christmas eve & christmas day!!!

This year for Christmas, the littles were at their mom's so we had more of an adult-style Christmas. Mom came over on Christmas Eve and she and Meggie went to Darrah's after we did prezzies (Richard and I went to go see Del and Terri). We had a glorious Christmas feast once we got to D's (I LOVE STUFFING AND GREEN BEANS, OMGAH) and opened prezzies. Afterwards, mom came back to our house to spend the night (!) so she, R and I could wake up and do Christmas morning together. It was so chill and fun!

Like, seriously!? Side note: this fish did not make it to Christmas Even dinner at Darrah's because we both forgot to bring it, but! He made it Christmas evening anyway and it was the most delicious shit I've ever eaten in my life. We sat on the couch and ate it right off the baking sheet and I was a better person after we were through. ;) 

JUJU THE FORK.

Richard with his "bag of (candy and plushie) dicks" 

OK, so serious, Richard made the most epic Christmas breakfasts in the history of Christmas breakfasts. Chocolate chip waffles! Scramby eggs! Bacon! Potatoes O'Brien! Complete with morning alcohol! YUM YUM YUM. 

Playing with BB8!

Even though we're backlit as hell, I like this picture. :)

EATING THE ALSDKJFLKJ FISH.

Feelin' my new jammies!

I mean, obviously. :)

Not pictured: 

- Meghan walking around on her SUPER STILTS, courtesy of Juju.

- The best "mom gifts" ever: a bra bag to wash bras in the laundry, a bra carrier for traveling and a dashboard duster for my car, haha!

- The gorgeous snow-globe D got for me, and the "Chip" mug (Beauty and the Beast!) that Meggie got for me!!!

- Richard and I watching "Bad Santa" Christmas Eve and laughing so so much. :)

- Going to see Del and her being so adorable! "Why does Richard have all those tattoos on his arms?" "Because it makes it easier for him to not go missing, duh!" "Well that's a nice way of looking at it!"

- Pamplemosas, the name designated for my version of mimosas: grapefruit juice, champagne and sparkling strawberry-flavored water, haha.

- Having December 26th off and sleeping until noon, watching KUWTK in the living room before R came home. :)

december, part 2! (without littles)

A Sunday with CJ at his new downtown apartment!

On the rooftop of his new place... I wanted to get a selfie with Pegasas in the background... and you can barely see it, haha.

It's been so chilly which is JUST SO DARN LOVELY.

Existenial Puppy is very important to me (and requires video since a photo just doesn't capture the turtleneck well, haha)

R stumbled upon a mashed potato recipe with BLUE CHEESE AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND HOW DID I MARRY THIS GUY?! 

Me, a professional wine drinker. ;)

The picture I used for my gift, haha (I'm sure I posted this before but worth repeating, obvs.)

HILARY VISIT, EEEE! We picked her and Zach up from the airport and 10pm on Friday and they spent the night. It was... just the best. :)

Some of my recent make-up acquisitions thanks to my bonus gift card and HILARY BEING AN ANGEL. 

Making dinner for Hilary, Zach + Betsy and James who came to pick them up!

Very artistic, obvs.

Why document buttered bread? WHY NOT.

Our gingerbread hoose! I had a wild hair to pick one up on the way to the airport, considering the last time we made a gingerbread train was 10 freaking years ago, what the heck. :)

Lobster mac n' cheese, cauliflower and toasty breads!

I like this one because James looks annoyed at me taking all the pictures, haha.

The honestly reminds me of a Renaissance painting, hahaha.

Getting ready for Debbie and Aaron's party after the Collins Crew left... whew!

ASHLEE WAS HERE.

Not pictured:

- Shopping for my own Christmas gifts this year (jammie upgrades and gorgeous green coat, thanks to Hilary's suggestion, all from J. Crew) because some Christmases you just have to make things easy and exciting and that's ok. 

- Going to see The Shape of Water on a TUESDAY, WHAT IS (kid-free) LIFE

- Watching Broad City, Tiffany Haddish and Michelle Wolfe with Hilary while we lounge and make our gingie-bread hoose :)

- In a true 2017 role-refersal... all the boys (Zach, Richard and James) in the kitchen with R cooking while the ladies (me, Hilary and Betsy) watch "I Will Never Be Your Woman" in the living room, teehee

- Learning I need to plan ahead on what I would like to do when the kids aren't here for more than a weekend because changes like that are weird!

And after the cut is a million more pictures of Hilary and I because I never get to see her or be in pictures with her and we looked adorable in all of them so I WANNA KEEP THEM FOREVER. :) 

december: round 1! (with littles)

Sadie getting her turn with the big rocket! (Actually happened Thanksgiving weekend but WHATEVER)

Me getting into the TimeHop app, haha.

3 car hit-and-run after getting Sadie to the eye doctor one Monday. :( No one was hurt, thanks goodness, but Sadie and I waited TWO HOURS for the police to NOT SHOW UP. UGH.

Emily's school project, which is legit AMAZING.

I MEAN, REALLY.

Our own Santa picture at the yearly Hesse Party! :)

Donut sweatshirt and cookie scarf!!!

I told R to get the train up and running this year, which was met with gusto. He and R3 had a blast getting it together!!! (There's a bigger video on my harddrive with the full set-up but here's a clip below!)

Sadie's first band concert! We got pants specially tailored and e'erything!

Not impressed we had to sit on the floor of the junior high gym, haha.

Emily, fingering along/reliving her youth. ;P

and Mema was came!

(Pic to prove I was actually there too, haha)

A final goodbye to my amazing hair/outfit that day, RIP.

Snuggling with Sadie on the last morning before they went to their mom's for 13 days!!!

Not pictured:

- Sadie loosing her bike lock, ughhhh.

- R and I going to see Ladybird and LOVING IT!!!

- Getting all the kids new clothes... me with Sadie, R with R3, and Meghan with Emily. WHAT A JOURNEY. (I needed R and R3 to go with me to give me the patience to deal with Sadie's particular brand of shopping, haha)

- A million work parties (pictures on my big hard-drive, who wants to remember work parties in the long run, lolz)

2017 family santa picture!

Easily our greatest Santa picture yet!!! The kids were bickering and griping the entire way up there, but after all these years they know when to shut up and smile for DAD'S FAVORITE PICTURE, hahaha.