Happy New Year!
Hi there! How are you? I hope your 2024 is treating you well so far! December was a whirlwind and I have not been able to post regularly. We thoroughly enjoyed the season with a perfect balance of fun activities, parties, and quiet family time at home. I could blog multiple posts about it but will share some brief highlights.
I blogged about our Santa experience at Pahl’s back in early December. Click here to read! My last Friday Favorites post included a trip to Robinson Family Tree Farm with Owen along with some other December favorites. I hope I can get back to posting Friday Favorites weekly because they are fun to share!
Since my last post, we pretty much have enjoyed nonstop Christmas fun at Frankenmuth, home in Michigan, and Ohio. Keep on scrolling for more about that!
First Reconciliation, Frankenmuth & Lucas’s 8th Birthday
Andrew and Lucas made their First Reconciliation on December 16th. It was so special watching them experience God’s healing through forgiveness for the very first time. It takes courage to receive this sacrament and I am very proud of them both.
Last year, my brother, sister-in-law, and us gifted my parents a one-night stay at the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth. We finally found a weekend that worked for everyone, and it happened to be Lucas’s birthday weekend.
The boys had an absolute blast swimming and playing arcade games. We also enjoyed dinner and lunch that both included visits from Santa Claus!
Frankenmuth is really busy but also really pretty at Christmas time!
My parents surprised Lucas by driving back with us to celebrate his 8th birthday! I cannot believe how fast this one is growing up, especially this past year. Lucas learned how to read, ride a bike, and really improved his soccer skills this year. He is such a fun, independent, smart kid. I love him so much.
My parents, Owen, and I met up with Lucas on his field trip at The Festival of Trains. So fun!
Christmas Weekend
The day before Christmas Eve we enjoyed a chill family day at home. Ryan took Owen out on the lake for a kayak ride. We also went out to dinner as a family to Dick’s Pour House and took an outing to a well-known Christmas display in Leelanau.
On Christmas Eve, the boys exchanged their brother gifts to each other. We started this tradition this year and it’s a new favorite for sure! I loved watching them experience the joy of giving knowing they picked out something special all on their own to gift to their brothers.
We attended to a beautiful Christmas Eve Mass later that day, made an easy dinner at home, watched a Christmas movie, and got ready for Santa!!
Christmas Eve night always brings a multitude of feelings. I am excited to see the boys’ reaction in the morning. I am joyful to celebrate the birth of our Savior. I am beyond grateful for my family’s health, safety, and security this year. I am sad that my three precious boys are another year older which means another year gone of the short window of believing. We lost Nala this year and that weighed heavy on my heart. It felt like something was missing this Christmas and we wish so badly she were still here with us.
Christmas morning is my favorite morning of the year. Our boys are at precious ages for the magic and wonder it brings. They all believe in Santa and get so excited about each gift, no matter how big or small. I will always cherish their Christmas morning joy in my heart.
This was our first Christmas day up north. It is really feeling like home now and I loved having the family time together. It was a perfect day.
Ohio Christmas
We left the day after Christmas for Ohio. We had plans to celebrate Christmas with both sides of the family. The boys LOVE all their cousins so it always chaotic fun getting them all together.
On Wednesday, we attended a Toledo Walleye game with Ryan’s parents. It was a packed house so lots of energy and excitement! We miss these types of events now that we live in a much smaller city. It’s nice we can go back to Toledo and still enjoy them from time to time.
McCarthy Christmas Fun!
Petrie Christmas Fun!
Some other highlights included a girl’s night out at Bellwether for their Holiday Pop-up Bar and bowling with our Petrie cousins!
We decided to travel back home New Year’s Eve Day to get organized and fall back into a routine as the boys returned to school today. We enjoyed the last day of break yesterday seeing the movie Migration (we couldn’t find the poster for it). It was a very cute movie! I recommend if you have littles.
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and I’m sending the best wishes your way for a fantastic 2024! Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. It means so much to me!
Happy New Year!