12 Days Countdown (3, 2, 1)...

Y'all. These next three days went completely off course. Also. I hardly ever take real pictures anymore - I am too overwhelmed so I stick tot he iPhone and well, that will just have to do! 

Only 3 days until Christmas... Let's go visit some friends!

The original plan was for us to deliver goodies to all of our friends, but everyone CS was out of town. So instead we decided to spend a day in Waco. Where I took exactly zero pictures but where we had exactly 100% fun! The day consisted of lunch with my down-the-street friend, Niki at one of our favorite places, a trip to the Silos and ended up with the E6 gang because the kids insisted on hanging out with Grace and Corbin. I was adamant about leaving by 5:30pm ... we left after 7. Which is clearly a sign of a great day filled with family and friends. 

Only 2 days until Christmas... Let's go to the MOVIES!

We loaded up the car and met the Messes for an afternoon Road Chip with Alvin and the gang. I think Cindy and I may have laughed more than the kids (which could have easily been because we are delirious from all the merry making). We were treated to dinner at the Munsons complete with tree decorating and of course a dance party. 

I mean, I don't know if there is a cuter bunch of besties in existence. 

Only 1 day until Christmas... Let's bake a cake for baby Jesus!

We have made a cake for baby Jesus for the past five years. And this year, well... the kids decided it was just wasteful. "Mom, we NEVER eat the cake. We always have ice cream and cool whip pie." So, we made cool whip pies and went on the with the day. The day before we did make a ginger bread house manger scene that turned out so stinking cute!

Love it when we find something that they don't argue about. 

AND that each kid can actually do.  

We did have to improvise a little and use some expired cake flour as the "white sand" to get the pieces to stay up. But it turned out darling and I'll be so sad to take it down!

The countdown was complete... next up... CHRISTMAS!

12 Days Countdown (6, 5, 4)...

Our trip to Baton Rouge didn't stop our countdown...

Only 6 days until Christmas... it's time you paid a visit to Santa!

We had put this off far to long. We decided to forgo Santa's Wonderland this year since Ryan's been traveling so much and we were making the trip east to Louisiana but we knew we needed to visit the big guy so what better time than with our sweet Cousin Owen!

We took an actual picture with Santa, but I'm too lazy to download it from my hotmail account but know that he was a darling with actual rosy cheeks and took the time to talk to each kiddo. We were all smiles!

Only 5 days to Christmas... let's go look at some lights in NOLA!

The kids were so excited about this surprise day trip and I have to admit, I was too! I haven't been to NOLA since the Sugar Bowl in 1998 and for some reason, I just don't remember much about it. ;) 

We could have stayed on the trolly all day long and they would have been happy.

Our first stop was of course lunch where Emmy decided to have the ketchup marry the bottle of hot sauce, complete with a wedding gown. This girl cracks me up.   

We walked around where Radley made his debut as a street performer. They picked "the one with the hair", dubbed him "white chocolate" and then gave him $20 for his time. 

#notabaddayinNOLA #drinksonRad

We finally made our way back to City Park for the train ride through the park... 

we all fit... 

and managed to take some cute selfies, too!

#ignoretheguyintheveryback

The lights were so awesome and we're already planning our trip back.

Because any trip that gets kids to sleep like this is worth repeating. 

Only 4 days until Christmas... let's sleep under the tree!!

This is my favorite thing we do - I'd probably let them sleep under the tree every weekend but I kind of want to keep it special. 

The movie of choice was the Polar Express and they each took turns wrapping up gifts for Daddy and each other. It was an awesome night and a great way enter the home stretch of our countdown!

12 Days of Christmas (9, 8, 7)...

Only 9 days until Christmas - Put your Santa hats on - it's time to sort some gifts!

Our countdown continued with our church's annual Giving Tree sorting! We have been in charge of this ministry for the past three years and while I can get frustrated with the process (and the lack of direction following) I am so glad that we do this. 

It is the best way to get the kids involved in giving back in terms that they understand. From writing tags and setting up the tree to sorting gifts and making sure they are all accounted for, they play a very active role in making sure this gets done!

What I love even more is that they can all actually help! We had a blast pulling all the gifts from the closet and sorting them into groups by agency. 

We also had a ton of volunteers help package the gift cards for a maternity shelter in Temple...

and count gifts for St. Joseph Manor in Bryan and others for some Head Start kiddos in College Station.

Amber and her kiddos helped me a ton this year which made the process even more fun! We sorted, counted and bagged over 400 gifts from our church...every single one sealed with love!

Only 8 days until Christmas - Let's add to our manger scene!

