Dreamy December {2015}

I could have titled this month "Dreary December" because of all the rainy days, but I wanted something more uplifting to remember a very memorable month.  The month was filled with lots of Christmas cheer and fun, but in my opinion, it was the ordinary days and the little moments that really were the most special.  This month was a big one for our little Mattox as he has really gone from being a barely mobile little baby to an almost toddler cruising around and trying to get everything he sees.  Christmas was so fun with him this year.  We also enjoyed having our biggest brother home with us almost all month.  Daddy worked a lot, but we still managed to make good memories with him too.  And with the end of this month, we will call our 2015 a good year and hope for even better memories and blessings in 2016.  Of course, it is always hard to top a year where you welcomed a special new addition to the family, but I know I am looking forward to my favorite baby stage this year.

As I sat in the glow of our new cheerfully lit Christmas tree at the beginning of the month doing my daily Scripture reading and writing, I thought this verse was very appropriate as it reminded me of the Christmas lights and that Jesus, the reason for the season, is the light of the world. 

I have really enjoyed writing my daily scriptures as having something tangible to show for my reading progress helps hold me more accountable.  If I miss a day, I know it and work extra hard to make it up and keep up with the writing.  The scriptures are very appropriate to the season.  I completed all of November's and December's plan and am continuing this new schedule this month.  I love filling up my notebook with great scriptures!

Brody and I pushed forward with a couple more letter lessons this month.  We did letter R for rainy day which was very appropriate given our weather lately.  However, I think we did the lesson on one of the few non-rainy days.  Ha!  I am also impressed with his letter writing progress.  He brings me little handwritten notes all the time with lots of letters written all over the page.  He is obviously retaining some of our lessons to memory.  He forgot the D in his name and added it to the end when I reminded him.  He wrote the E, F, and T on his own without any instruction from me.  He and Evan decorated their snowman bags from Bass Pro Shop's Santa's Wonderland. 

I loved that picture of Evan holding his baby brother.  Mattox joined in a light saber battle.  Ha!  He will play so hard in the mornings that he will often just pass out on the floor wherever he is. 

Eddie and I got a little date night at his work Christmas party.  The NCFA hosted a dinner at Sullivan's Steakhouse in downtown Raleigh for the employees and Board members.  I was trying for a selfie picture of us which didn't turn out great.  I also tried to take a picture of Eddie and his favorite co-worker, Ms. Ann the office manager, but she refused to show her face for the camera.  Haha!  We do all love that woman, but Brody is her special favorite.   He makes her cakes and cookies and presents all the time.  

Ooops!  The boys got in trouble for fighting while Evan was home from school so I made them write some sentences.  Haha!  Brody loved it.  He wrote "I love Evan." five times.  Evan wrote "I will not fight with my brothers." twenty times.   Hey, they both needed writing practice anyway. 

My little Tom Cruise "Risky Business" baby.  He's so handsome in his sunglasses. 

He is just too sweet and cute.  I just love sleeping babies.  I was trying to get Eddie to capture the picture of him leaning back against me with his shades, but Eddie was a little too late as usual. 

The boys and I met Daddy for lunch at a restaurant close to Carter Finley Stadium where the Wolfpack play football.  The Coach does his after game talk here so the boys liked sitting at his table.  My future sports broadcasters.  Brody wanted Daddy to show him how to draw a mushroom so Eddie drew one for him, and Brody copied his and drew a bunch more just like it and colored them.  They looked like the mushrooms from Super Mario Bros. so I drew Mario for him.  Brody also enjoyed doing our Christmas countdown all month and putting Santa's beard on.  

After lunch, we took these peanuts to see The Peanuts Movie.  It was so good!  I just love that Charlie Brown!

Mattox got another little Santa visit at a local restaurant that does kids' eat free on Thursday nights with a magician/balloon artist and lots of fun.  Brody got a fishing rod balloon.  Mattox doesn't mind Santa as long as he doesn't try to hold him. 

