Italy Besties Reunite

    I know I have said it before, but I will say it again. When you're a military family, and living either overseas, in a new state, or just someplace away from family, the friends you make there become family. That has been the what has happened with our good friends from North Carolina and Italy.

    It had been seven months since we saw our good friends Kelsey and Matt, and a year and a half since we saw our friends Morgan and Levi. We met both of them while living in Italy, and I talk with the girls daily. Our kids consider each other best friends just like we do. Heck, Olivia and Aurora were born just hours apart on the same day! 

     Over the holidays Kelsey and Matt came home to Texas to visit their family, and planned to spend their last night in Texas with us. We were so excited when Morgan and Levi decided to also come and spend a week with us. It couldn't have worked out more perfectly when December 27 came around and the four of them {and their kids} came to our house.

 Rorie and Livie

Santa Came {& It Wasn't On Christmas Eve}

    Like I mentioned in my last post, Santa didn't come to our house until the night of December 26. Somehow he knew we were going to be out of town on Christmas Eve, so he waited until we were home to visit Connor and Olivia. When we arrived at our house the afternoon of the 26th, Connor saw that his elf was waiting under our tree for him with a package and goodbye letter. Inside the package were pajamas for the kids, a plate for Santa's cookies, snacks for our movie night, and The Night Before Christmas to read at bedtime. That evening after the kids took their baths, we had a movie night and then Connor left cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for his reindeer before going to sleep.

Christmas 2017 {Christmas With Mimi}

      We had a very Merry Christmas, and hope you did too! It was a little different because Santa didn't visit us over Christmas Eve, he decided to wait until we got back to our house on December 26. Connor didn't mind because he didn't really know any better. So our traditional making cookies on Christmas Eve was done on Christmas day so we could take them back with us to our house. Confused yet?! Hope not! 

     Since this was Olivia's first Christmas, we had to take a couple pictures in the morning wearing our pajamas. She was so happy! Afterwards we made sugar cookies!

Christmas Eve {Christmas with Pappy and Omi}

    We spent our Christmas Eve in Plano with Pappy and Omi. We haven't spent a Christmas Eve/ Christmas in Texas since we lived in North Carolina, so it was special for Aaron to spend it with his family. We ate a ton, as usual, and had fun opening presents after dinner. I really loved my present! You'll see what it was at the end...

 Olivia is excited for her first Christmas Eve!

December Traditions

    December is a busy month for us. I love traditions, and over the years we have added quite a few to the month of December. Here they are, not including our Christmas Eve Traditions.

 Christmas book countdown:

      For the last few years, we have done a Christmas book countdown with Connor starting on the 1st of December. Every night before bed Connor opens a different Christmas book. He can pick them in any order, except for the last two. On Christmas Eve {which we will be celebrating when we are back at our house on the 26th} he will read The Night Before Christmas, and on Christmas day he will read The Christmas Baby.