Class & Squad Christmas Parties

I'm playing catchup from December. Please bear with me while I document all the events we attended.

Barrett's class party was on the 14th and he randomly asked the week before if his Daddy was going to be there.  He had not planned to take off but he had some extra vacation days so he was able to take off and go with me.  Barrett said they were going to be singing and they recited a cute little poem.  It was so cute.  It was a fun morning with our big boy.  It was also his last day with Ms. Amie because she was due to have her first baby around Christmas and wasn't coming back. 

We have loved her so much and we're going to miss her.  His new teacher is great too so we're excited for the next semester with her too.

That same week my boss got his wife a new maltipoo puppy for Christmas and Barrett wanted to meet her so we went by one afternoon after I picked him up.

This was AveryAnn's reaction every time the puppy had to be out of her sight.  She is obsessed. 

It's really sweet.  They love our dog Ally too but she's old and set in her ways.  She has no interest in playing with them and they wish she would. This puppy thinks they are so much fun to.  They all just play all day long.

On Friday the 15th, we had our First Annual Squad Couples Christmas Party.  We ladies hang out all the time but the guys don't get involved much.  Well this year I threw out the idea to have a couples party and everyone was on board.  We decided to dress up and make it fancy and it was perfect.  Amy and Sean opened their home to us and it was beautiful.  Everyone was able to be there and it was so much fun.  We played games and laughed until we cried.  My face seriously hurt the next day from laughing. (My head also hurt but I'm thinking that was the bottle of dollar store wine I drank ;).)

I love this picture so much.  There's something about raising babies together that makes the most genuine friendships.  We're looking forward to more couples nights out with this crew.  (Also it's kind of funny that our kids are what brought us together but now we probably hang out without them more than with them)  

Our Squad, or tribe or village or whatever you want to call them. 

This was the first time I'd really dressed up since I had my breast reduction and it was so crazy to wear a dress and not have to worry about too much cleavage showing or my bra straps or wearing a sweater because it just showed too much.  I was so happy (and probably talked about it way to much.)

I looked the best in the group shot that some of the boys were misbehaving in so I just cropped everyone out. It works since Patrick and I didn't get a picture of the two of us.

We had the best time!  I'll be honest, Patrick did not want to go.  He was like yall have so much fun without us guys, why do we have to go.  But he said it was fun and he was glad he went.

3rd Birthday Playdate

Barrett's birthday playdate was so successful last year we decided to do the same thing this year.  I teamed up with Jessica since Barrett and Jackson's birthdays are only 3 days apart and they have all of the same friends.  This year was extra special because Santa came!

We had it at my parents house because they have more room and I love the cabin/lodge feel especially this time of year.  We tried not to go crazy with food or decorations and I think it turned out perfect!

We had brunch.  I originally wanted doughnuts but when I got to the place the morning of the party they didn't have any so I got doughnut holes instead and they actually worked better for the kiddos.  Well I say they worked better...the kiddos could sneak them off the table more easily.

Love this one of the boys.  Jackson's face is like "hey guys, why are yall standing there?  There's toys in this room!" 

My sweet babies and me.

Barrett was not a huge fan of Santa.  Luckily Santa is a pro and knew how to get the kids to warm up to him. 

This might be my favorite picture from the whole day.  If you can talk cars you're alright in Barrett's book.

Both of the birthday boys.

These are the best outtakes of trying to get 8 boys 3 and under to pose for a picture with Santa.

Barrett was having none of it.

I love it.

This is one of the best ones.  I don't even know why Barrett was so mad but he was and therefore we got zero good group pictures.

I love this one of the birthday boys playing trucks with Santa.

He has started doing this face for pictures and I don't know where it came from.  It cracks me up.

Of course Ally had to get in the picture too.

Can you tell these boys were ready for cupcakes?

 

Sneaking a bite while we were singing.

 

Love this picture of my sweet friends.  We've had so much fun together with these girls and their boys.

 

It was such a fun morning celebrating our boys.  Thanks to everyone for coming and my Parents for letting us trash their house.

 

 

 

Weekend Review

We had a jam packed weekend from Friday morning all the way through till Sunday evening (and I'm adding in today's excitement too).

Friday morning was Barrett's birthday playdate.

Friday night we headed to my parents house for the annual gingerbread house building competition.  We were all uninspired and it showed.

This little stinker kept trying to eat the candy off my house.

These are John's, mine (in the back) and Hope's. They were only okay, but we still had fun.

Saturday morning I was so excited to sleep late and my phone rang at 6:00, it was a number I didn't recognize so I ignored it.  Then it kept ringing and ringing.  I finally answered it,  Patrick was calling from work to tell me he'd left his phone at home.  I could have killed him.  But I went ahead and got up to try to get some things done around the house.  