So, I'm not gonna lie. This one was a last minute substitute for something else I had planned, but Josh surprised us with tickets to Star Wars and my parents were heading to town for the night which meant free babysitting! Gigi helped the kids put together a manger scene while we enjoyed a night out with friends and that's maybe the best gift ever!

Spoiler Alert: THIS MOVIE IS AWESOME! GO SEE IT!

ps. How cute are the boys in their {unplanned} matching shirts?!?! We were all in our favorite SW gear... because clearly.

Only 7 days until Christmas - This is a time for family - we're heading to BATON ROUGE!!!

I somehow managed to keep this little outing a secret - even though they knew we were going to BR at some point. They were super pumped about it and got even more excited when they discovered that Alfie had plans to join us. 

Gigi and Pops left early on Friday with Landry in tow. Me and the bigs left at 10 so they could be counted present for school. We made just in time to sit and visit for minute before heading out to dinner with my dad's siblings and all my cousins. 

Every time we do this, we basically take over a restaurant. Imagine lots of loud talkers, mouth kissers, and a steady cadence of "you need to eat!" and that's my #bigfatItalianfamily.

In other words - the perfect evening. 

Because #whole30 was clearly off limits this trip! :)

The next day we took this crew to visit Santa before heading back to the house for... 

MaMaw's NINETIETH birthday celebration. 

90 years - that's just crazy and obviously amazing and we were all so glad to be there for her special day!

We partied hard on Saturday and then headed to NOLA for one last special surprise... 

but I have a whole post planned for BR/NOLA so come back! 

12 Days of Christmas (12, 11, 10)...

For the past five (!) years, we have celebrated the home stretch to Christmas with a 12 days countdown. The kids look forward to it so much - even if lots of what we do is repeated from year to year. I look forward to it because in a season of crazy, rushed, jam-packed nights and days this forces us all to slow down. 

Day 12 landed on a Sunday and this year, we pulled out all the stops... 

Only 12 days until Christmas - We're having a party! Let's celebrate with friends over hot chocolate and go look at Christmas lights!

Y'all. This started out with my fellow Dish Divas and coming over for a quick treat and then going to look at houses for the "Get Griswold" contest we are hosting. It became much bigger because this is me and Stephanie and Sam. 

And it was awesome!

Ryan and I had so much fun setting everything up - he even put the ornaments on the "gold tree". I made fun signs and got out blankets to keep us warm and what started out as a wet, cold, rainy day turned into the most perfect night for a hayride to look at Christmas lights. 

Did I mention how good everything tasted? The hot chocolate changed lives that night. 

By the time everyone had finished a glass or two, the kids were ready to head out and look at some lights... 

(This was the best I could do with moving kids, tons of parents, and the half-desire to get a great pic). 

We may or may not have had some wine in those reindeer roadies. 

The next hour and a half (!) was filled with giggles, glee and a whole bunch of Christmas spirit. Everyone had such a fun time and we totally couldn't have pulled this off alone! (Thanks, Steph and Jeff for the trailer!) We were driving down the last street of the night and noticed that there were a TON of cars parked in front. 

Stephanie and I decided that the kids just HAD to sing some Christmas carols. The most adorable thing ever in the history of the world. 

At the end of the night my kiddos were so grateful and I was, too. Grateful for a fun community of friends to share life with. This is definitely going on the Christmas tradition list... so mark those calendars now!

Only 11 days until Christmas - Celebrate with friends... you're going home with the Bailey's today!

This. This was the most amazing gift of time I have received in a while. A couple of weeks ago my sweet friend, Krista, sent me an email saying that she and Will wanted to treat me to a night alone. They asked if they could pick up my kiddos from school, feed them, entertain them and get them ready for bed - delivering them back to me in time for goodnight kisses. 

I immediately cried and said yes. 

This whole working out of town gig has been hard for Ryan, but I won't lie and say that it has been easy for me. I wish I could be that mom that keeps it all together, but the truth is I'm lonely and tired, and overwhelmed and this break couldn't have come at a better time. So on the 11th day, I spent my time doing this... 

While my kids were doing this... 

I'd say we were both winners. PLUS Krista and I exchanged gifts and clearly great minds think alike. 

#Christmasmagicindeed 

Only 10 days until Christmas - spread some holiday cheer and wrap some gifts!

This one makes a regular appearance in the countdown - and we have typically packaged up popcorn and m&ms for the "extra" teachers but after tasting the snack my neighbor brought over for the hot chocolate party, the kids insisted on making those. 

(And L insisted on licking her fingers 2482 times - sorry teachers). 

Then we signed tags... 

(and Landry even got to sign her name this year)...

wrapped some goodies... 

assembled some gift cards... 

and we were done! 

(We packaged the treats and kept them in the fridge over night). 

3 days down... 9 more to go!