Christmas Recap

We had big plans the week before Christmas to do all things Christmasy...we got to do a few of the agenda items, but some got cut this year because Bryson got sick with RSV and double ear infection. :( Poor baby.. you would have never known he was sick because he was still his happy self (for the most part). I just knew because he was having difficulty breathing, runny nose, not eating much... SO, I took him to the urgent care center and sure enough.. he tested positive for RSV and she said, he had two really nasty ear infections. BOO!!! He got antibiotics for the ear infections, but the rest had to play out. He wanted all the snuggles and wouldn't let me put him down (which I was okay with). I LOVE snuggles. I just wanted him to feel better.

We had the best Christmas this year! Both the older kids were so very excited and it was Bryson's first Christmas. On Christmas Eve, we did a few last minute stops early in the morning. Kinsley, Witten and I made frosted sugar cookies and decorated them. We had such a good time. Beau was wrapping presents while we were doing cookies. Bryson switched from playing and watching Beau to sitting in the kitchen with us.

Later that night, we went to dinner and to look at Christmas lights. It was a fun night. Once we got home, the kids sprinkled their reindeer food in the lawn, put cookie and milk out for Santa, carrots out for the reindeer, got into their Christmas pjs and we read Twas The Night Before Christmas. It was so fun being with family and Bryson hearing the story for the first time.

The kids went to bed and Beau and I got to work being elves. It took a lot longer to get everything finished than we anticipated. We FINALLY got to bed at 4 am!!!! Yikes! The kids got up at 7 for the day. We opened gifts, had donuts and they played outside on their new play set. It was a BIG hit! I think they spent the entire day on that thing.

We got the house picked up a bit and all of my family came over for lunch. Anthony prepared beef fajitas and all the fixings. I had some desserts laying out...

The kids had so much fun being outside on the play set, eating at the picnic table and enjoying the mild to warm temps! So glad the weather was nice for them to play, but it doesn't feel quite like Christmas when it's in the 70s.

We opened gifts and played with some toys and just had some fun relaxing. Everyone left and Beau and I got everything ready to go to his brother's house--Casey and Tanya. We ate more food (haha), opened gifts and played with some more toys. The kids had SOOO much fun together.

We got home late, took baths and went to bed. It was a fun Christmas and we are so sad to see it go, however; we did make the very most out of the season!

Merry Christmas From The Dyers!

Today is one of my favorite days of the year! I love to light a Christmas candle, play some Christmas music, light and fire and have a cozy morning inside. On Christmas Eve Eve we normally go to dinner and to look at Christmas lights. The excitement is stirring in our home, the kids can't wait until Christmas morning! 

This year we included a picture of our family of five, a picture of our three kiddos and one of Bryson alone because it is his first Christmas. 

From our family to yours, we hope you have a Merry Christmas!

XOXO

Christy

Friends Annual Christmas Party (Favorite Things) 2016

This past Wednesday night I hosted our annual Christmas party! Each year we decide on a date, what we will exchange, everyone brings a dish and we have loads of fun. Some years it is just the four of us with our kids and some years there are more of us. Most of the time we choose just to do the four of us. We have all been friends since middle school and it's fun and easier to chat and catch up.

Over the years, we have done ornament exchanges, two gifts to exchange, etc. This year we decided that everyone would bring a favorite item for everyone. Each girl brought the same item to give to everyone. It was so much fun! Each child also brought a gift to exchange. We drew numbers and they chose the gift in order and had the option of trading if they wanted to.

Kinsley chose this art set as her gift and was hoping so bad that she got her gift and got to keep it. haha... Lucky her, she chose number 1, so she picked her gift and kept it. She was THRILLED and played with it most of the night. haha.

Witten's favorite part of the night was getting a Batman shaving set. :) He kept asking if he could go take a bath during the party. He just couldn't wait to shave. haha. So the minute everyone left, he was undressed and in the bath. For the gift exchange, Witten got a Spider Man Beanie and a candy cane full of Rolos.

The elves must have loved the kid's gifts too. haha..... We woke up this morning to this!

On Monday, Bryson was diagnosed with RSV and double ear infection... :( So he didn't join in the fun, he was fast asleep upstairs. Poor little guy, didn't feel good... Everyone was wanting to see him, but he just couldn't hang. The kids were all so loud, having fun and playing, but Bryson slept right through it.

