December

In the past I've done advent activities with the kids-one activity for each day in December.  Last year I didn't do it because it had been a bit stressful the couple years before that (basically once I had a kid start school).  But I felt a little guilty not doing it-I just want my kids to have so many good memories of Christmastime.  So here is how this December went...I decided that I did wanted to do advent activities with the kids.  But I also decided that if the day got too busy and the activity didn't happen, that was okay too.  I also didn't force anyone to participate and if they were already happily playing, I didn't drag them away from that.  So that's what happened and it ended up being pretty great.

I don't actually have all the activities because I kept track of them in my now-broken phone.  I took a lot of pictures though so I think I'll get everything covered.  I'll also post about non-advent things.

Day 1: write letters to Santa

Molly wanted a cute sweater, a medium-sized beanie boo, and animal erasers. She drew pictures of the sweater and beanie boos that she had her eye on.

Brynn asked for a Tinkerbell nightgown and a Tinkerbell doll.

 

Stockton didn't write a letter on this particular day because he wanted me to print a form letter and our printer wasn't hooked up.  He finally realized he was just going to have to write one so he did that about a week later.  He asked for a basketball hoop for his bedroom door.

Day 2:  it's tradition to make red and green playdough for the kids to play with throughout the season.

My parent's had brought our tree up the day before so Justin took some time off to get it set up.  I told you it was tall.

It's always up to me to string the lights on the tree.  Since our tree is never quite as full as a fake tree, or even a real one bought from a lot, each and every branch needs to be wrapped.  It takes a bit of time.  I had to stand up in the loft to reach the top branches.

Day 3:  decorate the tree

Honestly, this activity usually stresses me out.  The kids are so excited that they are putting ornaments everywhere and it's chaotic and I don't want anything broken.  This year I was a little more organized and it went much better.  Before Molly and Stocky got home from school, Brynn and I divided all the ornaments into piles-Molly's, Stockton's, Brynn's, and all the rest.  Then they were able to take turns hanging ornaments from their own piles first and then from the leftover pile next.  They also had to find a branch that wasn't already occupied with someone else's ornament.  We had a lot of fun doing it this way!  It also helped that Ivy napped the whole time we were decorating.

Ivy was playing a game with me during lunch.  I would give her a bite of her food and she would clamp her teeth down tight on the spoon.  Then I would wiggle it back and forth and she would giggle.

Day 4: I took Brynn and Ivy to the gingerbread house auction and we were amazed at some of the intricate houses.

Brynn also decorated a gingerbread cookie while we were there.

We drove to Plain City after school so that Justin and I could go to dinner with the White's and Henri's (we do this every December).  The kids were baby-sat by Grandma and Grandpa and played with their cousins.  Not much can top that!

Day 5: go to The Nutcracker with the Moyes girls

Chloe, Molly, Abby

Tessa, Chloe, Grace, Brynn, Harper, Abby, Molly

Grace and Brynn

Stockton wasn't invited but he was able to play with Grant the whole day.  This is the hole that was dug for Jeff and Ali's new house next door to my mom and dad's.  The boys had a blast getting nice and dirty.

Day 6: watch the Christmas Devotional and eat caramel popcorn 

Ivy loved the caramel popcorn!

Day 7: I had activity days and we decorated gingerbread houses.  Stockton and Brynn were able to watch Polar Express while I helped the girls.

For FHE we made a garland with different names for Christ on it and talked about what some of those names meant.

Now that Ivy is more mobile she is into more things.  She crawled into the kids closet and pulled all the books out of the bookcase.  Then she was stuck, hence the sad face and tears.

This kept Ivy entertained for about 8 minutes while I was making dinner and helping with homework.

Justin working on insulating the ceiling in the basement.  Not a fun job.

Day 8: Brynn and I made a Christmas memory game.  It had been a busy day but the kids opted to play this instead of getting bedtime books.

I love this picture of Ivy.  She was delighted by the train going around the tree.

