I’m back with more pictures from the time around Christmas! Consider this post a little scrapbook of the past week or so 😊
We had such a great mixture of downtime, events, and family gatherings. Looking back at these photos makes me happy all over again!
Sadie was excited for her nativity dress rehearsal on the 23rd! She looks like a different child with her hair pulled back in a bun. Waaaay too grown up! Also, I have no idea how to do hair buns. I just loaded up her hair with clips and bobby pins. 😉
Our happy girlie! Her hair is growing into the cutest little mullet.
Sadie did some crafting and designed these dresses all by herself. I was majorly impressed!
Just Dakota being adorable with a toy ball!
My sister sent me this photo of her and her son, Gideon, reading my devotional journal! She said it was a real life mom moment for her because he was up too early while she was trying to have some quiet time. I can totally relate. 😉
Sadie randomly grabbed my phone and took a picture of me reading God Loves Dakota to Dak while I fed her and it was actually really sweet!
Our little shepherd boy and angel girl!
Dakota had a hard time sitting still while watching her siblings on Christmas Eve. She wants to be on the move 24/7!
Sadie changed out of her angel costume and into clothing to be the prophetess, Anna, for the live nativity. She was holding baby Jesus!
After seeing the movie, David, Sadie was so excited to get a chapter book based on the story!
The kids played all day on Christmas! They were doing acro yoga in this picture. 🧘♀️
All three of the kids fell asleep on the drive to my brother’s house on Christmas. The sign of a fun day!
My sister holding her son, Gideon, and Dakota! ❤️
I made cupcakes so we could sing happy birthday to Jesus!
Jimmy gave me a really cool DIY candle kit for Christmas! The wax is almost like sand. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve been enjoying playing with it!
We had dinner and did a gift exchange at my sister-in-law’s house on the 26th!
I feel like Sadie resembles Jimmy’s sister a ton in this picture!
After all the Christmas fun, poor Koko went through her first stomach bug on the 27th. I will spare you the details but it was a doozy and she was such a trooper through it.
Is there a better feeling than an organized junk drawer? Since I was home with a sick baby, it was the perfect opportunity to do some organizing! The biggest thing was going through all of our charging cords. We somehow had like ten of the same type of cords, so I decluttered a bunch and labeled them with these handy organizers.
In the evening, we laid Dakota down for bed and played Clue! It was totally over Mordecai’s head but Sadie loved it! Afterwards, we went in the hot tub and relaxed until bedtime.
On the 28th (today as I’m typing this post), Dakota was feeling much better, but Mordecai and I got hit with the stomach bug. Not fun!
The bright spot amidst all the sickness, cleaning, laundry, and caretaking has been this sweet Hello Kitty mug full of Sadie’s flowers from Christmas Eve!
With three out of five of our family members being sick (so far… lol), the past couple of days have been rough. Stomach-related sickness is the worst type of sickness, in my opinion. Especially with kids! I’m so glad we made it through Christmas and all the celebrations while still healthy, though! I’m really looking forward to starting 2026 out happy and healthy around here!
Other Notes and Thoughts 📝
- My new favorite pens! I love the way they write. 🖊️
- Scripture I’m loving: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19 📖
- I’m surprising Sadie with a trip to the nail salon so we can get pedicures together again like we did last year. I can’t wait! 💅
- I saw a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that used rye flour and dried cranberries and now I need to make them!! 🍪
- I’m almost done working through my devotional book! Once I finish it up, I’ll start thinking about my next writing project. 🤔
- We have some fireworks left over from the 4th of July, and I think we will light them off on New Year’s Eve. Jimmy and Sadie plan to stay up all night together and play video games. Mama plans to read and sleep! 😴
It’s Sunday evening as I type up this post! Praying we can have a calm night and no sickness for Jimmy and Sadie. If you can, send prayers our way—we need ’em!
Living My Full Life 