This Unfamiliar Road

Wow y'all...it's been a busy month! December is always crazy with holiday gatherings, decorating, crafts, baking, shopping, and wrapping gifts!
I feel fortunate that most of our time has been spent with family and friends...that's what the season is all about :)

We kicked off the Christmas season by attending an annual Christmas PJ party at the Chiodo's home! Pee Wee's Christmas Special and peppermint mochas were the highlights of the evening :)



We ventured to Kinsey Family Farms to get our Christmas tree. I love this beautiful nursery, and the family-friendly atmosphere and activities!




After a short nap for all, we got to decorating the tree! Peyton was super excited to put the ornaments on, but chickened out when it came to the tree topper!





The annual "Ciwcle Party" was lots of fun! We all agreed that the tone of this party has drastically changed since the first one...maybe the 5 kiddos in attendance has something to do with it!



Of course, we couldn't get through the season without a visit to see Santa! This guy is the real deal, y'all (and the same one that I visited when I was a child...and he hasn't aged AT ALL)!

Peyton was super excited, and her normal social, bubbly self. Eliza slept through it all. Overall, no complaints here :)


I hope you are all enjoying your season as much as we are!

Recently, Ben participated in his first BBQ competition! He has become more involved in competition grilling over the past year (yes, this is something you can compete in!) and has really grown to love it.

After months of preparation and practice, competition weekend finally arrived! It was very hectic, and I don't think any of us realized just how much was involved. Ben and his team spent days setting up, and pulled an all-nighter to be ready for a 9:00am turn in on Saturday.




 The team entered wings, ribs, chicken, pork, and sauce. Ben repeatedly said that for his very first competition, he would be thrilled to place in the top 10 of any category.
So imagine our surprise when his team won FIRST place for sauce!
Keep in mind that in this category, the team was competing against both backyard and professional grillers, including folks who have bottled sauces that are sold in stores!


 


I am so proud of my husband for working hard to prepare for competition. I think this win just fueled the fire (so to speak....) to prepare for the next one and figure out a way to bottle and sell that award-winning sauce!



Happy Grillin' :)

It's hard to believe, but it's time for another Bean update. This little babe is growing fast!


Eating: Every 3 hours on average. Of course, at this age, the growth spurts are pretty frequent!

Sleeping: Things have definitely improved in this area! Eliza typically goes 4 1/2 hours between feeds at night, and settles right back down after eating. We've moved her to her own room and her habits have become a bit more routine now. Last night, she slept from 8pm-5:30am!

 Stats: 24 inches long (97% ile) and 12lb, 12oz (80% ile). Eliza is wearing 3 and 6 month clothing.


Little Liza Cate,

I am just loving your easygoing nature! This age is so fun because something as simple as blowing a raspberry can produce a BIG grin and giggle (unless, of course, I have the camera out!).
It is precious how enamored you are with your big sister, and I hope I can continue to foster a good relationship between you two. We love you sweet girl :)

This year, we had plans to spend Thanksgiving at a cabin in the North Georgia mountains. However, on Tuesday morning, we realized there had been a booking error so our plans changed quickly!
We were determined to make the most of it, so the party was moved to my house where we had a fabulous sleepover (even though my parents & sisters live just 9 miles away...)!
It was tons of fun, and the slumber party allowed us to all relax without worrying about getting kids in bed or letting the dogs out. We stayed up way too late playing games, and enjoyed lounging around on Friday.

 





On Friday, we enjoyed sleeping in a bit, eating leftovers, and getting our Christmas season started! Oh, and lounging :)



No Thanksgiving post would be complete without some shots of the family snoozing...here are my faves!




Our day turned out to be perfect!
Christmas season has officially begun....lots of fun posts in the near future so check back soon!