CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES + A HOUSE UPDATE!

Hi friends, long time no chat! I miss you all...I feel like I'm out of the blogging loop! I have so many random updates to share today since it's been a bit since I've given an update. We closed on our new house last week (yay!) and got possession of it right away, so we have been slowly moving things over each day. Our first official night in the new house will be this Friday (!!!), if all goes according to plans. The painters are almost finished at this point, so once they do I will do a whole post sharing before and after pictures with the paint colors we used! I was going to do just a post with before pictures, but I figured since it's almost all done I might as well wait to do just one post with the befores & afters.

But for now...here is a picture of the entry way hallway and our backyard! It's amazing what a little paint + wainscoting can do! We still have to switch out the hardware on the doors (to bronze) and paint the front interior door black, but it is coming along and we are loving it so much...

Can't wait to show you the console table I got for this space (and to style it!)

Already looking forward to watching the sunrise + sunset from this room!

In the midst of the packing madness, we are still trying to take the kids to fun Christmas events (like Breakfast with Santa and to the Christmas lights at the Columbus Zoo-pics below!) to try to keep things as normal as we can for them, so every minute of everyday has been filled. The holiday season is busy as it is for everyone, but add in moving and I know that I wouldn't be functioning without many cups of coffee and then I'm ready for bed at 8pm. Make that 7pm.

 Cam followed Santa around the restaurant (three times) before meeting him, so we thought for sure he would be all smiles when meeting him but he was strictly business! Garage truck, please! And he threw in a Merry Christmas too ;) All Grayson cared about was that no one stole that sucker that was in his hand. 

(Seeing the reindeer and riding the carousel were their favorite parts this year!)

AND a bunch of other random updates...

+I took these pictures in our yard last week and I seriously started tearing up! All of the memories in this yard...big sigh. I know I will be thankful to have these when we're older.

+Kona got her last round of puppy shots last week! She is 14 pounds now and the boys are still crazy about her. Girlfriends loves to chew (their books especially) so if anyone has any great bones for puppies that you would recommend, pass them along (we did try the bitter apple spray which seems to help a little bit!)

+I'm also working on planning Camden's THIRD!! birthday party, which will be a construction theme. When I asked him what he wanted for his party, he said backhoe! bulldozers! Not surprised by this in the least... :)

+I got hooked on the TV series Shameless on Netflix. This doesn't help things you have a shit ton of packing to get done.

Phew. Only one more week of pure crazy with the move and then I'll have some fun house posts (and others) coming your way! Thanks for sticking with me you guys and still reading. Hope you all had a great weekend!