Joyous time of year & 5 on Friday

Linking up with the awesome hosts of 5 on Friday!

1. Time definitely gets better with age. This year has been amazing and I have been blessed beyond belief! This past week almost everyone morning my sweet little one sleeps a tad bit longer than I do. Just enough time for me to make a glorious cup of coffee and read my devotional. Great way to start the day. 

2. Traditions. (or the making of them) This past weekend we went to our town green for the tree lighting/santa visit/caroling etc. They started at 5:30 (With LA traffic who the heck gets home and out the door by 5:30) so we missed most of it but made hot chocolate and walked as a family. 

3. Friends. Tonight I will be going to our annual "holiday dinner" with some of my best friends! This picture is way back before we started even thinking about having kids and only one of us was even married! It is a great tradition and no matter how busy life gets we do it every year!

4. Christmas nursery decor is my favorite! This year my mama gifted Easton with this adorable pillow with the words of "Twas the night before Christmas" since he is loving books right now! 

5. I am still loving my Toddler Christmas Corner idea! Although once the toddler was introduced to it a couple of changes had to occur, since he couldn't quite get the hang of "hanging" ornaments, it is much easier for velcro! 

Easton's Christmas List

I ordered most of the gifts Easton is getting on Cyber Monday off of Amazon and they are believed delivered one at a time, day by day and it is oh so exciting! We have quite determined our Christmas Plan since Tucker has to work the days before and after Christmas and I will be working on Christmas...but we will make it happen!

As a big bad 16 month old boy everything is about an animal...therefore an alligator pull toy, turtle dream light, jungle book etc. If we had a playroom (which I dream of) I would totally get him a teepee and toddler table! 

This year Easton and I talked about what he would ask Santa for (yes, it was one-sided). He was all ready, dressed super cute, waited in line like a trooper, and THEN:

He wasn't quite able to get all those words out. Maybe next year! Merry Christmas!

Our 16 month old

Our little buddy is now 16 months old. He got to go to 2 Christmas tree lightings, go to the pool (it was 85 on December 3rd), play in rain puddles, love on his pups, get a hair cut, and take holiday photos!

 He had a couple weeks were he was having some stomach issues and was not to into his veggies, but he is back on track, eating everything! He still doesn't sleep through the night...one day, one day. He is very active and loves to be outside. He is still loving Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Clifford the big red dog. This month he has become quite the talker and can tell us what most animals say, moo, meow, woof, eeh ooh (monkey). He can point the the sky and ground, point to his body parts. He can climb onto most anything. I think he has all 4 molars and I think he got them all at once!


We weaned him from using his bottle to go to sleep at night! Parenting score! He now has his last milk on the couch and then goes up stairs for jammie time! Which is a win, however I may have let him try chocolate milk in his baba for the Christmas tree lighting...oops! But it was so cute!

His wagon had cute little battery colored lights for the tree lighting/Santa visit at the town green! We walked and it was freezing (well So-cal freezing)!

Felt Christmas Trees

This year one of my holiday craft goals was to complete these little felt trees for our mantel. I completed two different kinds. I gathered spools, circular bases, felt, scissors, and a whole lota glue for my glue gun. 

 After cutting a bazillion triangles I started gluing and ta-dah the red and white ones were done! For the other style I made a template and cut long strips and wave cut the edges and glued them onto the cones.
Very easy and very inexpensive! I read many tutorials and took the best tips from each, which made it easier!