Day 1: We put up the tree! The girls (particularly Keara) had a great time doing this! It was definitely the most fun this year since they were so excited. We've really tried to add meaningful ornaments each year (we give one per person every year) so it was awesome to take them out of the box and tell the story behind each. We have one from when Braden had braces, a potty from when Keara had potty-trained that year, one of Taryn and her blanket made from shrinky-dinks, baby's first Christmas for each, one of sewing supplies for me, etc. A lot of memories when we look at the tree!
The next day, Avery learned what happens when you pull too hard on the ornaments...
Day 2: Do the names Paddy O'Cinnamon, Judy and Jimmy, the Crazy Quilt Dragon, and the Inkaboo's mean anything to you? Well, they do to us! On Day 2, we started listening to The Cinnamon Bear. It is a story that was broadcasted by radio in the 50s or so. Each episode is about 15 minutes long and tells the story of two children who have lost their silver star for their tree. In fact, it was stolen by the Crazy Quilt Dragon and taken to Maybeland. They meet the Cinnamon Bear who takes them on a magical adventure to save their precious star. I grew up listening to this by the fireplace, under the Christmas tree. It is one of my favorite memories. And now my girls are looking forward to it every night.
Day 2 1/2: We went to the library and grabbed as many Christmas books as we could. The selection dwindles the closer we get to Christmas, so we took full advantage of well-stocked shelves. We read a Christmas story every day for naps, and sometimes for bed too.
Day 3: We went over to a friend's house and made gingerbread men for a count-down chain. Fun idea! All you need to do is make 25 mini-gingerbread men per child, put a dab of frosting in the middle with a mini M&M or red hot, and then lay in a LONG strip of saran wrap. Fold it over to enclose the men and tie a piece of ribbon between each. Every day you just cut off BELOW the ribbon above the last little man and eat him up! This one has been fun because we get to eat the gingerbread men as we listen to our nightly episode of The Cinnamon Bear.
Day 3 1/2: I've really been wanting to focus on the Savior this year while our girls still have no concept of Christmas greed. So we've been looking for ways to teach them the true meaning of Christmas. We/I decided start a "Gifts of Service to our Savior Jesus Christ" list. It all started when we helped jumpstart the car of a stranded couple in the grocery store parking lot. The man was SO grateful, it touched my heart and I was grateful my girls were there to feel it too. So we talked all about Service on the way home and how we can look for ways to serve. Taryn doesn't quite get it, but Keara is way into it. Our list grows a little every day.
Day 4: We made cottonball snowmen and Santas! So fun! Too bad we ran out of glue, or we would have made more.
Day 5: We went to the mall and LOOKED at Santa. The girls didn't want to get too close. Besides, he was a little odd looking.
Day 5 1/2: Since we received an unexpected snowfall, we went SLEDDING! So much fun! Daddy was able to come too and we had a blast. Well, besides Avery who faceplanted THREE times in the snow. Poor baby. Unfortunately, all we have for sleds are our swimming inner tubes which are WAY thin and small, so they really only do well for the girls (sort of), but they don't know any different and had a great time! We also tried to use the recylcing bin, which didn't really work, but it made an excellent sleigh for the Goose!
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| Winter Wonderland |
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| Snow+5 People+No Closets=MESS! |
Tomorrow, we're going Christmas shopping (hopefully) and are hopefully also making candy cane cookies. I'll keep you posted!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
2 comments:
OH yea! you are on your way to the best month ever :)
Totally off subject from your post but I really like the brown color on your wall. It is the picture that shows the gingerbread men. Did you paint it or was that the color when you moved in.
Also we do our version of Elf on the Shelf for Christmas.
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