Christmas time!

Christmas time is here! It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. We have busted out the Christmas PJs...decor is up, gifts have been bought...now it is just time to enjoy the season! 

We are really intentional with trying to be more Jesus, less Santa with Christmas. But, just in our daily life, we try to be about more Jesus, less world. But at Christmas time, I don't want the kids to get wrapped up in "me me me!" I want them to be servants of Christ every day, all year long. But Christmas time is a GREAT time to really focus on being servants. There are SO many opportunities to serve at Christmas, because EVERYONE is all about helping others at this time of year. And I LOVE that. 

With the gift giving that comes at Christmas- I just want them to know that Jesus truly is a gift to us. The grace He offers is a precious, perfect gift. It is far better than any gift we could ever get. And so far, Owen gets it! He summed it up perfectly while decorating the tree. He was putting an ornament on that looks like a wrapped gift and he said "Mommy, Jesus is the REAL gift and the best gift there ever will be." My heart about exploded. I was so thankful that he's listening and understanding. I hope he is falling in love with our Savior! 

We've started our 25 day Christmas devotional and I absolutely love it. Each night we have a family devo then we get to hang an ornament on the tree that corresponds with the scripture that was read in the devo. It is such a sweet, spirit filled time with my little family and I treasure it! 

Christmas PJs!! Sweetest brothers.

The boys got to meet Santa! :)

I am looking forward to more meaningful time with my family over the holidays!

Fall Shenanigans!

We had a great Fall around the Kelly house! Owen's soccer season ended right around the time it started to get chilly out, so that was perfect timing. He wants to play again in the spring and I can't wait! I love watching him play, and of course I liked the social hour with the other moms at practices. :)

The first fun thing that *I* did this fall was go to Dallas with some gal pals for a girls weekend & a JEN HATMAKER conference!!! And we got to meet her!! Oh my word. Ok, let me just say this...she is a person that God has used as a tool to reach me to change my life. I could go into so many other details, but I won't. Basically my entire mindset about some things has changed and things have been revealed to me and my life has been turned upside down. No big deal or anything... ;) But in amazing ways, and I am so grateful and so humbled.

Here I am with her crying like an idiot! And blubbering ridiculousness about my love for her and her writing. Seriously. #lame #fail   THANKFULLY, she was all, "awww!! I love you!! Gimme a hug!!" Ummm..you don't have to ask me twice!

I was finally able to get it together and just smile for a picture. She is a PEACH! She really is my new BFF but she's just kinda busy right now...its just hard to stay in touch & stuff...

So after being uplifted, staying in a hotel with friends, staying up late, nice dinner out to eat, shopping & strolling with gal pals, it was back to reality. Whomp whomp. ;) 

So our family kicked off Fall pretty much with Halloween. We had our annual Halloween party at our house and invited our friends over to eat, play and then go trick or treating. It was a blast as usual!

Sweet friends!

Davis, Reed & Owen were Jase, Si & Willie from Duck Dynasty!

Here is the crew with their little duck, Beau :)

Beau sporting his little punkin shirt!

So my iPhone flew off the roof of my car. Lovely. Thankfully this fall 

my hubby gave me a new one for my bday! 

We took advantage of the great fall weather & pretty colors for family pictures! I love them and am so blessed and thankful for my sweet family!

We finally had a free weekend so we loaded up with Michael & Bekah and all the kids and headed to the deer lease! It wasn't quite what we had envisioned. Bekah & I were dreaming about sitting outside in our camp chairs reading books while the kids played. Yeah. Not so much. The weather was LITERALLY freezing. And it was raining all day so we pretty much sat around inside. However, it was still a very relaxing trip and was fun to get away!

 We got a pet! John Louis Kelly. Owen named him. :) 

 

 My cousins have started coming to our house to celebrate Thanksgiving. One family lives in Oklahoma and another lives south of Houston, so our house is about half way. It allows them to see each other and not have to drive so far. And it allows them to see all of us! So I hope it is a tradition that will continue! We had a small Thanksgiving at Michael & Bekah's house. We celebrated with them, her  parents and her grandparents. It was a relaxing day! Mom & Dad drove in late that afternoon from their trip to Disney World with Matt & Jen. So we were glad to get to be with them on Thanksgiving as well.

Cooking with my cousin Carrie!

Beau turned 5 months old on Thanksgiving Day!

After stuffing ourselves, we went on a little hike 

through the back of our neighborhood.

Carrie & Rhonda made Owen the cutest felt tree with ornaments! 

He can decorate it however he wants. He loves it! 

On Thanksgiving night, Bekah & I surprised the kids 

and took them to Santa Land! Beau stayed home with Daddy & Uncle Michael. 

 One Sunday afternoon, our family and many others from our church went to Boles Children's Home to help decorate their campus for Christmas. It was a great day of service! We decorated the front fence & entry gate, several cottages, a Christmas tree in the Admin building and the entire rec center. We had fun while doing it!

Little guys working together to help serve others!

Of course I had to snap a quick pic of Owen in the sled. :)

Spending time serving at Boles Home was a GREAT way to wrap up Fall and an even better way to kick off the Christmas season by serving others! We are so blessed!