Goodness December has got to be the most EXHAUSTING time of the year....

Just arrived home from our home school co-ops annual holiday party, full of fabulous crafts, wonderful potluck dishes and of course tons of SUGAR!  It was awesome watching all the little ones dashing around attempting to consume as much sugar as possible and maybe a few crafts too.  There are no pictures from this event, as my camera didn't make it to the car during the morning rush... bummer!  I won't soon forget how exhausted Ben was (although he still managed to do a craft and make one or two passes on the cake walk), how Colten threw a total fit when I told him we needed to go have our photo taken with Santa hats on, or how I watched him create a little Christmas tree from a ice cream cone and green frosting and was wondering how in the world I was going to transport it home... it was a super fun day but we are pretty excited to start our Winter break...

Why does it seem as though the month of December flies by in a whirlwind...

Why do I not remember this all as a child?  I'm hoping my Mom can sympathize with me and tell me yep that's exactly how I remember it, because goodness I don't remember anything being chaotic or stressful during the holidays as a little girl.

I remember Christmas time being simply the BEST time of the year!

Waking up to snow, neighborhood snowball fights, Christmas parties, letters from Santa... it was all magic!

It's only now that I'm realizing how much work all the "magic" is.  I hope I'm doing as good of a job... I want my boys to have those same magical memories locked up inside their hearts when they are big and grown. For now all I can do is my best, and attempt to stick with all the little traditions we've started as a little family.

Ok ok... enough already lets get to the good stuff...

I've been so excited to share these Christmas Card photos with you... the photo shoot was really not as awful as I had planned for (thank goodness!)

It was something we had put off, and put off until luck would have it we had a crazy burst of freezing weather and ended up taking these photos when it was about 25 degrees out!

BRRRRR!

Thankfully my snazzy camera has a timer setting where you can select the number of shots it takes in a row... this really helped to eliminate that running back and forth stuff...

Ok so the first couple of shots.... and yes of course some of our spoiled and much loved chickens had to make the photo... I can't tell you how grateful I am in the photo to be holding a warm chicken in my arms! 

Colten's reaction when he first saw this one.... "Mom, it looks like you are poopin in the can!"  

-Great maybe we should use this one!

They totally forgot that it was like 25 degrees out and we should really get down to business and get this done! haha

Ben spent about 10 shots trying to get his little hands inside his overalls... poor guy!  

Still tryin to figure it out!

The lighting was changing on us with every passing minute... 

Thankfully a little camera maneuvering and the shots started coming out brighter...

Nice Ben... 

Ben says we're done here...

Yeah cows are way more exciting... (I agree!)  

This might have been the keeper... if someone hadn't fallen asleep!

I'm thinkin they're about done...   but what happened to Mom?

Yep that should have been the winner... huh?!  I love this one more than words can say!

Or how bout this one where child number one is goofin off and it looks like I'm about to sock him... oh my word!!  

Post Goof off scolding... (whatever he was just told to knock it off so we could warm up inside) 

but every 5 year old is a master of dramatics!  

Colten and his approval of little brothers antics!  UGHH!  

It's love... with a little bit of crazy

Apparently Colten had something to say..... "Honey do you hear something?"

Ughhhh yep my life in a nutshell! 

I promise I hadn't been drinkin in this shot... Although the thought DID cross my mind!

If Ben had made this shot it would have been the CHOOSEN one!  

Thank you Colten for being you... you are awesome!

Pete... isn't he gorgeous!

Yep it's time to go inside and be tortured some more...

Of course the family has matching Hickorys... uh duh!!

This one reminds me of a shot from last year....

Christmas 2012

Apparently I just crack Ben up... 

Ok you're gonna love these...

Yeah Colten attempting to goof the picture...

Mom attempting to shut him down....

See like nothing ever happened....

Awww time to pout...

And now it's Ben's turn....

You see what I'm dealin with here....

Yeah I'm dealing with that!!!

So this was the second runner up.....

The choosen photo will be arriving in many of your mailboxes in the next couple of days... 

I'll be sure to post the final shot... in a day or two...don't wanna ruin the surprise :) 

Kinda makes you go Ahhhhhhhh.....sighhhh

Oh my word not sure what we're eating here... but must be good 

Workin on our cloud guy...

Great time to be learning about weather with all the crazy weather rolling through!

Some new friends... nope not living with us sadly!  We have to stop taking in chickens before we can think about other farm animals! 

Amazing Right?????

Now that's what I'm talkin about! Clean glass on the wood stove makes me extremely happy!

Jus Sayin!

Salt dough ornaments... soon to be turned into a little santa face! 

This was seconds after Ben took a large sampling of salt dough....

Yep that's not quite cookie dough huh Ben! haha!

Stay tuned for that Christmas Card Photo!

Hope your season has been merry and bright!

Only 6 more sleeps... I've been reminded!