazz early on - she would always ask for it if it was just her and him in the car hahaha)

You could find Jane dancing her way through the first half... 

And sitting with her friends during the second... 

All the while this little one slept... 😉☺️

This little cutie is just living her best Christmas life though... 

And I LOVE watching her love it!! 

She's loved her reindeer pajamas (leggings too) and bow... 

But she's also (and WAY more importantly) loved this little Advent devotional we have been doing every night... A wise mentor and wife of our founding pastor used to always say that she loved to give dessert to her kids while they studied God's Word so that they would have something sweet and delightful associated with God's Word and truly live out God's Word being "sweeter than honey." I used to do this with my kids at school...we would always talk about our Scripture verse while we were having our dessert, and now we get to start doing it with Jane, and it's been the sweetest. 

I knew we wanted to do something this Christmas for Advent, and I had high-hopes of making ornaments, creating something special, etc. But I landed on this simple little magnetic "Jesse Tree" retracing the stories of the Old Testament pointing to Jesus, and it's been the perfect thing this year. Jane LOVES playing with the magnets, is starting to learn the story and verse associated with each picture, and we've loved having a set aside time every night with something a little sweet and God's Word. Definitely a highlight to our life lately around here for sure...  

And really, life with these two is just a highlight right now as it's most of our life lately... 

Our home normally looks like this throughout the day...toys and books and kitchen utensils 😉 scattered everywhere, running and jumping and chewing on most things, but I wouldn't have it any other way... 

It's busy and fun and yet so simple all the same time... 

And there's no one else I would rather do it with than these three!! 

Just a little life lately around Christmastime for your Tuesday morning!! I hope everyone is having the sweetest season and of course soaking in the little things as everything and every day seems to be flying by!! Thanks for following along as always!! Here's to enjoying the little things, celebrating the big things, and soaking in all the moments in-between! 

I'll plan on seeing you back here tomorrow!
Sending lots of love!
XO
Tab