Christmas cards are some of my most favorite things to give and receive. Here is this year's card... our first one as a family of FOUR!

I hope you all have a very blessed, merry Christmas with your loved ones.

FOR UNTO US, A CHILD IS BORN! HALLELUJAH!!!

Weekend Cheer!

This past weekend was filled with bits of Christmas cheer. I would say that the weekend before Christmas is always the busiest for us, but by far one of the most fun!

On Friday night Justin went out to see the new Star Wars movie with some friends, so I used that time to ice cupcakes and finish up my Christmas wrapping. Me, Friday night TV, a glass of red, and a pile of presents...not a bad Friday night if you ask me.

Saturday morning we had our annual Breakfast with Santa with Justin's side of the family. All 12 of us go for breakfast and then we all have our picture made with Santa.  With the kids getting older, breakfast is getting harder, but of course, more entertaining!

After breakfast I made my run to the grocery store to grab last minute items for the Christmas cocktail that we hosted on Saturday night.  Before we knew it, 6:00 rolled around and friends and family came over to eat, drink, and be merry (Christmas)! We had such a fun time catching up with everyone. It amazes me how much this party has changed over the years. I started having a cocktail where everyone could dress up when I was in college and now we have our kids playing and running around. My how times have changed, but WE LOVE IT!

On Sunday morning I had my second day teaching the two year old's at church. We read the Nativity Story and made angels for them to take to their parents for Christmas. They loved having something to give their parents for Christmas.

When I got home, Justin and I picked up a bit and then my family came over for our annual cookie baking day.  We each made cookies to share and they all turned out delicious!  We also watched the Panthers take home their 14th win for an undefeated season so far, and then watched some of our favorite Christmas movies. These times with family are priceless memories for the adults and kids alike! We are so blessed.

Here was the cookie line up:

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Biscotti
Christmas Crack

Caramel filled Snicker doodles
Black Bottoms

....and my mom made thumbprint cookies and kiffel at her house that we will indulge in on Christmas!

By the time everyone left on Sunday night, Justin and I barely made it to bed before we crashed, but every moment of the weekend was so worth it!

Now its only three days until Christmas!! It comes faster and faster every year! Merry merry, y'all!

Linked up here and here!

Mommy Moments: Christmas Lights Edition

 Last week Justin and I took the packed the kids into the car after dinner and toured our town looking for the best Christmas lights. I remember back to last year when we took Ty for the first time. I was 8 months pregnant, so very emotional, but the magic of the night was enough to make me cry all by itself.  We pulled up to an amazing Christmas light show complete with the coordinating music and blinking lights. This house even had a hologram Santa in the window and, of course, a nativity scene.  As Justin pulled up to the house, Ty was ooh-ing and ahh-ing. I unbuckled him from his car seat once we stopped in front of the house and let him crawl up to my lap to watch the light show. I will never forget the sparkle in his eyes as he listened to the music and watched the thousands of lights blink and twinkle.  In that moment I knew that this was one of those special moments-- the very first time he had ever seen anything like it-- that made parenthood leaps and bounds more rewarding and fulfilling than any other job that I'd ever have.  I looked at Justin as my throat choked up and happy tears welled up in my eyes.  That moment that we shared with Ty was what Christmas is all about.

I couldn't wait to take Ty this year with his new sister.  We packed in the car and drove to that same spot.  As I unbuckled Ty, he was giddy with excitement to not only be out of his car seat, but also to see the light show.  Little Elena slept through it all, but Ty's excitement filled the car enough for the both of them.  It's these little mommy moments that are just as wonderful as all the big mommy moments.

Linked up here  and here today!

Decking the Schneider halls!

I'm linking up with Andrea for a Christmas decoration Show and Tell and with Alisha, Jess, and Amy for Bits of Cheer! I love Christmas sharing!

This year my most favorite addition to our house for Christmas was Elena's stocking. I actually ordered it months ago and have had it out to admire it for weeks.  When we finally hung all four stockings up I was doing a happy dance! I love a FULL mantle of stockings!!

My kids favorite part of the house is definitely the train around the Christmas tree.  We got this for Ty for his first Christmas because I knew he'd love it. Now it's all he and Elena do when we are home!

This is our tree. I love how most of my red balls are beginning to be replaced by ornaments given to or made by Ty and Elena. 

These are all things given to us by our parents. I love the glass nativity scene. Justin mom gave it to me on our first Christmas.  

My mom gave us this cute tic-tac-toe game with Santa pieces and snowman pieces.  

The Frosty ceramic was painted by my mom before I can remember. Every time I pull it out I remember my childhood Christmases.

The outside of our house was a big deal for Justin this year. He wants to make it the brightest house on the block for the kids.  We added a few things that I mentioned here. 

Also mentioned in this post was the story behind our little Christmas village.

Besides the ledge that we have the Christmas village on, we had another ledge that I wanted to use. My mom gave us these small Christmas trees and I knew they were perfect for the last empty ledge. This small forest makes it feel like Narnia in our house! 

This is my manger scene. My mom gave it to me when I moved out. I love putting it up every year.  He is the reason for the season, after all!

Here are some other small things that bring the Christmas cheer into our home.

We got this ornament the night we got engaged at the Biltmore Estate.

I love having all the Christmas decorations out every year. It's always been my favorite time. I think I was born half human half elf.  Now, though, my favorite part is how excited and happy it makes my kids to see all the decorations in the house each day. And how their eyes light up every time they see Christmas lights. CHRISTMAS CHEER!!!
Also linked up here and here.