It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I love decorating for the holidays, especially Christmas. Each year I try to add something new to our stash of Christmas decor, and now that we've been married for 8 years we have a pretty decent collection! This year it was especially fun to see how excited the boys were to put out all of our Christmas things. Here's a peek at what our house is looking like these days as we count down to Christmas...

Evan and I keep commenting that this might be our favorite tree yet (it was the first one we looked at and it went into the tree stand nice and straight on the first try- meant to be!)

I love reminiscing as we hang special ornaments- this one is from 2005- our first year in our first house.

A wedding photo

Baby's 1st Christmas

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...I ordered these stockings for our something new this Christmas. I love seeing our names on them!

Jack picked out this jolly Santa while out shopping with Evan (at Home Depot of all places!)

Jack's gingerbread masterpiece (next to our basket of cinnamon scented pine cones- they smell so good as you walk by)

Jack's been making all kinds of fun holiday art at school- here's his Christmas countdown chain.

The pile of presents has grown quickly in the last few days- this Mom has been busy wrapping!

Little boys (in their Santa pj's!) love to read books next to the tree

Plates of goodies ready to be delivered to our neighbors

Here's a closer look- Jack is my #1 baking assistant!

I love a poinsettia at Christmas time. My mom always has a bunch around the house at the holidays- they are such an easy way to decorate! We found a perfect spot on our dining room table for ours.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

A Week in Maui with Nana

We spent the week before Thanksgiving in Maui with Evan's family. Evan's mom is fighting stage 4 pancreatic cancer and the trip to Hawaii was a great opportunity to just rest, relax, and enjoy some special time with her.

Miles and I at dinner the first night of the trip (Miles became an expert colorer on this trip! Many restaurant meals provided lots of opportunity to practice...)

Our boys were up bright and early each morning and eager to head straight to the beach. Evan and Jack spent many hours playing football in the waves.

The whole family enjoyed a special dinner at Leilani's

Jack was thrilled to have watermelon every morning for breakfast!

Feeding the koi downstairs in the Westin lobby was fun for the boys.

Perfecting their technique for sharing a smoothie poolside :)

We spent a fun afternoon at the Maui Ocean Center- here we are with cousin Christa

The boys spent hours playing at the beach with their cousins- Nana loved watching them splash around together!

Nana and Jack hanging out together at the pool.

The boys and I in the Westin's beautiful lobby.

Miles and Nana sharing a snack at the beach.

We spent hours at the pool everyday. Can you blame us?!

It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Jack had many, many fun rides down this waterslide. I love the look on his face here!

Brothers playing soccer on the beach was daily entertainment as well.

We don't often have the entire family together in the same place at the same time, so this picture taken the night of the luau is a keeper.

A family shot before heading to the luau

We took Nana out for a special dinner at The Plantation restaurant in Kapalua- such a beautiful spot.

The trip was a big success- lots of time spent with family. The boys are already ready to go back...Miles still looks out the window each morning, and asks, "beach?"!