Winter Break in Review

My most favorite thing about winter break is being with my family.  Period.

Without a doubt, everyone in this household takes full advantage of the two weeks off by celebrating most days in jammies, with games, staying up late, sleeping in (ha!), and extra together time.  I will admit that this fall I felt particularly pulled in many directions (by my own doing, I'm fully aware of...) and so this break was just that... a break.  I completely shut off from school and responsibilities related to it for the first week.  (Of course, in saying that, we also hosted two Christmases and dealt with a little one with an ear infection so relaxing was not really on the docket.)  Needless to say, it was a nice break from the every day routine stressors.

Along with the break from school and those responsibilities also came a lack of blogging....

oops.  All the best intentions of making good use of this little ol' blog during break prior to break.  

(Is this where I set up new goals for 2015?!?  Not foregoing my love of blogging/writing...) ;)

Ah well, how about a recap instead??

(prepare yourself for a picture recap overload!)

We started our break with a trip to the Holiday Express (aka Polar Express as we call it).

And though it was chilly, it was definitely fun and a great way to start the break!

We hosted my in-laws for the first Christmas!  My kiddos L.O.V.E. their cousins!!!!  The adults even noted how nice it was that they were all together (ages 9 months to 18 years) playing and giggling...somewhere in the house and none of them even asked to open presents!  

That's the best present right there! 

The next day the kiddos and I did some baking and gingerbread house/train decorating.

The silliness is apparent with bow girl and the yahoos with candy noses!

Mostly, they were great tasters and mess makers, but I guess that's what winter break is all about.  ;)  

Christmas Eve came and so did the performers for the camera.  What goofballs!  love.

On Santa morning, the kiddos walked down to a tree filled with presents below.  So many pictures were taken and moments captured forever.  Love those faces of surprise, happiness, and joy!  Even tender moments between siblings sharing presents and hugs.  Melt my heart!

(the camera wasn't fast enough to capture the big hug this train received when opened by this little boy)

One of my faves of all time!!

Christmas Day.  Jammies.  Nowhere to go.  So much to play and do.  

Time together with no expectations or requirements.

Too sweet for words.

And this one I just want to share...my girls doing what they love.  Painting.  (Even better that their brother was asleep and this was some quiet, uninterrupted painting time.)

As for me, in the random moments I've been able to sneak some time in, I've continued my font making obsession this break.  What started as just the coolest thing ever (only to me I'm sure!) has grown even more.  At one time I considered sharing my fonts only to realize there is a fierce competition out there with so many amazing, talented, and trained people so I'm feeling a little doubtful now.  We'll see.

This is a sampling of what I've created and installed on my computer.  

(Some are a little rough as they were the first ones I created and was/am still learning the program.)

Soooooo thrilled to put these to use in at least my own classroom creations and products.

If you've lasted this long and are still reading...What do you think?!?

Now it's January 1st and time to get back into work mode.............