Valentine's and St Patrick's day

It is a good thing I love keeping up with traditions but even if I didn't I would be coerced into doing it from my children.  They remember so many details and what we do each year and for each holiday.  They enjoy the holiday books that come out with each box of decorations and remind me what we did the year before and to "not forget" to do it again this year.

Fullback wore this exact onesie...when he was 2 months old on Valentine's.  Our tiny wore it at 9 months.  

These two!  The older boys have to wear a uniform still to school so I got them red socks this year to wear instead of new Valentine shirts

Watching a Valentine's movie...why do we have a big couch?!  They all just sit on me

St Patrick's day was on Sunday this year, which I just LOVED.  The bowties and suspenders were too perfect for the older boys.  I love that they all still love to match/coordinate

Getting ready to watch Darby O Gill and the little people

Christmas and a big fat goodbye to 2018

Christmas was so nice this year and just our little family.  We did the usual traditions and loved having our first Christmas with our completed family of 6.  ACE is at the most magical perfect age, Tiny loved the lights and all the Christmas music (and wrapping paper) and the boys are so much fun playing together and doing their school programs that it keeps us busy and happy all season long.

I love Christmas Sunday!

Christmas Eve Fondue- I have finally perfected my cheese fondue and it is pretty darn good if I do say so myself

Watching Christmas movies...can you guess this one?  Haha

Christmas light drive

We didn't have a ton of snow days in December but that didn't stop ACE from looking the part

Saying goodnight to Santa on Christmas Eve

Putting out the cookies and milk

Posing in their new Christmas Eve pjs

Christmas morning paper rip

Helping Tiny open presents

For New Year's Eve we decided to go to Twin Falls and spend it with my sister and her family.  We stayed at my parents' house, which was weird not having them there, but we made the best of it.  Made me miss them even more though while they are in Japan!  My sister was so sweet and fed us and kept us entertained and feeling loved.  Actual New Year's Eve was a blast at her house with minute to win it games, delicious food and lots of laughing and staying up late.  I was so ready to say goodbye to 2018 and this was a great way to bring in the new year!

As if I didn't miss them already..."Papa...Lala"

Halloween and Thanksgiving

Halloween:

I will be very sad when my kids don't want to match or do themes for Halloween. But until that day I am soaking it all in and loving every minute of it!  This year we went with the Patriotic theme and had a blast.   Kids loved their uniforms and dinner was in true military mess hall fashion, complete with metal trays.  The kids got a TON of compliments with how they looked and I was in love with everything they wore!

I was able to spend some time helping Fullback's class party and I snuck over to give a quick hug to Shortstop during his.  Then the three of us enjoyed the school carnival and came home to rest and recover before trick or treating.  After dinner, we went around the neighborhood and this year when ACE and Tiny were tired, I took them home and the boys kept going.  They felt pretty grown up!

His blue eyes looked even more blue than normal in his dress blues.

Cute fighter pilot

He loved his costume but still wanted his face painted like Harry Potter

And this...

...she was so perfect!

Actually found something military theme that fit him!

Mark's sister got him this dinosaur for Christmas so although it is off theme, we had to use it

 Thanksgiving:
With my parents in Japan this year and a couple of sisters on vacations, we decided to get a hotel over the Thanksgiving week and spend a lot of time with Melanie and her family, including Thanksgiving dinner.  It was so fun and so needed!  We spent hours at the hotel pool, shopped a little since we were staying and Farmington Station and then played games and ate a ton at my sister's.  The kids loved being in a hotel and slept pretty well for the most part.  Staycations are sometimes my absolute favorite!