Traditions

everybody needs a gingerbread house at Christmas, right?  this is a tradition that our kids love to do.  i mean, who wouldn't?  icing, candy, licking your fingers?  what's not to love?  i especially loved how this year, both gianna and roman really loved doing this together.  i was pleasantly surprised at how little fighting there was and how encouraging roman was to gianna.  he kept telling her "wow, gianna, that looks pretty".  he didn't mind if she put things near "his" spot or anything.  and they were both really proud when they were done. 

on Thanksgiving night, our elf made "her" 2013 appearance.  she ended up on the tree that sits on our mantle and roman was SO excited to see her.  he came downstairs searching for her and screamed her name when he saw her.  her name is Shaw-shee.  i'm not sure why he named her that, but he was 3 at the time that she came to be our elf, so maybe that explains it.  it's funny to hear gianna say her name now, though.  she prounounces it shee-saw.  kind of backwards.  but it's super cute. 

each of the kids has their own tree in their bedroom too and this year, i got a remote control for them.  it controls all three trees on one remote.  the kids each love to turn theirs on and off with the remote each night. 

since i had decorated the rest of the house (not really all that much) a few weeks ago before our trip to columbia, all we really had left to do was put up and decorate the tree and the outside (toby's area). so, last saturday, we got to it! 

i spruced up my old sled with some fresh greens and a new bow....get it?  spruced?  haha (at least i make myself laugh)

roman and gianna each got a new ornament for the tree.  roman got a SC football and gianna got sophia the first.   they both wanted to put them on their room trees instead of the big tree. 

roman got a lift to put some ornaments up high.

gianna did pretty well decorating down low.

roman picked up my phone and started taking some pictures of me too. 

fuzzy lady picture alert.

roman wanted to put the angel on the tree.  i love this.  mom crocheted this angel a long time ago and she always watches over us from the top of the tree each Christmas season.

more roman pictures.

roman made his first video.  you might get motion sickness from watching it, but i think it is hilarious...

(i'm roman, and you love me...this is my splendid mom...haha)


and, just to share my evening view.  the kids are in bed.  toby heads up to bed.  guido is snoring.  i finally have peace and quiet.  i really enjoy sitting in the glow of the lights.

pretty, pretty tree!