Day 9: Christmas puffy paint

 

Molly did not want to do this activity but changed her mind once we got started.  This was such a pleasant night.  I didn't think we'd have time for anything that day but our evening freed up and so we went for it.  The kids were pleasant and happy, Ivy was content to sit in her high chair, and we got lots of creative painting done. 

 

Brynn's stocking

Stockton's Christmas tree

Molly's elf

After we cleaned up, we had hot chocolate.  A perfect end to a fun night!

Day 10: a quick game of Christmas Spot-It before bed.  Molly didn't want to do this and, guess what?  It was no big deal.

Gene and Brett came and stayed at our house for three days and two nights to help sheetrock the basement.  It was a HUGE help...I'm not sure Justin would have done it by himself.  Actually, I don't think he could have done it by himself because it took two people for a majority if it.

Day 11: all we have for this day is a picture of Brett and a drawing Stockton made for him.  "Brett is the Best Uncel Ever" it says.  The kids spent a lot of time watching the guys work in the basement.

Day 12:  our ward Christmas breakfast.  The kids were invited to dress up like shepherds and angels and they sang a couple of songs with the Primary.

We still had a little bit of snow, not much, but enough to do some sledding outside.

 

Day 13: open a new Christmas book.  It was Brynn's turn to do the opening.  We got "Olive the Other Reindeer" this year, which is a silly book about a dog named Olive who thinks she's a reindeer.  The kids thought it was funny!

Our 12th anniversary was uneventful.  We went to church then came home and had a yummy dinner.  Justin loves cheesecake and I love chocolate so I combined them and made a brownie cheesecake.  I will probably declare it as the best dessert I've ever made.  We are hoping that we can make it down to The Bombay House soon as a late anniversary date.
 
Day 14: a snow day.  The kids get home early on Mondays and Ivy was sleeping so I went out and played with them.  I thought we'd build a snowman but the snow wasn't packing very well.  I tried to make up for our lack of hills (the kids have really missed the hill we had across the street from our old house) so I piled up a bunch of snow just off the back deck and that was enough to satisfy them.

Brynn and Corbin Anderson

Molly and Easton Anderson

Day 15: get Santa hats and take pictures

One day in Walmart Stockton wanted me to buy Santa hats for everyone.  I told him no.  Later on in the month, he went to Walmart with Justin who did buy the Santa hats.  He was so, so, so excited.  It made me feel bad that I didn't just buy them the first time around.  

Stockton loved his hat so much, he went to bed wearing it.

A trip to the library.  Brynn wanted to wear her dress-up from Halloween when she was 18 months (yes she still wears it) but I made her put something under it.  This is what she came up with for the final outfit.

Day 16: make coffee filter snowflakes.  This was the first time I'd ever done this with coffee filters.  I didn't really like it.  The paper was too flimsy.  I will definitely just stick with regular paper from now on.

Ivy on Day 16.

Day 17: make paper plate Rudolph's.  Stockton and Brynn loved this.  Molly said she didn't want to do it, then she changed her mind and started it, then she decided she actually didn't want to and I finished hers up for her.  I need to start thinking of some crafts for older kids.

Day 18: go to the Christmas Concert on Temple Square

Our neighbors got tickets to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert and then gave us the tickets and watched our kids for us.  I was a little anxious to leave Ivy (she had only really been left when we went to dinner for Gene and April's anniversary and she cried the whole time) but she actually did great. The concert didn't even start until 8:00 and about 10 minutes into it we got a text that said she was already in bed.  So after that, I was able to relax and enjoy the concert.  It was wonderful, as always.  I really enjoyed Laura Osnes and always love Richard Elliot's organ solo. 

Justin hates selfies but I talked him into one outside on the top level of the Conference Center.  You can kind of see the Christmas lights behind us.

I got started on some Christmas cookie baking and made a batch of cookies for the freezer.  Brynn is always my helper and I always let her lick the spoon.

