Its beginning to look a lot like....

November and December are absolutely the best time of year! Everyone here gets so excited about decorating, shopping, and wrapping. I love 'making' Christmas for the family....but I'll be tired come January!

Bringing in the decorations....Rebecca couldn't believe this year we started before Thanksgiving!

 Glass birds seemed fitting for the kitchen light fixture, since our bird watching station is our that window.

 Greetings.....please come visit us this season!

 The den, and yeah I need to finish painting above the bookcases....ran out of paint.

 First time I've had a truly good space to display this part of Aaron's childhood Christmas memories. Oh, and that awesome House of Marley speaker was from Aaron so I can enjoy my Christmas music....like really enjoy it, the sound is amazing.

"ho, ho,ho"

Stringing cranberries and popcorn for the bird's tree.

Isaiah likes big sister reading to him.

Thankful for this beautiful family God has given me!

Thanksgiving afternoon at the movies. We give the new Peanuts movie a big thumbs up!

A tree Clark Griswald could be proud of...

Didn't fit in the den, but I think it looks great downstairs.

On our way to JOY- And Irish Christmas

Beautiful church in south Charlotte.

Rebecca and friend.

The Getty's music is so great! 

Photo booth fun after the concert.

I made these, very rustic, wood burned and watercolor ornaments for our Jesse Tree devotions this month. We'll trace Jesus' family tree from creation to incarnation.

Chippy arrived a day early...November 30th

He brough supplies from graham cracker gingerbread houses.

A little more decorating in the kitchen

Shoe-shoe train

The kids worked together to make our holly cookie treat.

My whole kitchen with Christmas bows everywhere.

Elf kisses....nice and simple after a busy week.

Over the River and Through the Woods

 Okay, we didn't get to Grandma's house, but we have been doing a lot of treking though the woods lately. The fall weather has been absolutely prefect for most of November and we've done some Geocaching, nature journaling, and 'optingout'.

Mushroom study....we found five varieties this day!

Reddish with spots....so classic.

 First geocache!

 We're moving this tracker to Georgia next week.

Isaiah pointed out this mushroom after our previous mushroom scouting day.

 Geocaching with daddy.

 Creeks are full again!

This cache had great prizes for the kids.

mama's nature journal

 Con artist begging to watch trains on the computer. He like youtube videos of model train sets.

The kids love these boulders on the trail.

We're going to be ready for Garden of the gods this spring.

Aaron put up these cool 'pinterest' bookshelves made from gutter.

 Filled with our favorites stories and at eye level for the boys!

 We need a few bean bags to fill this corner and complete our reading nook.

Black Friday #optoutside hike.

 #optoutside family selfie.

 New trial, new sights, new wonders.

 Daddy teaching his children.

 Little man loves to go 'inda woods' and he keeps up surprisingly well.

 Rebecca was amazed by these freshwater mussles.

 Mountain goat man.

 Yet another new park! We will never run out of great places in North Carolina.