December 2013: miscellaneous holiday faves

one of my favorite things about Christmas this year was our home...specifically our mantle. back story: one thing that i found tricky for most of 2013 was continuing our traditions and holidays without Max here with us. i wanted to figure out ways to incorporate and include him - but sometimes it was tough. one way we included him for Christmas was getting him his own stocking to hang on our mantle. i love having his own little stocking hanging, reminding him we are thinking of him and missing him always. i love how it has airplanes on it to remind us that he is above us looking down - just like those airplanes do. i wish so much that he could be a part of these traditions with us - but including him in these simple ways makes him feel near.

another favorite thing is always having the girls meet Santa. we met Santa a few different places.....this one was when the girls got to meet Santa at our ward party ... to which Ellie replied, "um, mom, i know that's not the real santa. Santa doesn't wear black glasses like that." too smart, my lil kindergartner Ellie.

but, alas, they tolerated fake Santa, and gave some pretty convincing smiles just in case he did know the real Santa (and so that they could have a candy cane, of course).

and of course, i love Christmas Sunday! seeing my girls all fancy in their Christmas Sunday best is always always always one of my favorite things.

a fun surprise that i loved this Christmas season was my dad making a quick SF visit the Friday before Christmas - and us going into the city to meet him for dinner. the girls were super hangry (aka grumpyville USA....freakin kids)- but it's always worth the trip to go have a random bump-in with Pops.

 oh oh oh! and i made it half-way with baby #4. THAT felt awesome.

and! of course, visiting the little Christmas village....always always a special treat. we love that the Billsborough's do this in their home.

taking the girls shopping in Walnut Creek should be one of my favorite things, and it is, but it also stresses the heck out of me. why do there have to be so many people EVERYWHERE? and why do my kids want to buy EVERYTHING they see??? i just keep telling myself: it's Christmas. have holiday cheer. it's Christmas! spread happy! IT'S CHRISTMAS. I'M SMILING. CAN'T YOU TELL I'M SO HAPPY THAT IT'S CHRISTMAS? AND THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE EVERYWHERE??????

ya. shopping with kids at Christmas. it's my favorite.

 i loved going into the City with M for a double date with his brother and fiance. we had so much fun seeing the city in all its holiday glory. the city at Christmas time is always one of my favorite things.

so many holiday favorites!