Last day of school before Christmas break.  The kids wore their hats and had a sing-a-long (I went but couldn't even see them). Excitement for Christmas is high at this point.

Day 19:  Goodrich Christmas Eve party.  This is Justin's favorite day of the year so we are glad that it has worked out that we can all get together earlier on our off years.  Candlelight appetizer dinner.  We brought bacon-wrapped shrimp, chipotle chicken skewers with creamy dipping sauce, and cranberry salsa.  All the food is delicious, as always.

Tiana and Molly

A binky sometimes prevents babies from putting small items in their mouths. 

Ivy and Eli

Brynn and Molly were angels for the nativity.

Stockton was a shepherd.

Something had upset Molly just before so her eyes are red.  I love her so much.  She is a sweetheart.

Stockton, Tiana, Molly, Brynn, Evie, Riley, Cameron, Luke, Jake, Micah

 Singing songs around the piano is still a tradition although it is a little more chaotic now with all the littles running around.  Molly likes to participate but my other kids would rather play.  Or dress up.

Molly, Tiana, Grandpa, Camille

Day 20: we wrapped presents for each other.  Each kid had a wrapped present at the end of the day.

Then the kids slept under the tree.

view from the loft, looking down

Stockton had the best, best Primary teacher.  On the Sunday before Christmas his class acted out the nativity.  Sister Wilde sent the pictures to us.  Looks like Stockton was a shepherd.  And he was making the same face in all the pictures.

Brynn is so random.  Seriously, I don't know where this girl comes from.

Ivy found the dishwasher.  If I forget to close it when she's around she sucks the water off the bottom.  It's gross which is why I always try to keep it closed.

Brynn looks cute in the old Christmas dress of Molly's.  Hand-me-downs are awesome.

Day 21: baby Jesus craft.  Brynn chose to do this and Stockton joined in.  Then Stockton made another one for Grandma's Christmas tree.

Justin got a cortisone shot in his back.  He thought he might as well get one since we had reached our max out-of-pocket for the year.  He was so thoughtful to text me this picture right before he went in.

Ivy helping with laundry.  She's not really much help.

We had planned on going to see the lights on Temple Square this night but it started snowing that morning and didn't stop until the following night.  It was a lot of snow.  So we "jingled" a few neighbors then drove around Heber to see Christmas lights. 

You can barely see the kids in the bottom corner sneaking up to our neighbor's front door.

Day 22:  we woke up to a white, white world.  

The kids were delighted that they were going to have a white Christmas.  Of course they had to go out and play in it.

Stockton and Brynn having a snowball fight with our neighbors, Justin and Maive Pauley

They also went over to the neighbors and went sledding behind their snowmobile.

Ivy was so proud of herself that she figured out how to sit in this little chair.  She looks so big!

Ivy likes books.  But not if you try to read them to her.  She just wants to turn pages.

Justin had his work party at our house.  I was in charge of making six pork tenderloins, 4 pans of mashed potatoes, and a dessert.  And get the house spic and span.  It was a full, busy day!

Day 23: decorate Christmas cookies.

Molly came up with her own treat to take to the Christmas Eve party.  She melted chocolate then dipped one end of a graham cracker in the chocolate and topped it off with some sprinkles.  Yum!

It finally stopped snowing and I ventured to the store.  It was a winter wonderland (it still is, actually).  Our street is one of the last to get plowed since it's a dead end road.

Justin reading Polar Express by the light of the tree.  It looks so peaceful.

Add an 11-month-old and it's not quite as peaceful.  

Day 24: this is the day I let the kids watch Christmas movies all day.  Or at least until we head to our party that evening.  They did that again this year.  They also made reindeer food and were successful in getting glitter all over the kitchen.

I spent the day making cinnamon rolls and a breakfast casserole for Christmas morning breakfast, wrapping bingo prizes for Christmas Eve, and some last-minute wrapping for Justin.