November Reads

It's hard to believe that December is upon us already. The next time I blink it will be 2016!

Unfortunately November was kind of a bust for reading. I started a few books but have yet to finish them. I'm currently reading The Night Circus and The Distant Hours and really love them both but I've just been focused more on holiday stuff and crocheting Christmas gifts. I did finish one book for myself though and a couple with the kids.

Not My Father's Son (Alan Cumming)- This isn't a light hearted celebrity read. Cumming's reflects back on his abusive father and the torrential relationship they shared over the course of his life. I wanted a great audio book and this was a GREAT audio book. Cummings reads it himself and that voice is golden. I have a lot of feelings about this book. I thought it was gorgeous and heart breaking and uplifting. Even the cover is gorgeous. Like, that is a beautiful book cover right there. 10/10 would recommend.

Into the Land of the Unicorns (Bruce Coville)- This was my first chapter book with Miss Mae and it was a hit. She called it 'the pony book' and loved it. I remember reading this as a kid and loving it so much. I never knew it was a series! I am planning on reading the rest of them.

Gregor the Overlander (Suzanne Collins)- While waiting for the next Percy Jackson to come in through the library, Ollie and I started this one. I'd say for an 8 year old boy it was pretty slow going at first. But once the action picked up (after a few chapters) he was all about it. It was a little more bloody and sad than I had remembered from my own childhood but not over the top. He really liked it. I don't know if we'll continue on with the series just yet (especially since we are now reading the next Percy Jackson) but possibly in the future.

That's it for us this month. Alice and I did read a couple of early reader chapter books but I'll save that for its own special post in the future.

Happy reading!

Thankfullness 2015

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone but the turkey coma and the full hearts are still going strong.

Holidays are an excuse to get the kids dressed up and make Miss Mae let me do her hair. I didn't anticipate her looking so grown up with it pulled back. Love these babies. They have the sweetest little faces.

We all pitched in and made a big meal at my mom's and as is tradition we said what we were thankful for around the table before diving in. Alice melted my heart when she piped up with her little voice 'I am thankful for my fam-uh-wee'. Awwww. We are thankful for you too, sugar pie.

Ollie is nearly as tall as my mom, which isn't hard since she's just 4 feet and 11 inches, but it makes us all a little sad to see him looking almost grown next to this tiny woman.

We were so happy to have my sister to ourselves for a few hours. She doesn't usually stay that long. The free spirit.

Plus her being there meant someone could take pictures of our little family!

My heart is so full and so thankful for these loves of my life. I'm the luckiest. Hashtag blessed.

2015 Christmas Ornaments

Every year we each get one new ornament to add to our tree. Sometimes a store bought, sometimes a handmade, sometimes something we all collaborate on together. This year's ornament is inspired by Harry Potter, which I have been reading all over again through the year. I give you- The Weasley Sweater 2015 Christmas ornaments!

I found a pattern for little sweaters here and used each of our favorite colors to make unique and special ornaments. Then I just decorated them however I felt like and added a little initial for each or names. I love how they turned out and I plan on making some as gifts for some other Potter loving friends and family.

I'm a fan! I can't wait to hang these cuties up on the tree.

Crochet- Christmas Gifts

My favorite time of the year- Christmas!!!- is almost here and I've been hard at work on some gifts. One of my favorite things each year is deciding what I want to make and for who and pouring a little love into the stitches and wrapping it up prettily for Christmas morning. Here are a few things I've finished so far-

The first things I made were some lap blankets (I am still working on at least 1 but it might turn into 2 before the holiday is over). As of this blog post 1 blanket is MIA and I am still frantically searching for it. Don't ask me how it grew legs and walked off because I definitely put it in a bag in my yarn stash and it's not there. But it looks exactly like this one except in blue and gray-

Some pretty pot holders for my mom's friend-

And my favorite thing of all, 2 sets of Repeat Crafter me ABC animal appliques. 

These suckers took a while but they are SO CUTE. I have a very fun idea for a gift to give to the babies in our life and these animals play a pivotal role.  

What are you making for the holidays?

Eight

Eight years ago I was blessed to welcome a son. Never in all of these years could I have dreamed of what a beautiful, kind, bright, funny little boy he'd become.

