It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

...Christmas!!!

We will be traveling a bit over the Thanksgiving holiday week, so we decided to break the Cardinal Rule of "not putting up Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving." However, we only put up the decorations that are kind of a pain in the rear - like the lighted garland that goes over the garage door, the front door and the entertainment center. It's a pain to put up every year, but it's so beautiful and really makes me happy once it's up. And, even though we put up those items, we aren't lighting the outside lights until after Thanksgiving. So really, we're still kinda playing by the rules. :)

Here's a sneak peek at the indoor decs:

(Entertainment Center garland with Christmas Village set up on mantel area)

 (Parker loves this by the way. He makes me hold him up and talk about each and every building and what's going on inside as he points to them and babbles at each one. So cute!)

 And the tree:

(Notice - no ornaments yet.)

I'm very excited to get home from vacation and get out all of the fun decorations. I have a feeling Parker is going to love the blow-up Frosty the Snowman this year. And Payton can't wait to get Percy the Elf out! So many fun things to look forward to.

And since I'll be taking a blogging hiatus this week with the boys being out of school and traveling for a couple days, here are some random photos from the past couple weeks to tide you over till I get back...

We had new attic stairs installed last week. Our old ones broke and the company had gone out of business, so we got some spiffy new stairs that are SO much safer. Even the boys can climb them (with supervision of course!).

  The boys had so much fun up there - I was tempted to close up the door and let them hang out for a while! :)

Parker and I enjoyed our first candy cane of the season at Publix last week. It was yummy. 

Now that Payton takes showers instead of bathing with Parker in the tub, the boys have found a new way to play together during bathtime..

Payton fogs up the glass with his breath:

 Then draws things in it for Parker.

Then they banter back and forth at each other.

Sometimes ending in a kiss-through-the-glass!

Brian and I went out to dinner with a group of amazing friends last week. We were celebrating a new job for our good friend, Neal. It was a celebration in the sense that we know he is going to touch so many lives and be a huge impact for God in his new church. But at the same time, there were some tears shed at the idea of them moving to Virginia Beach. We love them so much. It's going to be a very hard goodbye.

(sorry for the horrible pic - the lighting was bad, on top of having the hostess take the pic who didn't know how to use an iphone camera :))

Here's one of me & Neal's wife, April. Such a sweetheart.

And one last random pic to share. I never want to forget this stage of Parker's life.

He is a very strong-willed child, but at the same time he can be so sweet and cuddly.

This is his favorite position in the world. Sitting with his bunny, blue blankie in hand, paci in mouth and gently rubbing his nose with the corner of the blanket. It's just so. darn. precious.

Okay, that's it for me.

I'll be back in a few days to share fun vaction pics.

Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving with your family & friends.

And remember... we all have so, so much to be thankful for.