Seasonal Goodness: Christmas 2018

Happy New Year!!  I've been meaning to post all the photos from our past week off and was having too much fun enjoying life to stop to document it.  But today is a no-plans-until-3pm kinda day, and so here I am recapping the end of 2018 for the old blog book.

I had such good intentions of taking the kids somewhere to get into the holiday festivities, but between Winter Track schedule (Phil coaches and JP plays) and the 3 Basketball teams (4 if you count Xander's weekly instructional practice), our time was extremely limited.  On top of all that normal business, our very sharing family passed around the stomach bug and it was like a row of the slowest falling dominoes ever.  Every child got the bug but were recovered in time to head out to a nearby park that decorates for Christmas.  While we were there, they were passing out hot cocoa and candy canes, and ST. Nick even showed up.  God is good and checked all my boxes.

18 Looks Back at 2018

It's so good for this mama's soul to look back over the year and give thanks for all of our blessings and adventures.  

So here's 18 photos to sum up 2018.

For Christmas stocking gifts, we gave each child a coupon for a date with Phil and I, and we spent January cashing in those coupons.  It was so fun!  We went to breakfast with the little boys, lunch with JP, dinner with Andrew and Eamon, and lunch with Maggie.  This is something we kept up with through the year...every kid had 2 or 3 dates with us.

Christmas Card 2018

Lazily linking up with Kelly for Seven Quick Takes with our Christmas card photo of our Seven Wonders.  

Too much prepping and wrapping and partying to write a post lately, but that's a good thing.  

There's also been some puking and coughing and ear-aching lately, which is not a good thing.  

But, 'tis the season!  

I hope you are all staying healthy, happy and sane at this busy time of year!

Have a wonderful weekend and a JOYFUL Gaudete Sunday everyone!!

7QT: Christmas Traditions

When we first got married, there was a little tension on deciding upon Christmas Traditions for our family.  Phil and I each had a few of our own that we wanted to continue, and that caused us to compromise and create a system that worked for us.  So here's the Top 7 Christmas Traditions we have (linking up with Kelly!):

1)  CHRISTMAS DECORATING

We decorate the (fake) tree and house on Black Friday while drinking cocoa with marshmallows and listening to Christmas music.  It's early to do it, but Thanksgiving has happened (no Christmas before Thanksgiving!!) and it's a day we are all at home from work and school, so it makes it easy to schedule.  

Making Memories for Every Martin

Lately I've been reminiscing (and looking back through old photos) of all the wonderful events we used to take our kids to when there were *only* four.  

My Jacuzzi Baby Turns Eleven

Eleven years ago, against hospital rules (state law?) Maggie was born underwater in the jacuzzi, after the world's fastest labor and my first natural delivery.  And the girl hasn't stopped pushing the boundaries since :)  

3 year old Maggie Moo