December Happenings

I always begin December with great plans of everything I want to do, but then reality hits and I realize my husband has a job and my child has school and I have a job and way too much to do.  Alas, we try our hardest and that is enough.

We did manage to squeeze in a lot of fun family activities and (I hope) really helped teach our children the importance and true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas Cookie Decorating at Kate's

Porter and Hallie

Gingerbread Houses

Look at that chubby face!

The Polar Express

We planned a Polar Express night with the Sachs.  We got the kids in their pj's and as we were putting them to bed we handed them tickets to ride the Polar Express.  We drove through neighborhoods while they ate their treats and ended with some Baskin Robbins.

Santa's Sleigh Ride at the Homestead

While our finances may not have been in the greatest spot, we still managed to do our annual Sub for Santa for families in need.  I hope to keep this as one of the main traditions we do at Christmas and am grateful to a mother who made it a point to serve and give to others.

As always, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were full fledged craziness and we loved every minute of it!  We went to our annual Christmas movie, The Guardians, and ventured up to my mom's house for a fun snowed in Christmas Eve (when I say snowed in, I mean full fledged snow storm  and some of the cars couldn't make it up the street)

I have always loved the nativity and always will!

We weren't really sure what role Jack played in the Nativity but he found a yellow Mexican dress in the box and insisted on wearing it because it was yellow.  Unfortunately we couldn't hold back our laughing which took away from the spirit, but he was too cute!

Porter was Joseph

Reading the Christmas Story with Manna

  

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is watching the wonder of children.  I love to see them anxiously await the visit from the elves who bring them pajamas and I love to watch the wonder in their eyes on Christmas morning when they open their gifts.  I love their innocence and their genuine love for all of their gifts.  We had a fantastic Christmas season with a wonderful babe to celebrate with.  I feel so blessed for such an incredible family to share the Christmas season with.

 

 Poor little Addie was enjoying her play mat one minute, and the next we found ourselves in the hospital with Croup.  Luckily, after a steriod boost, she fought it off.

We found Jack hidden in Nanny's fort on Christmas morning, exhausted from too much fun!