Wonderful Winter Weekend!

I LOVE the Christmas season and I love it even more when I get to see it through the eyes of my kids!  Friday kicked off an intense winter weekend that was AWESOME!  I got to volunteer in Mara's room all afternoon as they did gingerbread themed activities!

Look how proud she is!

I was at the gingerbread cookie station!

She was able to make a gingerbread house, paint a picture, make a gingerbread ornament, and also make a gingerbread ( as seen here)

Then, we baked the cookies and had them for snack- yum!

Brian and I endured the snowstorm Friday night to take in a date night and holiday party for Brian's work.  Saturday morning I stayed in to clean and Brian and the kids joined all the other kids and many parents in the neighborhood for the building of snowmen and the creation of a 5 foot snowramp that launched children onto the slippery basketball court- brilliant!

We headed onto campus for the Chemistry Department's Chemistry Christmas Demonstration.  We loved seeing college students playing in the snow too.

While its hard to see, these students made a scene of two on the left doing doggie, a bed in the middle with beer on each bedside, and a larger snowman on the right with a very massive penis.  The kids thought it was funny- so did Brian and I.

Bubba and sissy did experiments in the hall while we waited to go in

We were able to get seats in the second row.  Amazing!  We saw about 20 experiments but the brightest and loudest were our favorites, of course!

Saturday night I went on The Moms Group Holiday House Walk!  We went to 5 houses all together, mine being one of them.  I didn't very many pictures of homes, only a few at a photobooth but...I had a blast and was out until 2AM!

This is the ugly holiday sweater crew!

Then Sunday we went to the hills for sledding, instead of church and had an incredible time!  Only problem with finding a hill that is steep and INCREDIBLE to go down...its hard to go up!

Then this morning....Mara and were TWINS for school!  LOVE this girl so much!

Heaven at our House...at 6AM

Work it, girl...and Christmas Crafts!

This was Mara's outfit today!  No one can say she can't work it!

 The Advent Calendar said Christmas Crafts after school so today we picked up Nolan and we headed home to make two different crafts!

 They turned out great!  WHO DOESN'T LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR?

Trimming the Tree

Tonight we trimmed the tree.  usually that simply means putting lights and decorations on it.  This year it actually meant LOTS of trimming of the actual tree to fit it in our living room.  The result was pretty amazing- thanks Brian!

The kids worked together to get the hundreds of ornaments on the tree

 Asking daddy to help place the higher ones

 Mara poured over her ornaments, picking the perfect one each time and wanting to hear about when she received it or how old it was.

 We sipped hot cocoa and listened to Christmas music- I was in heaven!

 Stretch!

 Brian and I always love looking at our ornaments together too...the ones we have from childhood, the ones from our early years, etc.

 This may possibly be the best tree ever!  I think I may say it every year but this year I mean it.  The tree is so special to me.  A real story book.  If you'd like to hear more about the tree, click here .

 We also put up a small tree in the basement!  It got trimmed as well.  We loved having another place to display our story!

Church Pageant

We are going to a new church now.  One that does NOT have a children's program and therefore would not have a pageant for the kids.  They were sad about it.  That made me happy that they really wanted to BE in the church program.  SO.....we know we are always welcome at our home church, McKinley.  It really is the only place my kids think of as their church.  We walked in and it was just as if we never left.  The elementary kids were all shepherds this year.  SO CUTE!

 And what happens when you get a bunch of boys together....they fight, of course- even at church on Pageant Sunday!

 So cute!

 They patiently waited for their turn

 And then came forward to worship Jesus

 My cuties did a great job and I'm so proud of them!!!

The Perfect Tree

After the parade we needed to go find the perfect tree.  After going to our regular place to try to cut one down, we were really disappointed with the supply.  We didn't want to buy a pre cut tree so we headed into the country and literally stumbled upon a tree farm.  Here was the problem...the first place had all little trees left.  A few big big ones however gave you perspective.  The second place we went was more like a forest.  All the trees were HUGE.  So, when we found one we thought was just right- we jumped at it and started cutting

 We removed the top of the tree before we even tried to tip it upright but alas....it filled the room.  Smooshed the blinds and filled the entire space that we dedicated for much more than the tree.  This should be an interesting trimming session tomorrow!  Wish us luck!

Lunch With Santa on the Train

Its one of my all time favorite Christmas traditions and I feel forever blessed that this experience is in our town- Lunch with Santa on the Train!  We went straight from the parade over to the Depot.  

We love ( rather I love) taking pics with the kids, reading books while we wait for Santa, eating our lunch, and spending time with each other....an the big guy!

 Santa came and sat right down with Bubba and they chatted like they'd known each other for years.

 Mara, on the other hand, looked like this most of the time.

 But Santa kept working with her and slowly she warmed up.  She never left Daddy's lap but she picked her head up.

 she listened, and she even talked some.  

 and when Santa asked for a picture, she smiles- WOOHOO!!!

 It was a great time to be serious and silly and I love these genuine smiles and laughs!