For lunch we headed to the Horton's to celebrate Melissa's birthday.  We had lunch and cake and then Barrett and I had to run.

We were headed to celebrate Jackson's 2nd birthday.  These four were showing their age.  Barrett was being so mean I thought we were going to have to leave early.  But we all survived.

After Jackson's party we headed home to get ready for the Slovensky family Christmas party.  My cousin Ryan and his wife Natalie hosted us in their home.  (Yes the cousin that just had a baby 12 days ago). 

I bought these leather looking leggings last week and decided to wear them.  I was taking a picture to send to Brittany.  I thought it was funny.

I didn't take any pictures really.

I love this picture of Me and Barrett and Ryan and Hudson.  

Sunday I got up and went to Mass.  I came home and took a nap.

After nap time, we met John and Hope and Matt and Jennifer and went to the Festival of Lights at Oak Mountain.  It was fun.  We weren't all that impressed but Barrett enjoyed it.

After the lights we grabbed some Mexican food.

We came home and got ready for bed.  Before bed we watched Home Alone.  Barrett actually sat and watched it with me.  I loved the snuggle time.

We worked today and then we went to the hospital to meet Baby Olivia.  Lorie had another rockstar labor and delivery.  Kristen and I headed over after work.  (For the record Barrett is still scared of elevators.  Kristen thought I was being dramatic until Barrett started crying before we even got on one.)

And then this happened...and I melted.

He kept saying "Baby, Baby".  He tried to poke her in the eyes but Lorie said that was only fitting since Elise slapped Barrett on his day of birth.  It was a sweet time.  Barrett and Elise played and played.  Elise was the most precious big sister.   I just love these pictures Joseph sent me.  He was so sweet to send them so quickly.  Olivia looks just like Elise (and Joseph).  It's been a whirlwind weekend.  We've got one more day of work this week and then it's Christmas.  It's really snuck up on me.  (I still have more shopping left to do than I care to admit.)

Weekend Review

I guess it's time to get on with the weekend review.

Barrett was running a fever last week with a really snotty nose so we found our selves at the doctors office Tuesday morning.  It was just a virus and he's feeling better now. This is the face I get when I won't let him call people on my phone.
Most exciting thing from the week... my cousin and his wife had their baby!  They didn't find out what they were having so it was so exciting to hear they have a beautiful baby boy.  I can't believe we are parents and I can't wait to see our boys playing the lake together.  The baby is so tiny.  I can't wait for Barrett to meet him.  Since he'd been sick this week I left him behind when I went to visit. My sweet friend Anna kept him and she said he and Drake were so much fun together.  One of her good friends ended up stopping by while he was there with her baby and Anna said that Barrett just loved her.   He passed out on the way home.  He played hard. We had a busy weekend.  Saturday around lunch we headed to Patrick's cousins house for a fun little sock exchange party.  The highlight was meeting their new baby pig, Bella.  Oh my goodness she was adorable.  She loved me and Barrett liked her as long as I wasn't holding her.  I think he was a little jealous.
She was the cutest thing ever.  She sleeps in a crate and is litter box trained.  She let me hold her forever and then when I put her down and I sat in the floor she came over to me and wanted me to pick her up.  They started calling me the pig whisperer.
That's all the pictures I took and I'm sad about it.  Saturday night we went to Patrick's work Christmas dinner.  It was so much fun and then we headed to Marion's house to celebrate her 30th birthday.  My friends are turning 30, this seems a little premature but whatever time.  Barrett stayed with my parents Saturday night and was rotten for church Sunday.  He was the worst behaved he's ever been in his entire life.  It was rough.  But after a long Sunday afternoon nap he was in a better mood.  I can't believe there's only one weekend until Christmas.  Ours is jam packed from Friday morning until Sunday evening. I'm looking forward to it.  

Supper Club Christmas Party

Last night my boss hosted their supper club at their home and invited Patrick and I to join.  They always have a big crowd for Christmas.  Everyone brings their kids that are home from college and we play dirty Santa.  Last year I got my awesome Snuggie.  A good time was had by all.  I took a tic-tac-toe shot glass game.  I thought it was cool (i'm not sure anyone else did).   I got a really cute picture frame and was pretty excited about it.  We have one more Christmas party tonight.  I'm not sure I'm going to make it.  I'm so tired.  I'm not used to staying up this late so many nights in a row!  Luckily I have a pretty laid back office.

Ally was scared while we were playing Dirty Santa so Daddy protected her. 

Jordan was sweet to steal his mom's gift so she could have these cute gloves and a purse she wanted. 

One of the hit gifts.  Vintage sodas and a silly straw.  Other noteables (in case your looking for a hit gift for a party)  Shake Weight, Movie tickets, and gift cards (Target, Starbucks, and iTunes).

Ally got to go with us and she loves their toy box (for their dogs).  She was in the box trying to find the biggest bone they had!