Here I am again (on my own?)

It's fall.  No, it's almost winter.  It's Christmas!  I'll never catch up.

Things of note -

• Our halls are decked - we have wreaths, snowflakes, Christmas tree, pictures, ribbons, nativity, stockings, all helping us feel that special Christmasy feeling.
• I've been done with Christmas shopping for weeks.  Which makes me feel like shopping more.  That's not a great thing, so I'm not going to.  p.s. I bought ever single item on amazon.  for reals.
• Sam and Ben are in school, did I mention?  It's been...2-ish months?  They are loving it for the most part.  Sam goes back and forth a bit but is mostly adjusted, and Ben loves it all except the people telling him he's so handsome and the girl who asked him if he wears makeup today.  Ahh, the curse of beauty.
• Lewis is getting his top two teeth, is 10 months tomorrow, has been crawling and cruising forever, and stands on his own, is pretty mellow, except when he's not, and is super adorable in jammas - so I change him into a new pair every morning instead of regular clothes.  (I have to enjoy it while I can, right?)
• Mads loves to paint and feels a little concerned about growing older, but she's getting the hang of it.  winksmile.  She also is a very gracious and grateful daughter, showering praise on me so often.  What a sweetie!
• James is James.  Was he ever really a baby?  I mean, REALLY?  Because, as I say all the time, he's the most responsible member of our family, parents included.  He's stellar - loves to work and clean and play and help and all.  
• Tyler is the busiest.  He does it so well.  I feel like he's always here when I need him and does so much with the kids, yet between it all he's spending 60-80 hours a week working on non-family-related stuff.  I don't know how he does it!  
• It might snow this weekend!  I really want it to and I really want to not  regret that sentiment when January rolls around.
• Tyler's brother Garret and family came for this last weekend and it was pretty perfect.  They cut down a Christmas tree, we drank hot chocolate, played games, watched adorable children and felt all cozy and sleepy by the fire.  It was fun to have them!
• Tyler's parents joined us for Thanksgiving.  And it was gluten-free!  I made the best turkey I've ever eaten, I kid you not.  It really was good.  (fresh herbs chiffonade in melted butter and olive oil, plenty of SandP, onions and more herbs stuffed inside.  rubbed the butter mixture inside the skin, outside the skin...everywhere.  best gravy ever.)
• I've been getting in a great home-keeping routine, where stuff that needs to be done for the most part gets done and I still have energy...which I love and surely don't take for granted after my extreme pregnancy with Lewis.  And I get to do extras here and there.  Sometimes!
• I've been grateful for the blessing it is to have some truly amazing women in my life who I get to look up to.  In particular, I super love my sisters and sisters-in-law.  I have a dozen now! (wow.)

Love to you all!