{December. Our Advent. Christmas}

How has Christmas come and gone already?

I just love everything about this beautiful time of year,

and am so sad it has already past! We had a wonderful time

celebrating this year and packed in A LOT in the month of December.

Skeeter, our friendly Elf came back to visit!

Silly Elf was into all sorts of trouble this year...

and Roo loved it all.

After he toilet papered the tree she said,

"Oh he is so mischievous!"

 We treated the ladies to a day at the JUMP ZONE.

They are big fans!

 This year one of our little ladies has lost a little Christmas magic.

The secret is out for sweet Adyson.

I really wanted it to feel  magical and special for her still,

so I planned a whole month of fun.

Each year I try really hard to do this, and fail.

This year, I was determined!

I sat down with my calendar and planned something for each

day that I knew we could easily do.

I planned something very easy for the days that I know we are super busy.

I planned fun things for days when I knew friends or cousins would be around.

I planned around Christmas concerts,

days when Trav was off,

and even days I knew I didn't have to work.

I wrote shopping lists so I would have every single item I needed....

I didn't plan on a full week of sickness...

but hey, I did my best.

Planning is overrated.

#1 was easy.

We started our santa beard countdown.

 #2 was so fun.  They decorated sugar cone trees.

Adorable.

#3 Fell on a double carpool day.

They wrote a letter to Santa about why THEIR SISTER deserved

their Christmas wish.

 

#5 they got a new Christmas book to read before bed.

 

#6 A gift for Jesus. 

(Wrote how we can be more like him

and wrapped it on our own and put under the tree

till Christmas morning, when we evaluated how they

were doing.)

 

#7 Paper Snowflakes A classic!
 
#8 This was my favorite!  The ladies took candy canes to random people
who work around the town.
The post office, the librarians, and checkers and baggers at Lees.
Their grins were priceless!  Can't wait to do it again.

 #9 Go see Santa!  We also went to 'Rise of the Guardian' with cousins as a bonus.
Fun day!

 

#10

Wear your new Christmas dresses to church.

Beauties I have!

 

#11

Read a Christmas story in bed with mom.

The girls read EVERY night,

but for some reason crawling in our bed with me 

made this special.

I'll take it.

They are snuggly and cozy!

 

#12

Play the Roll a Snowman game.

 

#13

Paint ornaments for the tree.

 

We were given tickets to a Jazz game from the 

Cache Valley for Hope foundation

and had a FABULOUS time with great seats at the

game and seeing the lights,

very very quickly,

on the way home.

What a beautiful sight!

 

#14

This one got changed last minute...

our friends offered us tickets to the Pickleville Christmas show

and we couldn't refuse!

It was wonderful and so generous!

Can't wait to see it next year. 

It will be added to our rotation for sure.

 

#15

I normally work everyday till after the girls are 

already through with lunch,

but I had a Friday off and was able to bring them

Subway.

You would have thought it was cavier they were so excited.

 

#16

Singing carols for Tavaci.

This is when the sickness began...poor Roo wasn't quite feeling herself.

 

#17

Watch "The Santa Claus" as a family.

Trav and I watched while they played on the apple toys.

Stinkers.

 Poor little ladies then got really sick.

 For a good week.

 Skeeter and the Biebs made them laugh, 

but then they were still down for the count.

 

#18

We improvised since we were stuck at home.

The ladies each wrapped a gift for their sister.

 

#19

Since we were stuck inside sick,

and they couldn't play with the beautiful snow that was coming down 

outside...

they got indoor snowballs.

Crepe paper wrapped up into a ball with cheap little 

surprises inside.

So fun.

 

Sienna finally felt better,

but poor Adyson was still sick.

So Sienna and I snuck out and went to my Grandpas

party while Adyson and Trav stayed home to get better.

I love this party and was so blue that they couldn't come.

It was a wonderful night and truly kicks off Christmas for me.

Ender and Lucy.

Fast friends.

 Linsey and I.

Love her.

 Roo and I in the back of Grandpas car.

Praying we make it safely...

 

#20

Heather and Jody were here for the party,

and had to go home Christmas Eve Eve,

so we celebrated an early Christmas with them.

Gingerbread houses are a must for the advent.

 We had a really fun night with my family,

playing games and opening gifts.

My parents spoiled them rotten and the cousins all just 

adore eachother so much.  It was lovely!

On Christmas Eve day,

we all felt 100%

A Christmas Miracle indeed!

I was determined to finish the few things we 

couldn't do because of the flu.

  

 But first! Mrs. Claus came through again and delivered the ladies

a Christmas Eve outfit to wear.

I love this tradition...

it's the only way my girls will be excited about clothes.

So glad once a year Mrs. Claus can come through.

 It's a fun tradition leaving them looking awfully adorable.

#21

Paint the snow.

The weather cooperated!

 

#22

Make cookies for Santa.

The ladies helped make them,

and they shared them with friends!

 

#23

Was supposed to be take cookies to a neighbor and RUN!

But...it was really really cold.

and really really snowy.

Instead, they drank hot cocoa and watch the 'Elf on a Shelf" movie in front of the fire.

WIN.  It was a very nice moment.

 #24

We went on a Christmas light Scavenger hunt.

So fun!

We found all but one thing on our list.

And it was a great way to end Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve Jammies.

 All bundled up and ready for bed!

 

The girls went to sleep pretty quickly and woke to find

that Santa had come!  He always lets us know by leaving slippers

on the stairs.

 They couldn't stand the wait!

 And loved their gifts!

 Adyson got Caroline.

Sienna, finally got Kaya.

And after some debate has decided that she loves her a lot.

Thank goodness!

My parents spent hours making them gorgeous bunk beds for their dolls.

My dad built them and painted them

and my mom sewed the cutest bedding to match their rooms.

And somehow I don't have pictures....

but trust me.

They are so wonderful!

 

It was a great Christmas day.

We spent the afternoon with the Kidmans 

where the spoiling resumed.

I didn't catch any pictures but they had a great time.

We've spent a whole lot of time since then

playing games and nerf guns.

 And Adyson lived among the mess for a good 3 days.

They were bummed when I cleaned it all up!

 

I've just adored spending a week home with these girls.

They are so much fun, and are growing up so quickly.

I'm eating up spending as much one on one time with them as I can.

What a fun stage of life they are in.

 This past weekend we headed to Mountain Home to visit The Wolfleys.

They were so happy to be with cousins again!

They all get along so well,

and really love each other a lot.

The main event was for this guy.

Tray went and turned 12!

And Sunday he was ordained a deacon.

We love him so much and are so proud of him.

What fun it was to go and celebrate with him!

 And I love spending time with Breje.

She just gets prettier and prettier!

And her heart is just as lovely.

 The men went to the Hobbit so we took all of the kids

shopping.

Yes.

You read right.

It was....interesting.

 But worth it!

Because then we swapped the boys and went to 

Les Mis.

Oh boy.

I Loved this movie.

I just want to see it again right now.

 The kids seriously played non stop.

Kutter and Adyson didn't leave each others sides.

I love their relationship and wonder when they will

realize they have NOTHING in common.

I hope it isn't soon.

And Brielle and Sienna were the best of friends too.

It was a great weekend.

 

I snapped this picture not 10 minutes after we left.

The girls were so exhausted and so played out!

It was a wonderful and eventful December.

We've filled it with a lot of family and joy.

The advent was full of stuff we would normally do...

but for the ladies, it was 'special' just because it was something 

we thought of to make the day more magical.

I'm glad they are easily fooled by the small things and 

still find the special!

So glad we did it.

Can't wait for next year already!