PooDink- Our Elf & Other Christmas Around The House

Yes. We have an Elf on the Shelf. No. I am not one of the crazies that does extravagant things with it every day. Multiple times thru out the holiday season Ascher would say...Ooo poodinks still there! Then I would say things like, "oh well I bet during your nap this afternoon he is going to go tell Santa what kind of day you've had" and then during nap move him from the picture ledge to the plant on top of the fridge. ; )  I also only did "good" ones if Ascher had a super good day or we had something planned (like gingerbread house).

The day Poodink arrived he brought Ascher a book (the elf book), pjs and hot chocolate. Ascher was so excited when he got home from school and the Christmas tree was up (not decorated) and sitting on the mantle was an elf with wrapped presents just for him.

Ascher also LOVES his Christmas tree in his room. He insists we plug it in every morning.

 The Christmas tree before the decorations were hung

 Ascher playing with his little people nativity. You see who made an appearance? Santa of course!

 Ascher in his new PJS Poodink brought him "holding sister"

 Reading one of his 25 Christmas books- he opens 1 every night. He likes opening them more than reading them. However, some of them- such as this Thomas book caught his attention and he would read and read.

We also have been doing the Advent Story out of the Jesus storybook bible. I love listening to my husband read the word of the Lord to our children. (Granted he is reading Frosty the Snowman in this picture) but that is what our nights looked like. Ascher would open his book. Then we would crawl into our bed. Read his book then read his bible story then bedtime. He loved it. He would say MY WHOLE FAMILY is here. Granted- as the month wore on it was mostly just Justin who did it with him as Brynn was sick and/or going to sleep the same time as the books were happening.

Visiting Santa

The week after Thanksgiving Justin took the whole week off. It was WONDERFUL! We got the majority of Christmas shopping done, we decorated the inside and outside of the house and it was just a pleasant week together. One of the things we did that week was go visit Santa. I apparently was not the only one excited to go see Santa...

We go see the Santa at Bass Pro Shop. He apparently works there so it is the same one every year. He is a great Santa. I also love that at Bass Pro the photo is FREE and you get to use your own camera and take more if you want. So of course, I brought my own camera. 

However, I didnt really get "dressed" or do my makeup because why on earth would I BE IN THE PHOTO!? Other than a frightened 2.5 year old. I even asked Justin before we left, maybe I should change and do my makeup. His response, why its not like your gonna be in the photo!? Lesson learned. 

I also was glad Justin was with us to use our camera since Ascher wouldnt let me put him down. Secondly, Justin was able to zoom in and crop Ascher and myself out of the photo so Brynn has her first picture with Santa- just by herself. Go figure she would be sleeping. Also, she NEVER has that paci- yet when I tried to take it out of her mouth- she was NOT having it and Santa was not happy about me trying to take it. He was happy holding a sleeping baby- not one that would scream if paci was removed. 

After visiting Santa, we wondered around Bass Pro. They have a whole Santas Wonderland set up. Ascher drove the train, raced cars and drove monster trucks. We then walked around the store and looked at the fish, tried out the 4-wheelers and recliners. And of course, as soon as I took Brynn off of Santas lap- she woke up happy as can be. Go figure.

After our visit to Santa, we walked around the mall and picked up some matching Christmas PJs for the kids. And headed home. We ended the night with all 4 of us in our bed watching The Polar Express, As you can see, Justin was thrilled to take a family selfie ; )

Brynn in a Pumpkin

Aschers first Halloween we carved a pumpkin and put him inside it to take pictures. I was determined to do the same with Brynn. Halloween came and went and we didn't get a pumpkin. My dream was vanishing as every where immediately following Halloween had Christmas everywhere and not a pumpkin to be found. However, when we went to Kinleys birthday party they had a bunch of big pumpkins in their yard. I jokingly asked if I could have one. Brad said well yeah I'm gonna throw them away after Thanksgiving anyways. oOOOOOooo woohoo my dream became alive again. Now the dilemma was convincing Justin he wanted to empty the GIANT pumpkin I took from their house. After some convincing Justin got busy. I absolutely ADORE the way the photos turned out!! Couldn't be cuter!!

Thanksgiving: So much to be thankful for

For Thanksgiving we were so lucky to be able to see both sides of our family. Granted, Brynn was having a REALLY rough week the week of Thanksgiving so by Saturday Justin and I were both exhausted and I don't know how much fun we were but we were with family and thats all that matters. Wednesday we drove to College Station and stayed with his parents. Around 10:30 that night a van arrives and it is his sister who has surprised us all and flown in from Virginia for a couple days. The whole family would be together- which never happens because Justin has 4 other siblings. It is a rare occasion that everyone can be together. Thursday we got up and got cooking- Ascher was exhausted and took a morning nap which worked great for cooking purposes. By the time he woke up all his cousins had arrived so he was READY to play! He has 15 cousins on that side so he was having a blast playing with them all. After lunch, we took a quick family photo before Justin left with Daniel to go to the A&M football game vs LSU (we lost).

After Justin left Ragan, Carla, and I took some photos of the babies. We had three babies born this year. Carla had Korbin in February, Ragan had Everett in May and I had Brynn in June! Crazy- they are so close in age! We love it!

Korbin, Brynn, Everett (Brynn not sure about her aunts jumping around behind me)

Then we took a photo like we did when we were all pregnant in January.

The rest of the afternoon we hung out around the house. Joe took all the kids on a nature walk and they ended up playing all evening in the game room outside. The cousins had so much fun. I felt super sick and Brynn was super stuffy so neither of us felt too hot but we still had a great time.

eating olives Thanksgiving night- singing Daddy finger song while eating each one at a time- cracks me up

Friday morning we got up and told everyone goodbye before leaving ourselves. We drove to Kingwood to see Jessica & Hadley. Roy had flown back to Dallas Friday morning but it was still nice to see Jessica and Hadley. However, by this point in the week Justin and I were at wits end. Brynn was sick and not sleeping at all so we both were exhausted. Ascher was exhausted from playing with his cousins all week so we were a motley crew but we still managed to have a good time.

Since I felt like such poo poo the only photos in Kingwood are on the phone.

Halloween

The week of Halloween Aschers preschool had "nursery rhyme day" where you could dress up in your costume and come up to school (even if it wasnt on your school day- ie- Ascher goes on Monday-Wednesday but nursery rhyme day was on Thursday). We went up to school and went thru the different rotations they had set up around the school. I wasn't very impressed. Not what I was expecting but Ascher was excited to have mommy at school with him.

Thursday afternoon Justin and Ascher washed my car. I had the camera out and figure why not capture some sweet moments of them together...

Friday we drove up to Plano. It was the worst drive EVER. It took us 6 hours. Brynn basically cried for 5 and a half of those 6. We stopped for her. We tried everything. Nope she just hates her car seat. By the time we got there, I got out of the car and cried. Literally stood in my sisters front yard and cried. Once  I got over it, we changed the kids into their costumes and headed up to their church for their fall festival. It was freezing and super crowded so we let the kids do the games, ate from food trucks and headed home. This year Brynn was an owl and Ascher was a fireman. He is all about firetrucks and fireman right now so per his request he was a fireman.

 family photo

Hadley & Roy playing the Hulk game

 Ascher LOVED knocking over the "bricks"

 Look how excited he is...and it is about CANDY! He is MY son. : ) 

 after they got their faces painted- 

posing on the way to the car

The week leading up to Halloween I made sure and dressed my littles in cute Halloween outfits. ; )

And after a night of fun in Plano- I made sure I took a picture of them in their Halloween PJ's the next morning. Aren't they so cute!? Love my littles.