Here’s a little peek at what we were up to this past month!
My friend Carie and I took our littles to the Domes for their holiday show. It was fabulous as always.
I’ve been documenting my kids at the Domes for the past six years. It’s sort of a big deal that this was Annie’s first trip there.
The Domes outing is the only time that I had my DSLR out and about this month. The rest of my DSLR pictures are from holiday family events or at home. I snapped a few phone photos at our couple of bigger outings at the end of the month.
Hobbes is the family member who loves the Christmas tree the very most.
Tommy and Olivia had time off from school. We spent most of those days at home with Jake and/or grandparents. The kids posed for so many holiday pictures.
Annie let me dress her up as an elf and take pictures of her, so my Christmas was complete.
We hosted my in-laws for dinner and presents a couple of days before Christmas.
Jake and I were on our own with the kids for Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day, which is how I like it.
Tommy was most excited about his new Master Chief costume. He’s been wearing his Mandalorian costume from two Halloweens ago every single week. Needless to say, it’s been through a lot. Having Master Chief now is finally allowing him to retire the Mandalorian.
Olivia and Genevieve both had a blast opening their presents as well this year.
We had so much fun celebrating Annie’s first Christmas. She loved watching everyone else’s excitement.
My parents arrived later on Christmas Day and had dinner with us that night. Somehow we managed to delay opening presents with them until the day after Christmas.
Our anniversary is the week between Christmas and New Year’s. My parents watched all four kids, so we could get out for a couple of hours.
The day after my parents left, Jake and I took the kids to the children’s museum in Milwaukee and then out to lunch.
We ended the month with a day trip to Chicago to see my parents and meet up with one of my high school friends and his family. It was so much fun. Everyone really enjoyed themselves, and it was the perfect way to mix up the routine at this point in the Christmas break.
2023 was one of the most challenging years of my adult life, which isn’t something that I say lightly. I’ve never been pushed more physically, having to keep taking care of my family while feeling nauseous, sore, and/or exhausted day after day after day. Tommy started kindergarten two days after I had Annie. The whole fall was such a hot mess. I finally feel like I’m coming out on the other side and regaining some sense of normalcy.
We’re so grateful for everything that we have and are looking forward to sharing lots more family adventures in 2024!
You can find all of my baby/toddler updates for all of the kids as well as general family updates and other family-related posts in the family section of the blog.
