- Ready the Way! -

^^ God will smite me down [and probably grow my laundry pile exponentially overnight], but I couldn't.even.help.myself!!! Don't know who @amydillon is, but girl, WORD to the nth degree.

Advent:  a season of preparation and expectant waiting and all things holy. No lies here, though -- it definitely feels like we chomped off a bigger bite than we can chew this month, and half of the time I'm just living minute by minute and not even able to look ahead to the following days or weeks to come.  Christmas who?  Brian is at the new house a lot [AKA all the time] and the kids are at a busy, busy, busy, verrrrry busy age [even confirmed by an OB I was chatting with at work last weekend who insisted with bulging eyes that "ohhhhh, Sis, you are in a DARK HOLE! A very dark hole!" I think that's quite a bit of an exaggeration, but I couldn't disagree completely hahah!]. There's work and Christmas shopping/wrapping and appointments here and obligations there and messes EVERYWHERE....... Most importantly in this equation: I'm most definitely an introvert who requires a daily dose of alone/quiet time to thrive, and that just issssssssn't in the cards at all these days. But! Although I'm usually just one straw away from losing my frickin' mind, we are still -- somehow -- readying the way. Turns out it's not that hard at all to dial it back a few notches and find big joys in the small things!  <-- And for that and for the love that runs deep through our little family, I am so humbled.  Somewhere amidst the chaos is a beautiful mess, and I'm growing to love our new normal.  We are truly blessed, and I do not ever ever take that for granted.  AMEN!

And so! The decorating kicked off our "preparation" for Christmas, and following that is a slew of other things that reminds us why we love this very special season!  Our elf [coined "Twinkle Toes" by Harper] is enjoying his inaugural Advent under our roof...

He has moved to a new spot every night and has only caused trouble in the house a couple of times. He tragically lost his magic one time when Daddy's head accidentally bumped into him as he was dangling from the living room chandelier [cue 7 very long minutes of threenager wailing], but we eventually called Santa's personal hotline and Harper left a voicemail begging him to return Twinkle Toes's magic. ...Which, of course, Santa did! And Twinkle Toes was miraculously/magically healed and was spotted in a brand new hiding place the next morning. Phew.

Gingerbread house timeeee!  Harper thought she was sticking the candy on with Elmer's glue in a decorating bag and only realized 3/4 of the way through the project that the "glue" was edible...

...at which time there was absolutely no turning back.

Christmas Card University! One sister was the stamper and the other was the shredder... They were working great together until Scarlett slung/scattered the "finished pile" all over the floor and then proceeded to eat the stamps. Kids these days.....

Then! One of my favorite traditions: mass-crafting the annual Christmas ornament that we hand out to family and friends!  It required a couple mugs of hot cocoa for motivation...

Each girl made a Rudolph this year [and I didn't even realize it as I was painting Scarlett's handprints, but I LOVE how it compliments Harper's footprint Rudolph from 2015!]... Apparently we love reindeer around here?

Papa Ron pulled through with his awesome train tradition, which Scarlett seemed to enjoy as much as Harper always does/has...

Christmas lights, anyone?! Scarlett snoozed without budging in the back seat and Brian prayed without ceasing that we didn't get pulled over... Poor dude wouldn't be caught dead in public matching his wife and offspring in holiday fleecies. ;) :)

Next up: Christmas tree sugar cookies! Woot woot!

We heard Santa likes sprinkles...

All was calm and bright for a few nights, and there was ample time for a couple Christmas shows on TV and lots of Christmas books...

...then the days exploded with Christmas parties here, there and everywhere!  ^^ L&D Christmas breakfast followed by office Christmas lunch...

...and daycare Christmas parties, too!  I've said it before, but I'll say again how much I LOVE watching my girls visit their teachers and friends at school.  It's so obvious how much the teachers care about the kids, and I love that they have this safe environment to learn and grow in.  Strong work, you four fearless leaders! Brian and I appreciate you, and Harper and Scarlett adore you!

Last night, Fr. Jeff blessed all the infant Jesus figurines during Mass. Harper was very excited about this and proudly marched the star character of her Little People nativity set to the front of the sanctuary. :) 

And FINALLY: some of us [or all of us!?] be soooo ready for a sugarplum-visioned siiiiilent night! Zzzzz.

Holy whoa. It's soooo true what they say:  the days are long, but the years are short!  Even as I upload these photos and type these words today, I recognize that these moments are so fleeting -- and honestly I'm already a little sad about it! There will come a time when I will look back and miss the messes that top off the already-busy-hustle-and-bustle, so today I choose to cherish it and continue to READY THE WAY!  Because, what's that you say?...

Yes! Yes! Yessssss, we are! *party emoji* 

Merry Christmas, dear family and friends! May the birth of sweet Baby Jesus bring love and peace and joy to your homes!  Oh come, let us adore Him!