'Tis the Season

Popping my head above the waters of chaos to share a couple Christmasy things that have me excited and that I thought you might like as well.

How cute are these antler pillows from Winder & Main?!

They are obviously a great way to bring some Christmas flair to your living room, but how great would they be in a boys' bedroom year round?  Or if you are lucky enough to have a separate den in your home?  So cozy, I just love 'em!

My dear friend, Shannon, sent me the sweetest little canvas as an early Christmas gift.

She has different sizes and options for sale, wouldn't they be great Christmas gifts?  Perfect for the new and seasoned mama alike :) Let me know if you need help getting in touch with her!

Stockings!  When it came time to get stockings for Wade and Holland, I really wanted something that would last, stockings to serve them throughout their childhood.  I was excited when I found some I loved a couple years ago at an embroidery shop in Richmond.

I love a needlepoint stocking, and I think these are just the perfect blend of classic and whimsy.  Exactly my favorite type of design for kids.  They are made by Kelly Rightsell.  For some reason, it looks like her site is not selling them this year, but leave it to Amazon to stock them! (I believe Atlantic Embroidery Works may have a few left this year from last year's stock if you happen to be local in Richmond and in need of a fun stocking!)  There are so many adorable designs.   This will be Mary Graham's first Christmas, so it was fun to pick one out for her this year.

I also came across these cute stockings at TJMaxx.  And only $12/pop!

We just started an Advent book that I am loving.  After seeing it on a friend's Facebook post, I ordered it right away, and we were able to start it just one day late.  (Amazon Prime really is amazing--I ordered it on Sunday and it came on Monday!  And I did not pay extra shipping! All of that to say, if you are like me, and you are always lagging behind, it's never too late to start celebrating Advent.)  We've done the devotionals from Unwrapping the Greatest Gift the past couple of nights, and it's been great.  The language is simple enough that I think (I hope!) my children are able to grasp bits of it, and yet it's also so thoughtfully written that it is just as meaningful to me and Philip.

I have not done a ton of Christmas decorating (I'm blaming it on this incredibly exhausting season of life in which I find myself), but we did get our tree up and decorated (well, the top half…we have a baby who is intent on investigating any and all items within her grasp, so the bottom half of our tree is naked).  I brought out a few other bits of Christmas cheer, like this little pillow from last year's dollar section at Target.

Also, Kevin, our elf…..he's back (and apparently, hungry!).

Kitchen Progress and Christmas Cheer

Well folks, we are t-minus one day away from this little one's due date, and with the exception of this head cold I've been battling (and which seems to only be getting worse :(, I am feeling pretty good. I'm not sure if this means baby plans on staying put for a while (I really couldn't blame him or her--life is crazy in our household these days!), but the good news is we've been chipping away at the to-do list for the house.

Our appliances arrived bit by bit, we eventually got a kitchen sink, and Philip worked tirelessly on putting together our kitchen cabinets.  I am so relieved they are finally all in place.

We lived for a couple weeks with a long cardboard box and plywood for countertops.  While not ideal, do you know that it is actually more irritating to try and open cabinets without any pulls or knobs?  It's the little things, I tell you.  Thankfully, Philip is completing the installation of the pulls and knobs as I type this post!

And while mama and daddy have been busy with kitchen projects, these two little people have gotten quite creative at entertaining themselves.  Who needs actual toys when you have cupcake liners, cute napkins and styrofoam with which to concoct your own baking party?

There was much rejoicing a couple of days ago when our countertops arrived!

While the kitchen is certainly not finished, now that the countertops are in, things certainly feel a lot more functional (Please enjoy this photo of my countertops in a state they will likely never be in again--completely clean and clear).

Our counters are black quartz and our cabinets are Ikea.  I'll do a more detailed post on sources once we  finish everything.  We plan to do open shelving in lieu of upper cabinets, but like many things around here, it's just going to take time.  

It was very satisfying to see Wade and Holland making use of our new kitchen counters in their new Christmas jammies earlier this week :)  Their little feet are my favorite part.

And speaking of Christmas, our decorations are very sparse this year (you know, with all the unpacked boxes surrounding us...), but we've still managed to find some special ways to celebrate the season with our kids.  At 3 and nearly 5 years old, it is so sweet to witness their joy over it all.

Philip's parents ventured into our chaos visited and came along on our tree-hunting adventure.  Wade and Holland loved the little trees.

And their enthusiasm for getting our tree decorated was unmatched.

Nor was the preciousness when they played the part of an angel (her halo fell off mid-performance :) and a lamb in our church's Christmas pageant.

While Grammy was in town (and providing much assistance in Operation Unpack the Worthingtons Before Baby Arrives), she and the kids made Christmas tree rice krispy treats.

And speaking of Grammy, I died over the cuteness of the special Christmas quilts she brought for the kids' beds!  She found them at Steinmart for a steal!

We went to a Christmas Winnie the Pooh performance...can someone please tell me why my daughter looks like a pre-teen here?!

And Philip and I took an evening away from unpacking and kitchen-building for our annual viewing of Four Christmases.  Can I just tell you how much I appreciate Vince Vaughn's ability to make me laugh and forget my troubles?

While our little place still feels rather chaotic, I did finally get some pictures hung in the living room and took the time to create a little space that felt welcoming and cozy to me.

As we anticipate and prepare for Christmas, I hope wherever you are, you feel cozy and welcomed as well :)