Merry Christmas weekend!!! It's here! I hope your week has been truly wonderful, and not too crazy as you get everything ready for the big day. I'm trying my best to rest as much as possible and stay healthy. I always get really sick in December and (knock on wood) I think I might be in the clear this year! Anyways, I hope you have a beautiful weekend with family and friends celebrating the most wonderful time of the year! It's my favorite since it always makes my heart so thankful for that baby boy that was born for my sins. So, so thankful!!! 

We checked out Lowes Food in Greer and loved it! The actual groceries aren't out of this world but shopping while sipping on a beer and eating this amazing sandwich was nice! They also roast coffee beans of your choice for you while your checking out the store. Very nice!!!

Cozy cup of hot tea while enjoying the twinkle lights & Netflix with my guy!

Spending some of our day at the park with daddy yesterday was such a treat!!! I've enjoyed showing Peter little bits of our week while he's been off, I know Solomon and I will both have withdrawals once he goes back to work! 

our christmas photos.

My mom was kind enough to take some photos for us in our back yard for our Christmas card! We have taken the photos in are back hard for the past three years and I love seeing how they have evolved. Peter & I, then our first family of three photos and now we are chasing after a toddler trying to get one great shot. It's fun to look back at all of them and I really love how this year turned out!

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas, full of hugs and some kisses, too!

lately littles.

Littles are one of my favorite posts, and since it's been way too long, I thought I'd share some of the little thoughts spinning around in my head today. It has been a busy season, like all Christmas seasons, and I'd like to remember some of the little things that didn't have anything to do with December at all. Just the normal, everyday, little things that I hold dear......

one // moments when I realize how much I look forward to that slow time every day, when I get to rock and snuggle a sweet boy as he falls asleep drinking his milk. I'm not sure how much longer this breastfeeding journey will be for us, but I do know how badly I'll miss it when it's gone

two // during a date night last week, we were excited to sit at the bar for dinner since we never get to do that these days. I remember so many of our dates being at a bar top and watching the cocktails being mixed and enjoying simple conversation with my guy, but then we couldn't find room at a busy bar so we ended up at a table. I then realized I don't really care where I'm sitting, as long as it's across from my handsome husband 

three // I recently noticed Solomon's eyes were almost brown, really deep in color and hardly any blue or green which isn't normal, but I also noticed that he was wearing a brown shirt. sure enough, once his shirt was changed to a grey, the green was back... I kind of love that about his eye color, always adapting to what he's wearing like mine do

four // while Peter is off this week, I'm looking forward to some slower mornings in bed while Solomon hangs out with daddy downstairs, like yesterday morning; but hearing him stand at the bottom of the stairs and scream MOMMAAA, made me laugh! Peter brought him back upstairs to see me and as he was leaving, he asked if he wanted to go back down, which usually makes him crawl off the bed as fast as he can.... but instead, he put his head on my chest and then kissed my cheek, I almost burst 

Christmas Card // 2016

Christmas cards are one of my favorite things about December!! I was also excited to work with a new Etsy shop this year. Salsa L Design was so great to work with and her designs were so beautiful. Simple but still trendy, exactly what I'm looking for with a design for a Christmas card. Piling up on the couch to stuff the envelopes and send out our huge stack of cards during nap time last week was such a sweet time. I had some music playing and as I read each family on the envelope, I felt so much thankfulness for the people God has put in our life. We truly are so blessed! 

Also, these envelopes were such a BIG time saver! My tongue was also very happy ;) 

Make sure to check out Salsa L Design!!

weekly three.

It's Christmas time. Really, and truly, Christmas time!!! It's cold outside, the gifts are being wrapped and all the events are planned. I love this time of year! It makes me so thankful for all of our family and friends that God has placed in our life. This weekend will be full of plans to finish the last minute shopping and getting the house ready for family coming to town. So much to be thankful for, God is so good, and so sweet to us! 

watching this boy lay on the couch was too much... he looked so much like his daddy!

seeing how much bigger his hand was this year kind of killed me a little bit....

the tree is filling up, and we have our first Christmas exchange tonight, with some of my favorite people in the world! I can't wait!!

Solomon // fifteen months.

Yesterday was the big 15 months for Solomon. It really does seem like a big month for him, Every single day is full of new words, new activities and new cute little faces! It is so much fun to spend my day with him, and I have never been so thankful for the chance to stay at home with him. Here are some of the little things I wanted to remember about month fifteen. 

• Starting to say HOT and reaches out his hand to touch, but doesn't touch it.... mainly this happens when my cup of coffee in the morning. 
• Squeals when he is excited and happy, his eyes get big and he looks so cute!!!
• Has learned to say water (wa-wa & my, which is mA'an, Arabic for water), grape (wape), orange (oooah), apple (apa), tree (teeee) thanks to the Christmas tree,
• Starting to listen so much better and minding easier as long as he doesn't have a tantrum! If only we can get him to understand that he can't throw everything! Food, water cup, books, toys.... seriously everything! 
• Loves going to bed now, one night he even went to the light switch in his room and pointed up at it saying byebye!! If only he would enjoy sleeping all night just as much! The most we've gotten lately was 10-2:30, and Peter thinks in my sleepy state I was confused and it was really 12:30? Who knows??? 
• Had his first stomach bug but thankfully it was all diaper related and not throwing up. 
• Has his molars coming in, the top left tooth has come through a bit and the top right is very swollen. He has been very fussy and nursing around the clock because of it!
• Really loves music!!! We've noticed that his mood is so much happier when we have music playing, he will even eat more at the table if we turn some on. Also loving to dance and clap to music. 

keys are also a favorite thing, he squeals "keeeeeey" and then usually says byebye!

crazy hair, all the time... 

& that dimple, that is going to cause us so much trouble, I'm sure!

party time.

My mom and I had so much fun hosting our annual ornament exchange party, over the weekend! It is always the best party of the year, and we love doing it. I honestly can't believe we have been having this party for NINE years now. Crazy! Of course we have so many ideas for next year, since it will be the 10th annual party. We have so much fun entertaining together and we really love having a room full of our favorite women. Seeing the combination of my friends and my mom's friends is always fun, and I can honestly say that most of the friendships go both ways. I love all the women that my mom love, and she loves my friends like she loves me. These women are truly a gift, that's for sure! 

(ps, notice all the ornaments on our tree at the TOP of the tree... ha! Thanks to Solomon, of course.)

So thankful for a Mom who is also my best friend!

& really thankful for those sweet ladies that helped clean up while I put Solomon to sleep after the party. The sweetest clean up crew around!