first halloween

My little men celebrated their first Halloween with their sister this year. In years past, we just handed out candy at our house, but didn't dress up. This year, we kept it super simple. I didn't want to pay a ton of money for a costume they would wear for a couple hours max. Two costumes at once adds up. And I knew I didn't have the time to really make much of anything. So this year, they went as Batman and all I had to buy was the Batman shirt, which they can wear other days during the year anyway. It's their Papi's favorite character so it's a good thing to have in their wardrobe... along with their Redskin's clothes and Alabama hat. *wink* I cut capes out of black fabric and just pinned it to their shirts and took yellow strips of fabric and tied it around their waist as a belt. Wallah. They also wore their Batman sunglasses part of the time. They were not fans of masks.

Zelie was part of the fun too. My sweet cousin sent her an adorable black cat onesie that she wore with black tights. Simple and so cute!

We went out with a friend of mine and her daughter and hit about 10 or 12 houses before a huge front of wind and cold air hit. We turned around to make the walk back to our cars and just made it before the heavens opened and poured down rain. That would have been awful with three little ones and two babies! They kids had a ton of fun with the houses we did make it to and definitely got enough candy. The boys had never had candy before so they had absolutely no idea what they were getting. They knew it was called candy, but didn't know what it really was. They still don't. I didn't let them have any of it. Not that I don't let my kids have any sugar, but candy is off limits for them right now. They have cake on special occasions and cookies from time to time. I don't really want to start them on candy. And most of the stuff they got, a two year old couldn't really eat. Momma and Papi didn't mind eating it for them though. *wink*

The boys had such a great time and I was so pleased as their Momma to hear them use their manners. I try hard to raise them well, but my word, it is not easy. Manners came easiest so far. We have please and thank you, yes please, no thank you, excuse me, no sir and yes ma'am going quite well. So when they went up to the door and said "trick treat" it was followed by a sweet please and then thank you. My heart swelled watching their smiles and hearing their kind words.

When we got home, the boys thought they would show and share their sweet treats with their little sister. They are so giving. I am loving their bond already and I know it is only going to be sweeter as they grow.

 Next year I want us all to dress up! I haven't dressed up in years and think it would be kind of fun. We will see. It would be something I'd really have to plan ahead for! Do you go all out for Halloween, not celebrate at all or something in between?

thankful for him

 When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of getting married and having a family of my own. As years passed, I realized how hard it was and how rare it was to not only meet a great guy, with strong faith and morals, but also one that would love the idea of having a bunch of kids as much as I did.

 Before the Hubs and I could really even consider ourselves friends, I saw how he meshed so well with children. He loved them and they loved him. It was something I always liked about him, even before I really liked him. 

When the right time came for both of us to move from being acquaintances to friends, we talked about kids a lot. Not our kids, but just kids in general. Since it is a big thing in both of our lives, they'd just come up in conversation some how.

 Then, as our friendship progressed to being more than just friends, I knew that one of the main things that drew me to him was his intense love of family and children and the desire to have a beautiful family of his own one day.

 Once we got engaged, I remember him saying how much he looked forward to having a family because kids add so much joy and fun to life. It wasn't long after we got married that I found out I was pregnant, with twins at that! Of course we were still trying to get in the groove of being married, but it was something we both were really happy about and excited to start! 

 I knew from all those previous years that he would be good with our kids, but I didn't know he'd be quite as good as he is! I think it helps that he has a very childlike heart so he can relate to the boys so easily.

 Our boys are so very blessed to have a dad that truly loves them and makes sacrifices in his life for their sake. He comes home from work each and every day with a smile and so much energy to share with them and the boys soak up each and every crazy moment! The fun with their Papi doesn't end until right before bed. You can really see the love they have for each other and that is something that makes my momma heart full!

 As a family we have made a choice for the Hubs to be the sole provider and the only one who works outside of the home. Even before we were married, or engaged, he told me he agreed and supported that I should stay home and provide the love in our home, rather than have someone else provide that while I worked, bringing in a dual income. Some moments it can be a real sacrifice for both of us to only live on one income.

 Beyond that, we agreed on the Hubs job. He could work elsewhere and make much more money, making life even easier and more comfortable, even luxurious, but that isn't what we thought was best for our family. He has a wonderful job with perks that are best for our family. He doesn't have to be at work at the crack of dawn, and can spend quality time each morning with the boys before getting ready for work. We live close enough that he is able to even see them on lunch breaks if we choose, so they get more Papi time many afternoons. We can pop in and say hello or bring him an afternoon treat while running errands. And he is home as soon as his work day is over around 5. Work doesn't consume his entire life, like many jobs seem to do. Many jobs have bad hours for a family or work that seems to flow into home life. And thankfully, his job, even when it does come home, is a blessing and not a bad thing. He does what he does so well and loves it and it is good for the boys to see that as well. He is present, fully present, while making sure our family is provided for.

 So while we could be bringing in a lot more money as a family, going on fancy trips like a lot of people we know, living in big houses, and living a bit easier, we make this work and we like how it works. I am so grateful to be married to a man that considers his family, monetarily but also at heart. Knowing money isn't the only way to provide. He is home being an example to the boys and that is what is most important to me. He does a fabulous job providing in each and every way for our family.

I know there are many tiring, trying, days raising these two little energetic boys that we have. We all have times when we feel our patience is ending, there is no time for ourselves or getting housework done, but you love well. You relieve me on the hardest of days and love on them even when you are tired.

Thank you for being every bit of you that you are! 

So on this Father's Day, your last one with just boys, I thank you for the love, the fun and the example you provide for our boys every day. 

