Christmas 2015

Christmas this year was wonderful and low key. Christmas eve as always was celebrated in Long Grove. Christmas day was at my sisters house.

I have to say it, but I believe my nephew s the cutest little boy ever created. I just love him to death. He's  sweet, smart, funny and outgoing

 This year Karrick wanted brain challenging puzzles and games...the kid can solve anything. Id give anything to have his brain

The Christmas season was spent together as a family. Tim and I did our annual Oak Brook Mall shopping and dinner. We got the Christmas tree, a Concord fir that has an amazing citrus smell.

Still the worlds cutest couple after 3 1/2 years!!

Karrick and my niece are one year apart and almost a foot different in height. Karrick has grown an inch in the last 2 months so Im hoping the growth spurt is around the corneer

2015 was an incredible year for us Mcgintys...lots of great stuff

I look forward to 2016 as I continue to workout, eat right and spend time with my family.

Christmas Day

After 30-40? some odd years Christmas is no longer held at my parents home. My dad said it was getting too much for him. Christine and I decided to alternate years, she took this year.

It turned out fantastic, Chris lives in such a cute bungalow full of charm that it makes me miss our big old home in Oak Park. I also grew up in a bungalow in Beverly

The meal was wonderful and almost all vegan as there are only few meat eaters left.

Hard to believe there is only a year between My Niece and Karrick. My niece is just stunning! 

What do you get the man that has everything? Why a Keurig of course!

Tim and I bought one about a month ago...Love it, just love it!

 Due to the large group of people long tables were set up in the basement so we could all eat together. It was a great family Christmas and I like the new tradition that has started

Christmas Eve

Christmas eve is always spent in Long Grove. We started around noon and had a full day of family, food, fun and snowmobiling.

 It was a wonderful relaxing day 

Christmas part 1

check out his awesome green and yellow eyes 

Christmas started on Monday night when Riley came home with us. He is a 13 week old male kitten. Just the sweetest, snuggly little  guy ever. Im not a cat lover, but boy oh boy he has my heart.

The boys have been asking for a kitten for a while. Tim and I went to the Hinsdale Humane society and we were led into the kitten room. Riley and his sister both stuck their paws out of the cage when we walked in. All the other kittens just laid there.

Grandma got all the necessities a kitten could possibly need for the boys for Christmas

Merry Christmas from Family Values

                                       

Each day this week Family Values is releasing a new holiday greeting video

     Happy Holidays from Family Values

I love this group of people, what a gift to be part of this project

the Week leading up to Christmas-My Boys

The last week has been busy. TJ had a Christmas promotional shoot for Family Values. They made cards for seniors to be delivered to retirement homes and read to the residents

 Karrick had his annual Christmas sing at school. For the 5th year in a row Karrick is front and center...the peanut row

We made gingerbread houses and decorated our tree. Our amazing Concord fir fills our house with the smell of citrus and pine....just amazing!

I even cut off some branches and sent them home with Katie for her mom. She loved them and brought some to work. Crazy tree..love it

My Cal and katie. Cals been out with his buddies a lot...sledding and attending an all nighter game night. 
He took the SAT last weekend

 Karrick's dance classes are in full swing...7 a week all hip hop. He loves to freestyle around the house. We have our first competition in March in Madison WI

 The TJ got new head shots with Socko this week, he looked adorable and Im hoping the picture are just as adorable. After the shoot we stopped in at Lily's Talent Agency to pick up TJ's paycheck and the print agent says "Oh my. you're so tall I love it" Do you want to do live (runway) shows?" A giant YES! came out of TJ's mouth. That is exactly what you want to hear from your agent. This was the first time we met this agent as TJ does mostly on camera stuff

 A cute picture of all the hip Hop boys

We are all looking forward to the next 2 weeks of Christmas break

Christmas Eve, Christmas morning and Christmas Day

On Saturday before we headed downtown Callahan and Katie exchanged their gifts. What I love about the picture above is how Callahan just stares at the pendant he got her. He picked it out himself. I think he really understood the power of giving.

Saturday:

You can see the pendant on Katie. My 3 boys, Katie and Alexis spent hours at the kitchen table playing board games. They said they had a blast

Christmas Eve is spent in Long Grove. Karrick wanted to play Santa and pass out the gifts

Being the only little guy, Karrick totally makes out on the gifts

Cousins that had their braces put on a week apart. Ummm.....check out Callahan's check bones. Amazing cheekbones on the kid

Alexis joined us at grandma's for Christmas Eve. It was really a good time had by all. Alexis is modeling the outfit TJ got her. He also gave her a cool  scrapbook with most of the shots I took of her and TJ in the last 2 years. It turned out really cute. Made Alexis cry

Christmas Day was spent at my dad's with my family, aunt and cousins. I really didn't take any pictues...was exhausted by then. Callahan woke up at 6am went downstairs and read one of his new books (Santa went semi green this year and didn't wrap everything) When he was done he woke up Karrick...Aarrgh! Really?! So of course we all had to get up at 7am. I think this will be that last year Karrick believes.

 I love Christmas and I love my family. It truly is a special magical time of year. After 4 staright days of Christmas cheer I am ready to move on

My right of passage as a mom

Tonight I had the honor of escorting my middle child Callahan to the mall. You see, Callahan met a darling girl named Katie in Italy this past summer. He and Katie have been dating since. My Callahan doesn't seem to need me too often these days, he may only be 13, but he is definately going on 16, 18 or even age 32. Not really, but he like all my boys are very independant and self suffient. Needless to say, I was thrilled when he asked me to take him to the mall to get Katie's Christmas gift. My son has very good taste and a sweet girl will be one happy sweet girl very soon.

The picture above is from Jingle Jubilee, downtown Lombard's Christmas Celebration. It is sponsored by the many organizations in Lombard including the Historical society. My fellow Lombard Fire Dept Centennial committee member works for the Historical Society and needed help setting up for the Jubilee. Well, Callahan needs many service hours for his upcoming Confirmation at Sacred Heart Church. 

Callahan was such a trooper, he set up panels in the store windows (tree behind him) all along St Charles St. He washed the windows...see that wonderful reflection. Yeah, his height came in super handy as he towered over  the other volunteers. Callahan also kept the music playing for the Nutcracker dancers that danced in all the windows.

My Cal is such an amazing young man and we couldn't be more proud of him

Christmas Day 2011

Christmas day we headed to my dad's house. Tim spent the day with his mom, so it was just me and the boys. 

I just love shooting my niece Lindsey, besides being absolutely gorgeous she takes an honest picture. She is very comfortable in front of the camera...no fake smiles or awkward poses. She just looks at the camera and pow!

Hard to believe that they are only 1 year apart.

 My Karrick is a peanut and Lindsey is tall

 Another holiday has come and gone. 

This year was mellow all around, which is what I needed. Sometimes it's okay to be all about me.

For New Years Eve we are hanging at home and playing board games... just the 5 of us. Alexis is on vacation for the next week, so it's time for TJ to get as much homework completed as possible as the semester is coming to an end. At the semester TJ will have missed 14 weeks of school and I'm not confident he will be able to return yet

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 

FROM THE MCGINTY'S