life in pictures.

this month FLEW by.  So, I'll just dump a million pictures on you to show you what we have been up to.  Is it seriously Christmas next week??  We finished all of our shopping (which was toned down a lot this year, and I am happy about that) and have everything wrapped and ready for Christmas morning.  Shea has a couple of fun count down presents to open each day (and has been naughty and opened two presents that were under the tree - luckily we put out ones that were not a big deal if he opened on purpose, so he could learn to wait for Christmas!).  I just have a few handmade gifts to finish up, and I will be ready.  I think I just uploaded close to 60 pictures, all from my phone and none edited.  This will be a long post.

For Thanksgiving (which was forever ago, I know!) we stayed home and went to Jeremy's parents for a small thanksgiving with half of the family.  The next day, we hopped on a ferry and went to my brothers house in Kirkland.  He had us, my sister and her fiance, and one other couple they knew over.  It was a fun night.  We spent the night and visited our friend, Debbi, on the way home the next day.

I also made Hailey this ridiculous headband (which my brother commented upon seeing, "what is on your head?  are you a Dr. Seuss character?" ha).  It has since been smushed and I'm not sure if I can bring it back to life again or not.  Oh well.

This next picture might explain why it got smushed.  Someone likes to play with baby's hair things.

There has been a lot of morning cuddles while I don't want to get out of my warm bed.

And busy kids at school!  Here is John and Shea playing at one of the stations I had set up.

I is for ICE week at a school!

We went to a tree farm (had an awesoem groupon) this year for our tree.  Shea loved running through the trees and we got some hot cocoa (which Jeremy spilled on my seat in the car! ha) before we left.  It was a rainy, cold, and muddy day.

We've been spending more time at t he church, helping Jeremy's parents get ready for all of the Christmas things that have been going on.  The churches ugly red carpet is horrible all year, except at Christmas time, its  actually quite charming.

This year for our tree, we did all edibles.  Here we are stringing popcorn, cranberries, and kix cereal.

It now also has candy canes and gingerbread cookie ornaments we made, but I haven't taken another picture yet.

For J week, we studied Jonah at school and had this awesome fish in the classroom.  so much fun!

We also set up a christmas village this year.  I bought these houses at Walmart for a dollar each and spray painted them.  Yes, there is a gorilla, a zebra, and a camel living in our village.  I find different animals in little people in there almost on a daily basis :)  Shea thinks its pretty cool.

I also painted the living room some time in the last month!  My sister came over and helped me paint the main wall to the left a sort of "latte" color, and then I did behind the tv in a brown I used in the other room.  I still haven't finished painting the door.  It makes it feel a WHOLE lot homier in that room though!

And here are some of our christmas decorations

Oh and the fish from class.  I said these are in very random order haha.

I put wrapping paper inside of the windows on our entertainment center.  Amazingly, you can still use the remote through it.

Our little tree and scrabble tiles.

I also made new stockings this year.  Our burlap ones last year were too skinny and falling apart.  These are stronger, the right size, and Shea loved picking out his own fabric (the polar bears).

This was a jungle environment we made for school on J week.  We've been having so much fun in class!

More christmas at our house...

My student Savanna.  I just found out that she will not be returning to school after Christmas break.  Her parents are sadly splitting up, and her dad wants to send her to a different school (we're not sure why, yet).  I'm sad to see her go, but it has been a good first start to the year and ti gives me a little more freedom since she was the only paying student in the class!

Shea had his three year old checkup.  Didn't need any shots this time, so that was a relief!

and a reward for doing well!

gingerbread making at church....

playing games together...

our bulletin and artwork at school :)

Hanging out in the nursery on Sunday... The little boy always cries so hard and only wants Jeremy!  But we got out some graham crackers and turned on a veggietales movie and he settled down.

I got Hailey this RIDICULOUS hat and dress at gymboree yesterday (they had 40% off their already marked down stuff!)  Hanna took a picture for me on her camera too.

We went to the Christmas party at the club house.  Shea told Santa he wanted "cars" then they gave out a goodie bag to him and it had a car in it haha.  But he is going around telling me that this Santa was just pretend, because "Daddy is actually Santa Claus."

Today we went out to Silverdale because Jeremy had no work.  Part of his christmas bonus were these keychains from wendy's where you show it and you get a free jr. frosty with your order.  His boss gave him 4 or 5 of them, so we got three Jr. frostys for free!  A fun little treat.

And this is just goofy us at church tonight while Jer was working cleaning and I was setting up for school a little bit.  I was showing Jeremy the reindeer hat the kids are making this week and then he walked in wearing a choir robe haha.  

We also took a more artsy picture, because we have too much fun and act like 12 year olds most of the time.  I might have to facebook hack and make it his profile picture.

AND that is sort of some of life lately.  My book club has been a wonderful experience so far, and I am so looking forward to this Wednesday night!  It will be the first time all the ladies are there, so I have 6 coming now!  We are also doing a cookie exchange (which means I need to go make my cookie dough because the recipe I make has to sit a few days).

I am SO excited about Christmas this year!  And the week after we are going on vacation for 4 days with Jeremy's family to Long Beach.  Jeremy is planning on taking me out to Les Miserable for his birthday while we are there.  I think he is more excited about it than I am.

Can't wait to see you girls and catch up with you!