You mesh so well with our two little boys, teaching them how to be master Lego builders, shoot hoops and race cars. Now I am waiting to see how sweet you are when Little Miss shows up and life includes dressing up, princesses and tea parties. I know you are going to excel in those areas with tender love for her!

And for those times when I am at my wits end because nothing I seem to have done all day makes the boys happy, and you walk in the door and it looks like you brought Disney World to them, thank you. Yes, it baffles me and frustrates me sometimes that when you walk in the door, in a blink, their tantrums stop and all is well with their world. But I am incredibly grateful it works that way and you bring that instant joy to their frustrated world.

You show strength and love each day and I love you for that. The boys love you for that and each and every future little one will too. We all love you and thank you for being the best Papi we could ever hope for!

Have a Happy Father's Day! Hope we are able to spoil you and love on you like you could only dream about! 

Five Things Friday: Things I'm Up To

Ok y'all. I'm going to confuse you a little bit. I already posted part of this post, but I wanted to get all five things in one post for my Five Things Friday post this week. I have five new Christmas projects going on in our home. I didn't plan five projects for this post. It just happened that way! Perfect! 

I will start with the Christmas tree bucket makeover, but for more details on that one, you can read my previous post. 

Do you cover the base of your tree? What is your way of covering it? 

I have really enjoyed painting simple canvases for fun these days. We needed something to go above our mantle. We don't have anything up there normally, and that bugged me even more at Christmas. When you walk in our house, you see this once you are walking out of the foyer, so a plain wall and mantle was not going to cut it this year. We needed something big, yet simple… and gold! So I thought I would try painting a large canvas. Now to what it would say. I didn't want something like Jingle Bells or Here Comes Santa. I wanted something that held the real meaning of this season, without being too religious sounding. Don't take that the wrong way. I just wanted something simple. I thought Silent Night, O Holy Night would be just the right words to be painted on my fresh canvas. So I went to the art store, along with my coupon and purchased a 30"x40" canvas, painted a thin layer of metallic gold paint (leaving some brush strokes to keep it a little rough looking) and then went on to paint the wording. I tried to write on the canvas with pencil first, but I couldn't erase well and messed up so I just did it with the paint and hoped for the best. To add to the fun of making this, I had two little helpers so I have a few mess ups, but all in all, I'm happy with it!

Here's what I was working with. I was hoping my vision would turn out at least half as nice as I hoped.

Thin layer of gold.

White lettering.

I went back and forth if I wanted the letters all in the same font or not. Without telling the Hubs which I was leaning towards, I asked his creative advice and he said to go with the two fonts… the same as what I was hoping he'd say! Do you like the added decoration in our fireplace. I thought the fence would be a nice touch. ha. And no, it is not to keep Santa out. Our little elves like to play in the fireplace so we needed a way to keep them out.

Here is a shot without the fence.

And here is my painting. I'm happy to have the simple white and gold look above our mantle this year!

My next project is an Advent Calendar/Christmas countdown. I used Christmas tree and mitten cut outs, gold paper that I cut into squares, some ribbon and mini clothes pins. I made 1/2" slits into the trees and mittens and put the clothes pin through it and then clipped the gold paper onto it. And then I just taped the ribbon to the back of the cut outs. I would have rather hot glued, but this works just as good and it was quicker.

 Now, while I still haven't written the numbers on the front, the back has room for a bible verse (just the location so we have to make the time to look it up and read it out of the Bible) and some of the days have something fun written on it, like pictures with Santa, bake cookies, go for a drive to see Christmas lights, etc. If you are interested in something even easier, and a whole lot prettier (I was trying to go for a fun and kid friendly look for the boys, even though I was loving the look of the gold and black ones), check these out over at Oh My Deer Handmades. 

While we are on Advent, I like to change up our Advent wreath a bit each year. My original intention was to get big pillar candles in purple and pink, but I couldn't find them, but still wanted a heavy look so I thought I would get white candles in varying sizes to put around the thin pink and purple candles. I needed something to put it on so I went in the basement, found a piece of scrap wood, some stain and made a base for the candles. And, as soon as it stops raining, I am going to pick some greenery off my tree branches from the extras off the bottom of our Christmas tree. It has been rainy here for days and I am waiting for those little guys to dry off. I should go outside now and bring them in the garage so there is a little hope for drying out. You won't see the final picture until that happens, but here you can get the idea of what it looks like.

 Lighting the candles of our Advent wreath was always my favorite little job growing up! I love having lots of candles to light at dinner each night now!

Does your family have an Advent wreath? Is it the traditional kind in a ring with greenery or do you do something different? I'd love to hear your ideas!

And my fifth DIY for you might be my favorite because it is for my boys! I wanted something to hang on their bedroom door. I just took a canvas I had laying around, you can do this any size you want and then I drew the Drummer Boy in the place I wanted and painted around him with red. You can find Little Drummer Boy silhouettes online and then print one out, color the back with pencil and then place it on your canvas, trace around the picture and the lead will transfer onto your canvas for you. I am going back and forth with painting lyrics (in white) or not. I like it plain, yet I think it needs some lyrics. At first I was going to paint the whole song across the red, but I think that is too much, so right now I am leaning towards just painting a verse and some pa rum pum pums. I'll be sure to post a picture in another post how it came out!

I actually have one other small project I am working on. It's a garland/bunting for our foyer mirror, but that isn't together yet, so maybe that can go up on the blog tomorrow! I have so many DIYs I want to do at Christmas, but it is always hard with traveling which limits my time even more than normal. Next year I should start a lot earlier so I can enjoy more projects! 

Feel free to share some of your Christmas DIYs! I would love to hear! And please feel free to use any of these ideas!