most wonderful time of the year

christmas celebrations have been going on for 6 weeks.

lets just say, this christmas season feels like eternity. 

it's good, because i love this time of year, but i also

feel like i've been going and going and going.

my company has THREE different holidays parties.

the first for our trades, the second for our team and 

the third for our department. 

i also had our annual christmas breakfast with my besties.

it was switched to my house but ended

 up being really low key and fun.

i'm so glad we do it.

any excuse to see my friends, is fine by me. 

i drove to st. louis for a one-nighter to see my sorority sisters.

its been a long time and miss hanging out with them.

shan and i are the only ones in kc so they get together and

we miss out on a lot. 

it's one of my resolutions to make the time more often.

my family had our famous christmas cookie day,

which technically is more of a christmas candy day

because everyone's cookies are already made.

since this holiday is with the in-laws, we went ahead

and did our christmas that night. 

can i just say that reid is the best thing that's ever

happened to christmas.

she jumps around and is so excited over literally everything.

you could give her socks and she would be like,

oh my god, i got the cutest socks. 

plus she's just super sweet and gave everyone hugs. 

christmas day was very low key this year.

just ronnie and i with the girls.

my parent's were in texas with the turner side, 

brian was with kristine's family

and my aunt's and grandma went to marceline. 

ronnie's sister decided against celebrating this year and 

we actually leave tomorrow to see his mom. 

we're doing christmas with my parent's and brian on new year's day.

so like i said... christmas is lasting an eternity. 

it was weird to be by ourselves on christmas. 

it was ok, but not my favorite. 

i can't wait for big family christmas next year. 

just call me clark griswald. 

i will say that we made the most of it.

we made sugar cookies with marra.

we went to see santa and visit the magic tree.

we also made it to christmas eve mass. 

ronnie and i were up to 11 wrapping gifts and 

the girls slept together in brette's room.

they were up at least three times and checking on noises.

it was very cute.

reid woke up at 4:15 (not kidding) but i threw her in bed

with ronnie and i went and slept with brette.

it worked because they both slept in until a little after 7. 

a huge christmas morning win.

they had so much fun opening gifts. 

santa brought them a barbie dream house and a kindle.

(which brette calls an ipad - i let her think that. lol)

they spent the day playing, watching christmas movies and eating 

popcorn and hot chocolate. 

i was pretty proud of myself for dinner.

since it was just us and lets be honest, the girls

eat less than a mouse, i went ahead and tried to make a better meal. 

rotisserie chicken, twice baked potatoes, broccoli & cauliflower casserole with rolls.  

i made a pie the day before, but i gave it to ronnie's sisters family.

we settled for christmas candy and left over sugar cookies we made for santa. 

i hope you and yours had a very merry christmas too.

think of me in a week when i'm STILL celebrating. 

smile

every few years we go to our professional photographer

that took the girls newborn photos.

let's be real:

this shit is expensive.

like, i don't even tell ronnie until after it's over.

thank god, i have my own job now, because

i can just say - don't worry, i paid for it. 

but i keep going back because i always,

always L O V E them, so to me, it's worth it. 

take a look. 

can we talk about clothes for one second.

i ordered us new outfits FOUR weeks in advance.

unfortunately, the girls stuff was coming from china and 

didn't show up in time. 

(please see my thanksgiving post to see reid's adorable dress that she didn't get to wear.)

so i borrowed reid's outfit from shan, ronnie borrowed my dad's sweater, 

brette actually had this dress, but it is a little too big and of course,

my freaking outfit was chosen in the last 20 minutes.

it's not my favorite, but i try not to dwell on it.

it's just, when you're paying for these pictures, it would

help to like your clothes. 

and can i just say, the clothes i ordered would have been amazing.

blah.

good things i'm still obsessed with these pictures.

november recap

well that went fast.

bye felicia. november

kassie had henry. (insert heart eyes)

i was gone on a work trip so i met him 3 days later.

ronald and i went to our first gay wedding.

our dear camper friends, matt and josh.

it was a blast and ronnie and i managed to take zero pictures together.

 #twogroomsarebetterthanone

we went to the turnbow's to see BOB SEGER. 

it was eveything i ever wanted and 

this will always be one of my favorite songs.

and then thanksgiving with my side of the family.

we met at my parent's house for a big turkey dinner.

i love that we're only 10 minutes away. 

it makes it so easy.

and there you have it. 

our novermber.

and now we're ready to start the christmas season!