This feels like such a big age. I wasn't ready for it and I've spent a lot of time as a blubbering mess over the past week. I even broke down crying at his birthday party last weekend because where is my baby in this grown up face?! He has changed my life just by existing and even more by growing into such a magical person. We are so proud of him. He puts in so much effort, he never gives up, he is generous and kind and smart and the best big brother in the whole world. I could go on but instead I'll just say... he is one of the best things in this world. He is made of gold dust. He is treasured.

Happy birthday, you beautiful little creation. I made you, but you made me a mama.

He's at school today but before school we had our birthday traditions of running through a doorway covered in streamers and eating a pile of donuts for breakfast and opening gifts. We'll watch movies and eat pizza and ice cream cake tonight and celebrate the most wonderful little nerd in the world. We're so thankful for him.

What We're Reading

I'm excited to be participating in a neat little link up. All about the books. Love the books. All the books.

What's on my nightstand-

The Distant Hours (Kate Morton)- LOVE Kate Morton. Love love love. I have only read one book by her before this (The Forgotten Garden which I highly recommend) but I enjoy her so much and can tell she is going to become a favorite.

The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern)- I was surprised to find out that this was a NaNoWriMo novel! How cool. I've heard lots of great things and I'm only like 10 pages in but I'm feeling it.

What I'm reading with the kids-

Into the Land of the Unicorns (Bruce Coville)- Alice and I just finished this up last night and it's just as cool as I remember from being a kid. It was a super magical experience to read one of my favorite books from my childhood with my own little girl. Especially since this was our first chapter book together. If you haven't read The Unicorn Chronicles, what are you waiting on! It's magical. Even for adults. I love me some children's lit and Bruce Coville is the master.

Gregor the Overlander (Suazanne Collins)- Ollie and I are taking a small break from the world of Percy Jackson to enjoy another young boy hero. I'm not entirely sure that Oliver is really into this one, at least not as much as Percy Jackson, but we're steadily making our way through. I think we're finally at the part where the action starts so that will help his little boy imagination go wild.

Go check out the other links! Get some bookish inspiration!

A Birthday Party

Over the weekend we celebrated our son's 8th birthday. He still has 4 days of being seven so I'm a major blubbering mess. His party was fun though! Unfortunately I was SO BUSY and didn't have a ton of time to take pictures. We decided to do the party at my mom's house and our oven is broken until we order a new piece for it so that meant having to bake the cake and the pizza and the garlic bread at her house. Stressful. But, it went okay! No April's were majorly harmed in the making of this birthday party.

We had a bit of a Lego theme going on. I kept it as simple as possible with just a homemade Lego block banner, some streamers and a lot of balloons. Lego cake, Lego pizza, fruit and garlic bread and a Lego pinata for entertainment.

Both of our fams came out and I think it was a good time. I hope Ollie loved it. He got way too many gifts and got loved on a bunch. I'm going to enjoy having a 7 year old while I can and try not to spend my week crying about how big my boy is. You blink and they are big kids. I'm going to glue my eyes open.

He's pretty amazing.

Halloween Recap

Halloween is over for another year. That's crazy. Where is the time going. Why does it pass so much faster as you age. There has to be some Science to this.

Halloween day is actually mine and husband's dating anniversary and for the first time since our 1st anniversary we were able to go out together. We didn't do much. Shopped for the kids, had some lunch, shopped for books, but it was so nice to just get away for a few hours. I'm thankful for this man.

We rounded out our Halloween festivities with haunted house decorating. They each got a side of it to decorate and went crazy with it. Their favorite part was breaking it apart after and eating it. They still have like half of it to eat, haha.

Our Halloween night was just a little stop at a trunk or treat at a church near my parents' house. Alice was in her 3rd costume of the holiday, but thanks to a well stocked dress up box we didn't have to buy anything for her this year. Sweet. Ollie was still happy being a blue Ranger.

And now Halloween is over for another year. We have Ollie's birthday to look forward to this month and Thanksgiving, Husband's birthday and then Christmas. Busy busy times. Good times, but busy times.

I hope you enjoyed your spooky holiday! Linking up again with these fine fellas.