Below are my 4 favorite Benjamin smiles from December.
We are blessed to have one happy boy!
Play time with Friends
Who says little boys can't play house?
This was the kitchen that my dad built and I played with growing up.
Now it's in our house
Always exploring
3 months can really make a difference!
Benjamin met a sweet friend at the park.
Caleb is almost 3 and they LOVED playing together.
Benjamin really wants an older brother - good thing he has friends : )
Date night with my little man while Frank was on his hunting trip
I saw this on pinterest and decided to try it out for our neighbor gifts.
These little pies in a jar were a success!
A couple of my neighbors brought back the jars hoping I would fill them up again.
Our Christmas festivities started with going to the Magestic with some good friends for a special showing of the Griswold's Family Christmas. We typically watch each others kids but this night we all got baby sitters!
I hosted a ladies craft night for our life group where we made the
painted canvas and shepards pouches (below)
Benjamin is still too young for this but in the future we hope to make this a Christmas tradition.
Here is the link for the idea which can be adapted for your family
The guys in our life group got together and built mangers out of pallets. Frank also built a cross from the timbers in our back yard. We put this in our front yard and enjoyed highlighting not only Baby Jesus at Christmas but the Perfect Son of God who came to earth to love us to death.
A few pictures of my Christmas decorations in our new home.
Another pinterest inspired decoration
I used an old shutter to display our Christmas cards
Christmas morning Frank, Benjamin, and I went to Methodist University where I work and gave out several goodie bags filled with toiletries to patients and candy bags for the staff that had to work that morning. It was a little thing but it meant a lot to those we visited. We would love to make this a family tradition to visit those in need and are loney on Christmas morning.
We are so thankful for our health and to be surrounded by loving family.
After we finished at the hospital we went to Nana and Pops house for Christmas lunch.
Josh and Michele
Benjamin loves being upside down - he will probably like roller costers when he is older
The day after Christmas my parents came in town to celebrate.
My dad made Benjamin a big set of wooden blocks with lots of cylinders
(which are his favorite shape)
Since Benjamin's birthday in November he has gotten better at opening presents
Cool car track from Uncle Michael and Aunt Brandy
It didn't take him long to figure it out.
We decided since it was our first year in central gardens we would start a new tradition. We invited a dozen families on our street for our 1st annual "clean out the fridge" party. They brought their holiday leftovers or potluck dishes. My mom helped me plan and host a wonderful party (thanks mom).
They got to see our house and sit around and visit.
We are so thankful for where the Lord has placed us this past year and want
to be faithful to reach out to and love on those around us.
Happy New Year!
