December 3

I had 2 photo sessions today - my last 2 of the season, I hope! It was cold, though, so I was glad I spent all day crafting these custom mittens:

These are upcycled sweater mittens of my own design! Actually, I found a tutorial for making fleece-lined mittens using an old sweater, and I modified them to include slits so that my index finger could poke out for picture taking, as well as removable thumb caps. 

I also made a matching hat. 

You know, because matching.

They worked like a charm, and were maybe even a bit *too* warm!

Eli and I also squeezed in some snuggles in the ring sling I borrowed from our BWI lending library. It's pretty nice!

And then the kids spent some time decorating their little trees. They were beyond happy. The trees are a funny thing, because they are something I would never have bought for my children. My mom got them a few years ago, and I thought they were ridiculous. Still, I indulged her, because that's what we do. But I tell you what: my mama knows what is up. The children love these trees so fiercely, and are so excited to get them out each year! 

Mom bought them when Lily was a baby, so she got a red one for Caleb, a pink one for Daisy, and a white one for Lily. Last year, Eli was too young to care that he didn't have one, but this year he wanted one. Daisy's new favorite color is green, so she gave Lily her pink tree, Eli got Lily's white tree, and I bought Daisy a new green tree. 

And now the kids are over the moon about their own little trees, complete with colorful lights. (You know, because Chris and I prefer white lights on the house and the big tree.)

Tree decorating is serious work!

Sweet little Daisy hand print!

And a Lily foot print! I think we made those in the church nursery the year Lily was born, and Chris and I were the ones who painted each little baby foot and stamped the paper with them.

He is not quite two, but Eli was very serious about his tree-decorating.

Each kid has a bag of special ornaments for their tree. Eli only has one or two ornaments, compared to Caleb's 8 gajillion, but that's ok. He has a few years to acquire more.

As soon as Eli had his tree decorated, he immediately began un-decorating it. Those darned ball ornaments are all over my house.

Caleb's tree has so. many. ornaments.

*DUMP*

Kidding. He didn't dump them yet. That came later.

Sweet baby Lily hand! It was only three years ago, but look at how much smaller it was!

Lily was so tickled with her baby hand print!

The kids sat there for an hour, just admiring their trees.

Lily helped Eli with his decorating.

Caleb's tree can barely support the weight of all of his ornaments. Is there even a tree in there? I don't know.

I think Lily is the child most enamored of her tree. She is so happy about it!