I provided drinks (Ho, Ho punch, Wine, Peach tea, water, diet coke and juice for the kids), some appetizers and a few desserts. The others brought different appetizers to add to what I already had. (I did not get a picture of my drinks station). (The Ho Ho Punch is 1 bottle of champagne, 1 bottle of ginger ale and 2 pkgs frozen strawberries.) We also had macaroni casserole, fruit and veggie tray & meat & cheese tray.

Cream cheese, caramel dip, Ritzies, Christmas popcorn

I had my drinks setup in the butler's pantry, the appetizers spread out on the big counter in my kitchen and the desserts were on the island.

Here are the items I received during the favorite things: Wine, Starbucks, Body Splash, and Dry Shampoo! How fun. I gave out these Sephora face masks as my favorite thing.

We get so busy throughout the year and this is such a fun way to spend time together, catching up and enjoying each other's company. The kids always have the best time too. Another successful Christmas party in the books. The fail of the night was not getting a picture of all of us together! **Thanks to Beau for helping me get everything ready!

Our Favorite Christmas Traditions

Can you believe Christmas is in 5 days??? I still feel like I have a lot to do....
Here we go... traditions.

We leave milk and cookies for Santa.......


We LOVE to send and receive Christmas cards.... a picture of our card this year (not the best picture).

We decorate our house for Christmas... here is the outside of ours. My husband always does such a great job on the outside!

We welcome our elf, Jolly! The kids love it... this year he brought a friend, Sparkle!

The kids get a set of new Christmas pajamas (or 10 sets :))......

We wrap our favorite Christmas books for advent. The kids take turns choosing one each night and we read it around the Christmas tree. 

Pictures with Santa... we go to the same Santa every year! 2016

Bryson's first Santa picture. He was really studying Santa. :) 2016

2016

Just for fun are Santa pics throughout the years... I have each one framed and put them out each year. The kids love looking at them and so do we. :) I also have a cute little sign sitting out that reads: Santa Is Watching... :) 

2011

Kinsley's 1st Christmas!

2012

Witten's 1st Christmas! This year Kinsley wasn't so happy to see Santa & Witten doesn't know what to think! haha... 

We decided to get Witten's picture taken by himself since it was his first Christmas. This was taken at the Gaylord. 

2013

This year I decided to do pajama pictures--they are gonna love me for this one day! Witten isn't so sure this year about Santa! This is also the year we decided we would come back to this Santa each year. 

2014

2015

Letters to Santa... this year he wrote them back! Kinsley keeps writing him back and she got one back the other day. She was thrilled!!!! :) I am assuming someone writes back from the post office. 

We make a glass blown ornament... it started out just the two of us and we started including the kids. They love it and get to pick the colors, etc. Witten was too afraid to go near the fire, so he watched from afar. :)

Gingerbread Houses are always on our list..... it's always so much fun!

The Southlake Tree Lighting is always fun too.....

The Parade of Lights in Fort Worth! This year we took my three nieces with us... it was crazy, but we had fun!

Carriage Ride through Highland Park.. one of my favorites!

This year we got elfed... the kids were so very excited! We elfed someone from our neighborhood. It's kind of like the Boo'ed during Halloween. This was elf'ed and it is between our neighborhood.. so fun! The friend/neighbor that elf'ed us thought of each child individually, Bryson too! It was fun. 

Baking sweet treats... this picture is from last year (we haven't baked ours yet this year).

An annual Christmas Party with a few of my friends since middle school... sometimes we add more friends and sometimes it's just the four of us. We have done a gift exchange, ornament exchange... this year we are doing a favorite things theme.... Now that we have kids, we do a gift exchange for them too. It's a fun night to get together, chat, eat, drink and have fun. This picture is from a couple years ago. We have been doing this just about every year since 2001.

We drive and look at nights just about every single night... but this house is one of our very favorite houses! We keep hoping to drive by one night when the Grinch is out. The kids absolutely love seeing the Grinch on the screen (it looks real). 

The kids sing in the Christmas program at church. 

Witten had his preschool Christmas program. 

Kinsley had her dance performance (nothing big, just a small preview). 

We do the Live Nativity every year and afterwards they have petting zoo, bounce houses, food trucks, hot cocoa... It is one of our favorite traditions. Sadly, my I didn't take many pictures this year. I was holding Bryson. :) I posted a picture from the year before of us on the trailer. 

We always do something different... One year we stayed the night at the Gaylord and did all the activities, last year we did the Polar Express Train, this year we did Rudolph at the Bass Hall. 

Here are a few from last year of our trip to the Gaylord:

Those are just a few of our many traditions during Christmas!