An Update on Advent and What's Happening at The Fultons!

We decorate the outside of our home almost the same every year but this year, I love it even more than before. I love going outside just to look at it from the street. To see our beautiful tree in the window and find such satisfaction in knowing others get to enjoy our home as much as we do!

The Christmas cards and pictures are finally rolling in. It took alot longer to get started but the front door is almost full. We lay out the new cards at the dinner table each night and talk about each family as their card and picture comes in. Then they go to the front door for the entire month of December and January. the kids LOVE looking at all their friends and family and people we care about and hearing how we are all connected. Then the kids get to pick a few select ones to be tapes inside their closet door and enjoyed for the rest of the year.

The TREE is trimmed and stuffed to the brim with gifts!!!

TheELF has been really keeping the kids on task and helping them to make the nice list everyday. Each morning he finds a new place to hide and watch and listen to the children. Today was the fridge. They loved it!

Their basketsofbooks have been combined and they each have only one wrapped book left for tomorrow. They both know it will be a Night Before Christmas book. I have dozens. Its my favorite book of Christmas. Its not a matter of what the book is but which one they will get. They have LOVED getting old favorites and new books each morning! The Advent Calendar has served us well. Today the kids got a piece of candy but most days it's something for us to do. An experience. Last night we drove all over town looking at Christmas lights. Another morning was red and green milk with breakfast. One day was a dance party in the kitchen with our favorite Christmas songs. What a joy to experience the advent calendar together.

The cupboards ,or as we call it, our Gallery, are almost filled with Christmas crafts and proud projects to share with our guests.

Our plush nativity set and Little People Santa's Workshop are much loved and always all over the house....and its just perfect!

Today I write this in my sweats. While I did get up at 4:30 ( a half hour later) to get my run in, I just threw on sweats when I was done. The kids are in their PJ's still and playing nicely together. The TV is off ( we are still limiting their viewing to only Wild Kratts in the PM and maybe a Christmas DVD...limiting thier viewing even through break has really helped with thier behavior and their imaginations). Bri gets off today at noon and is home with us for a whole week. He and I have an ugly sweater pub crawl tonight and the kids have a sleepover at Grammy and Papas. We have a day planned tomorrow of recovering and baking and prepping for another amazing week of Christmas celebrations and familytime! And lots of jammy days!

I'm no saint during all this. I sleep maybe 3-5 hours a night for the week between Thanksgiving and Christmas to get all the Advent stuff done and all the gifts purchased. Everything, every last thing is completed by the 10th of December. And I do it year after year to see my kids eyes light up each morning when discover something new to celebrate that day or a wrapped, much-loved book, or a silly elf hidden in the bathroom. I also do it for days like today- where I can lay around with my kids on the floor and play a board game in our pjs while others are juggling last minute trips to the mall and wrapping gifts in the wee hours of the morning. Thats not for me. I'm stress free now and loving every second on it!

I'm off. Mara just put a Knight's helmet on my head and Al just threw a sword in my lap. I've got bad guys to fight and gigglefests to have!