Lucky Me

You know that feeling you get every once in awhile - that feeling that you're the luckiest person alive?  I've had that feeling lately, when I look at my children, my nieces and my nephews.  I know there are a lot of people in the world who would give an arm and a leg to have what my family has, healthy, happy kids.  Each of them is special in their own way and making a space for themselves in the world - and for that I'm so thankful!  I snapped a few photos this last weekend of the kids, just being themselves, as the family gathered to celebrate Christmas.  We had a fun, chaotic, hectic weekend!  Started off with a sleigh ride - ended with full bellies and lots of great memories.  Here's Cate, Jackson, Maverick and Eli... 

Oconomowoc Christmas Parade

When it comes to the Christmas Parade, my family is really lucky.  Every year the parade stages on the street right in front of our house... which means we can stay warm and enjoy the sights - all at the same time.  We like to drag our firepit to the front yard and get it going... it draws in lots of folks who are trying not to freeze before stepping off to entertain the rest of Oconomowoc. People seem to enjoy it and we know we do... the chance to meet someone new and perhaps bring a smile to their face.  This year we were joined by friends, whose two daughters are the cutest things out there.  They climbed up onto the snowbank with my kids and it made for a really priceless picture.  Enjoy the view from our front yard - and Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving weekend has come and gone - what's left?  A pumpkin pie hangover and lots of great memories, I guess.  I spent the long weekend with family, lots of little ones all around again this year... all aged 8 and younger... so it was a lot of work but a lot of fun too.  We made Christmas ornaments and cooked together, but for the first time this year the kids really entertained themselves.  Nice.  We capped off the weekend with a trip to the Christmas Tree farm and picked ourselves out a doozie.  Actually, it's pretty small, but fits nicely in the corner of my tiny living room.  We decorated it on Saturday night... also a chore with it's highlights.  I think my son Jackson dropped every ornament before finally securing it on a branch.  He also insisted on wearing a bright orange camo hat that my dad gave him.  Thanks Dad.  Add that to his camo vest and his camo pants and his camo backpack and his camo blanket and you've got quite a theme going.  Anyway, he loves the hat so it's not going anywhere.  Caitlin was great as usual - reveling in all the traditions we've come to enjoy.  She's not one to forget just exactly how we did things last year.  Enjoy a few photos from this latest holiday weekend...