Christmas Fun

We have started getting into the Christmas spirit around here and the boys, especially Jackson, have really been into it this year. Three years old is the perfect age to get excited about the season and be old enough to enjoy the crafts, carols and stories that go along with it. And 15 months old is the perfect age to take ornaments off the tree, take baby Jesus out of our nativity and wreck havoc on my window candles :)

We kicked of the season by putting up our tree over Thanksgiving weekend. We used to go to the mountain, pick the perfect tree and have it freshly cut. Fast forward 3 years...its SO much easier (and cheaper) to go to the local produce stand and buy one. The kids still have fun running through the trees and "helping" find the perfect one so its no difference to them at this point.

Jackson was dying to decorate the tree THAT night so after Weston went down, we strung the lights and let Jackson decorate the tree.







We also put up our Jesse Tree, which we started using last year after I participated in a Jesse Tree ornament exchange. Starting December 1, we read a devotional & put a corresponding ornament on the tree each night, leading up to Jesus' birth. Each ornament symbolizes a part of Jesus' lineage and its quickly becoming one of Jackson's favorite things to do. He never lets me forget that "we need to put another decoration on the Jesus Tree".




{Last year, I participated in the ornament exchange with some friends from church. Each of us was assigned a particular day with corresponding story and symbol and made 25 identical ornaments. Then we all exchanged, leaving each of us with 25 unique ornaments and really engaging way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.}

Earlier this week, we attempted to make homemade ornaments using a baking soda/corn starch recipe I found online. It seemed to work well at first but once they started drying, they cracked in places. Its all good because for my kids, its more fun to actually make them then use them.




Rusty, our holiday elf, has returned for a second year. He isn't a mischievous elf like some may be, but this is largely due to his lack of movable limbs. Since he is homemade, his body & legs are cardstock so snow angels and bubble baths are out of the question. But he does enjoy relocating every night and bringing the boys the occasional surprise.







We had a neighborhood playdate earlier this week while Jackson was at Bebe's...it was refreshing to have time with just Weston and his friends. We decorated sugar cookies and the tots had a blast sampling their creations.



Weston, Anna & Emmerson are all within 6 months in age (he's the youngest by a landslide). Its fun for him to have friends his own age rather than just hang out with Jackson's buddies. Although he is the only boy of the group.



And wrapping presents, I found the only little girl I'll ever have....





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