Christmas 2016

Well. Easter is next week. What better time than now to go ahead and blog about Christmas 2016? None, I say! So without further ado...here are a bunch of pictures from last December that I will be making up captions for since clearly don't remember what happened last week let alone 5 months ago.

I hosted my fourth annual favorite things party, and this is the only picture I took. It's worth mentioning that I had the cutest gingham mug where the Santa mug is. Two hours before the party started I decided I just HAD to rearrange this little area {lest the party be RUINED by misplaced dinnerware}, and I broke said adorable gingham mug. So what did I do? I packed up all four of my kids and went in search of a new one, spent a few minutes crying in the aisles of Walmart when I determined that the mug was SO cute that every single one had been purchased by other women who would then have a favorite things party decorated SO MUCH CUTER than mine, and finally decided this little Santa would have to do. What I'm saying is that I'm a real catch.

Anyhow...the party was a success, and not one person told me it would have been much better if only I had had a gingham mug.

Mike and I try to go to as many life group Christmas parties as possible, and this particular class had a Very 80s Christmas. We (I) are all over some costume parties, so we had fun dressing as Daniel and Ali from the Karate Kid.

There were crafts to be made...



and pajamas to be worn.





There were reindeer games...



and fun days at school.




There were matching shirts (shocking I know)...



and a trip to see Santa.



There were more life group parties,



and good times with friends.

And one of my new FAVORITES this (well, last) year...



Breakfast with Santa at Cedar Hill Farm!








Getting Santa's autograph...








The excitement was all to much for Emmie to bear.





Max and Addie...the happiest thieves there ever were.

And just like that...it was 2017.
{Or you know...April 2017, but whatever}

Halloween 2016

 There were two butterflies, a blue ninja, and a storm trooper who had a fabulous Halloween at our house this year. The ninja took his posing very seriously. 

{Addie right, Emmie left}

 That's one sweet Storm Trooper.

He saw this costume at Walmart, and that was it. Search over.

 Two Little Monarchs

{Emmie left, Addie right}

 Again...poses...serious business

 Emmie

 Addie

And a few action shots...they were excited to say the least.

 Addie was ON it.

The McDonough Crew with their friend Chewy.

Pumpkin Carving

The kids are getting older, which means we are able to do a little more with them each year. This fall pumpkin carving was on the menu! They aren't exactly teenagers yet, so Mike and I helped quite a bit and kept it simple. Ben and Addie chose polka dots, while Emmie and Max had Mike help them with faces. They had fun, though, and they were so excited to set them out to glow on the porch!

Fun in Dallas

In October, the kids and I got to head to Texas for some fall fun. We always have a good time visiting our families, but we just love visiting in the fall! I suspect it has to do with the state fair, because Fletchers corny dogs are the way to my heart. And fried cheese curds. And fried...well...you get the point. The fair with my family was our first stop of the week, and it was SO HOT but also SO FUN.

We started out with some fun at the petting zoo. The Air Force was playing in the cotton bowl next door, and while we were in there a fly over came by. It was SO loud, and the animals lost their minds.  I've never seen baby goats move that fast.

Hanging out with Big Tex!

 Food Court with Aunt E

 Emmie

 Addie

This is one of my favorite exhibits every year. The kids get to plant the food, pick the food, take it and sell it at the market, and then use the cash to buy groceries {aka: a bag of chips or animal crackers}. They have so much fun!

Edible Cups for the win!

 Emmie

The next day we headed out to the Dallas Arboretum with my mom and Aunt Amy. It is so beautiful out there, and it's a great place for the kids to run around. Fall out there means the kids area is transformed into a pumpkin village, which is always one of my favorites.

 Addie

 Emmie

Sometimes you just can't get them all to look at the same time.
Addie left, Emmie right

 Addie, Aunt Amy, and Emmie

My middle guy and me