Right before Christmas, we met up with our friends at the Manito Park fireplace for hot chocolate, charades, marshmallows, snacks and carolling. We had the best time hanging out until way past dinnertime!

One of the first things we did upon arriving home was cut down a Christmas tree. We had to hike quite a ways in to find "the one." And even then, I had resigned myself to being a little less picky this year than in years past because I continually felt like a better tree was just around the next bend. Our tree felt like a bit of a settle, but once we got her home and in the house, I was very impressed with her! She's a beauty! Holly was a total champ and hiked that tree out with Conor. I'm so proud of her and so grateful!

This year's ornaments are green felt stockings with a bit of bead work.

And here she is in all her decorated glory!

I'm definitely on the other side of this pregnancy. I'm thankful for that and also panicking a little because this baby boy doesn't seem quite real! In the new year I'm going to do some intentional nesting to hopefully help get my mind ready for having a baby. Generally, I'm sore and uncomfortable. This has been a really hard pregnancy and it seems that the hard isn't letting up. Treehouse is transverse and has been for as long as I've been able to identify body parts and hiccups. This makes me a little anxious. I hope he turns in the next few weeks. My hips and pelvis and thoracic spine are so sore all the time. I think I would feel better physically if he were to move to a head down position, but who knows? He's happy, healthy and busy in my stomach. I'm very curious about this little guy and what he'll look like and what his personality will be like. Really praying I can make it through these last weeks with some amount of grace!

For our Christmas Sunday Church, we acted out the nativity for Grandparents (via zoom). Conor wrote a beautiful script complete with music. My girls helped me think of costumes. We went through the Nativity Story and then took turns telling each other what the birth of Christ means to us personally. For me, it was a beautiful way to worship the Sunday before Christmas.

Some loving moments with Nana and Papa JJ...