Reading this month was a little slow.  I did read a James Patterson book which was kind of a sci-fi genre.  Brody also read Clark the Shark for letter S.  His Grandma read him "What Grandmas Can't Do" while she babysat him during Daddy's work Christmas party.  I thought Evan might like the book about Christmas in Austria as he likes to learn about new places.  I read a little, but it was a little dry and too encyclopedia like for us.  Ha!

At another kids' eat free place we frequent a lot that also does balloon animals and face painting, Brody waited patiently for his balloon dog and a Christmas tree tattoo on his arm.  He was very proud.  He also brought me this letter before Christmas that he had written to me.  It was covered with lots of different letters, and he said it said "Mommy has to be good to be on the nice list."  Apparently, I was not being good.  Ha!  Evan is just doing his usual sword fighting/ninja fighting/light saber fighting/any kind of fighting routine.  

Mattox spent one of his first nights in his crib this month and has been doing well sleeping all night in there.  After Christmas, he and Brody both enjoyed riding his new train.  He also enjoyed helping daddy "drive."

Mattox also got his first "real" meals this month.  He ate some spaghetti with us and loved it!  I love spaghetti faces!

We did S is for snow just before Christmas and were dreaming of a white Christmas.  Sadly, we got an almost 80 degree Christmas instead. 

Obviously Christmas wore these two out, and they were passed out on separate couches the weekend after Christmas. 

Brody loved this little Princess castle in the Disney Store.  Note the shorts the week after Christmas.  Sigh. 

There was lots of "Lego" building after Christmas.  Evan enjoyed Brody's K'nex building set and built this turtle.  Then, Daddy took it all apart to make Brody a big hot air balloon.  It is awesome, but I haven't take a picture yet.  Evan and I put his new battleship together which is pretty awesome and only caused minor headaches.  Evan helped Brody build his fire and rescue Lego sets. 

We took advantage of the nice weather after Christmas to help Brody master his big bike riding skills.  He has been insisting on using his toddler tricycle so I needed to get him more interested in the big bike.  He is doing great! 

Evan got some use out of his Christmas present and enjoyed shooting some hoops with Daddy. 

He's getting so good, and we had to move the goal up as high as it would go to be a challenge for him.  It is supposed to be a Lifetime goal, but he has already maxed out its height.  Of course, at least he can't dunk yet.  Ha!

Mattox enjoyed being outside too...and with no pants on! 

For one of Evan's last days off for Winter break, we headed up to Raleigh to spend the day with Daddy.  While he worked, we went to the bagel shop we last visited over a year ago before Mattox was born on a particularly cold, winter day.  The day wasn't nearly as cold, but we still enjoyed our bagels.  Mattox even got to try some.  I was enjoying my coffee until Brody knocked it out of my hand and spilled it all over my white shirt.  Sigh.  I managed to clean all of the coffee out of it in the bathroom and had to wear a wet shirt until it dried.  Sigh.  

More pictures of the cuteness of Mattox begging for more bagel.

We visited Daddy's office to see Ms. Ann after Christmas.  She let me take one picture of her with the boys.  Mattox showed off his crawling and exploring skills on the long hallway.  Ms. Ann gave the boys a giftcard for Christmas so Brody wanted to draw her a picture as a thank you note.  Evan wrote her a thank you note later.  

We ate lunch with Daddy at a local Chinese restaurant close to NC State where Daddy and I ate while in college.  It was a different Chinese restaurant then.  Sadly, Daddy saw on the news yesterday that the restaurant caught on fire.  Mattox loved his chopsticks.  After lunch we headed to the movie theater.  Evan and Brody can't wait to see the new Kung Fu Panda movie. 

But we were all excited to see Star Wars:  The Force Awakens.  I loved how this little theater mostly frequented by college students was decorated so festively for Christmas and for Star Wars.  It is a small local theater and not a big chain.  I loved the new movie, and its main female heroine.  It was about time for a real female Jedi hero.  

Brody found the way to the Grinch's lair.  

And I just loved my Instagram post summary of the year.  Baby Mattox was definitely the highlight of our year. 

And we all enjoyed toasting in the New Year with some sparkling beverages.  Happy New Year!