Bailey Update

This sweet old girl is SO tolerant of her new little sister. She's patient and kind and doesn't really fight back when the little one is biting ALL over her. She is, however, showing signs of aging and just the other day pooped by the back door. It made us cry as we know what's coming, we've just been in denial lately. :(

 

Introducing HAZEL!

When Santa brings a hamster and you're about to potty train a toddler, what else is there to do besides rescue another puppy! Ha! Our live is officially crazy now but we've been on rescue lists since April and there's really no better time. With it being winter and kids activities minimal compared to spring, summer and fall and the fact that I don't have much work in the winter ever combined with Derek working from home now, there really couldn't be a more perfect time. 

So this sweet girls was dumped with 12 siblings at a shelter and they are thought to be a lab mix. Most of the litter was black except for her and a silver one and another brown. We met her the day before Christmas and then picked her up for good the day after. Her name was 'Grande' because she was one of the largest in the bunch and another family passed on her because she wasn't active enough. She's been very sweet and Ady is OBSESSED and she's fitting right in. 13 year old Bailey is tolerating her and we pray they'll become buddies someday. But MAN training a puppy is much harder with children than before we had kiddos! It's been 13 years and I guess I had forgotten how much work they are but it's now or never. And actually if it's bedtime, in the crate they go. No crying it out or rocking for hours or worrying if they'll ever go to sleep. Ha! 

She was just under 13 pounds when we picked her up (about 10 weeks old) and already a week later she's over 16!

 

Christmas Morning

Christmas was magical once again with Santa and mom and dad (really mom) nailing gifts. Santa brought Drew a hamster, Ady an American Girl doll and he fixed up our old Jeep Power Wheels for Will. The stockings had a crazy large apple, lottery tickets and toothbrushes as per Santa's tradition in our house and each had additional fun little items on top of those. 

Derek completely shocked at the PS5 he got this year. And yes, he bought it for himself and wrapped it.

Our Christmas family picture in our matching PJ's!

 

Christmas Eve

Per tradition, the afternoon of Christmas Even was spent making sugar cookies and decorating them for Santa. 

We had spent the entire day in PJ's and decided to watch the church service online due to COVID but we did get dressed up for some family pictures!

More Holiday movie watching...

And Bailey begging for a beer. Little did she know her world would be ROCKED by a puppy coming the next day!

Watching the service and singing along with our candles...

And one final tradition of Derek reading Twas The Night Before Christmas. This year Drew wanted to read some and Will plopped down next to him. 

 

Holiday Activities

First up was a cookie tree kit that Gramma brought over...

Watching Holiday movies together..

I've done this picture 2 times now and I just adore it! 

Decorating gingerbread houses with Gramma and Poppa...

Holiday party with our friends. We went as Clark and Ellen griswold and I think we nailed it! 

Annual Polar Express party. It's the 2nd year that we've hosted this but due to COVID we had to move the party outside. We serve hot chocolate with tons of kid and adult mix ins as well as snacks and Derek reads the book before we sing some Christmas carols!

Jolly, our elf on the shelf, brought some snow to play with since we really don't get any down here!