december blessings.

<a href="http://cait-theblessedlife.blogspot.com/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdi8bhLnqwQCARE-R7S_Ab32byJbJk4Uc52n9kJQdHfQPq2IKoS47u3cgOrBHV5qPQUOKCLR3EersUwR4AMjREvf2WZzsuPviERs0df2mXCa1BhR2JJungPyWre-0NuSSTNrETuq_FSY/s320/the+blessing+box+10.jpg" width="320"></a>

I'm hosting with Natalie, Beth Ann, and Jordan to share the blessings

God has placed in our paths during the week.

(One.) I'm blessed by this sweet girl's zest for life.  There's not a moment that goes by that she's not taking it all in and squealing with delight.

(Two.) I'm blessed by impromptu, unplanned memories that will last a lifetime.  Adeline went to bed early the other night because of no nap.  It was a snowy night and we got the urge to go ahead and put up the tree.  We had started putting up the tree and I decided we would get it up just to the point of where Adeline could add some ornaments when she got up.  She decided to wake up at 10 pm and wouldn't go back to sleep.  So what did we do? We decorated the tree, baked cookies, and set up the manger!

 

(Three.) I'm beyond blessed to spend my days with my favorite girl.  You just never know what kinda of shenanigans may happen.

(Four.) I'm blessed knowing that my little one will grow up knowing a church is a family.  That God's house is a place of love, laughter, grace and fellowship.  A place that propels us to go out and love on people like crazy in His name.

 

(Five.)  I'm blessed with these two.  I'm daily overwhelmed by His goodness that shines through these two.  This family.

(Six.)  I'm blessed that I still have my grandparents on my Mom's side in my life.  That Adeline has two great-grandparents to love and learn from.  We spent Monday afternoon (Adeline still in her Christmas jammies) with my mom at my grandparents' eating lunch (my Grandma is the best cook) and helping them decorate their tree.  The joy this brought them and the memories added to our Christmases because of this day are priceless.

image by Adeline

I'm also linking up with [the good life blog] today for the virtual Christmas Pajama Party.

We would love to have you join us! All GOOD things come from above...how has God blessed you recently? Make sure to grab the box at the top and link-up with us today!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

 

Joy to the world!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours...

May you have a blessed time celebrating the birth of our Savior!

Christmas Blog Swap! (Link-up)

It is officially Christmas time!!

I am so excited about celebrating the birth of our Savior, decorating the house, participating in all the fun traditions, and experiencing all the joys of this season with our sweet Adeline!

As if that isn't enough reason to be excited... you now have one more thing to get excited about!

Some of my amazing bloggy friends turned "real-life" friends and I are going to host a fun
Christmas Blog Swap this year!!

Who we are:

Me here at The Blessed Life
Allie @ Living the Adventures
Mallorie @ Happy Home
Natalie @ Extraordinary Love
Beth @ My Life More Abundant

Details:

-One the link-up is over, we will pair you up with another blogger and contact you so that you all can get the mailing info you need

-Anyone in the U.S. is welcome to join (if you are not in the US and would like to participate please email one of us- if there are others out of the country that email us, we will pair you up)

-$10 spending limit- anything Christmas-y :) 

-Link up! (You will be contacted by one of us with your partner in this swap)

-Ship gift no later than December 10th

-After you receive your package we will host another link up from December 11th-17th where you can post all of the goodies you received!!
-Most of all, HAVE FUN

and ...

The more the MERRIER!

Feel free to grab the picture above to add to your blog to get the word out.
Don't forget to link-up!

MERRY (EARLY) CHRISTMAS!

Adeline's First Christmas!

This Christmas was a special one, for sure! We were busy, busy with traditions and time with family early in the week.  It was a joy-filled time and so fun having a little one to celebrate with.  Here is a very brief overview with a few of the gobs of pictures taken!

One of our traditions is to go see the play A Christmas Carol the week before Christmas at a local theater here.  Even though Adeline couldn't go to the play, she did go out to eat with everyone to Macaroni Grill before her daddy took her home and I went to the play.  (This was her first time away from me for more than an hour!)

Christmas Eve Eve was spent at my parents eating pizza and exchanging gifts with just us, my parents, and my little brother.  Adeline spent most of her time asleep amidst the gift-opening!

Christmas Eve Eve night we read some Christmas classics at bedtime and Adeline wore her first pair of Christmas pajamas.

Christmas Eve was spent at my grandpa's house for his annual Christmas Eve breakfast and then went to my grandparents' for our Dollar Gift tradition. 

she got hot in her Christmas attire and had to strip down :)

trying to rock a Santa hat--it didn't quite fit right ;)

one of his favorite gifts

That night we went to Justin's Aunt's and Uncle's for dinner.  (We usually go to our church's midnight Christmas Eve service but decided not to this year with a newborn.)

with cousins

with her only first cousins (Hadley, Gentry, and Cooper)

a little too much Christmas Eve by this point ;)

Christmas Eve night was when we opened gifts between our little family of three! Justin and I didn't exchange gifts but Adeline did some shopping. ;)

love those wide eyes, chubby cheeks, and sweet belly

a new L.L. Bean shaving kit!

Adeline got me a charm bracelet with her birthstone--LOVE it!

Santa came for Adeline and Boone on Christmas morning! Usually Adeline wakes up fussing, ready to eat immediately.  She must have known it was Christmas morning, because she woke up around 7 as happy as can be and stayed that way throughout our time at home that morning before being ready to eat breakfast.

with their stockings

happy girl with her gifts!

Our next stop was at my parents' for Santa's stop there.

Next, we went to my grandparents'!

handmade/DIY gifts--earring holder for my aunt!

sleepy girl

Our next stop was Justin's parents for Christmas!

asleep among the busynes

with her cousin, Cooper

 And our final stop was back at my parents' for Christmas night dinner and finishing our gift-opening from earlier in the day.  (Justin and I grew up a few miles from each other and my grandparents live next door to my parents'...so all this back and forth isn't so bad! ;)

We had a wonderful first Christmas with Adeline!