Decorating our home with tree, lights, nativity scenes, candles . . . . Hannah just loved decorating and wanted to make sure there were decorations in each room!
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Putting on the angel!  Hanging lights outside.    |
Attending Christmas Breakfast with Santa at Minds in Motion Dayschool complete with scrumptious doughnuts, fun crafts and of course a photo with Santa was a sweet morning, though Shawn had to work afterwards cleaning it up. :)
And Elanor got to taste her first candy cane (actually first candy for that matter!)
Inspired by a chance encounter with a friend in the grocery store, I created an advent calender. Hannah has responded to this with so much joy and excitement. We have so enjoyed her anticipation of opening one envelope each day to see what special activity we have to complete. Almost the first thing she says every morning is "Can I open an envelope?" Some of her favorites activities so far have included making Christmas cookies, reading about the shepherds and wiseman and going outside to look at the stars, learning the story of the candy cane while eating one, and making Christmas cards for her friends. I have always wanted to have an advent calender so I finally just made a simple one this year--envelopes decorated with Christmas stickers holding gift tags with an activity for each day. It has been so much fun and will definitely be a family tradition. Maybe some day I'll make cute felt envelopes or something like that, but for now simple is best because at least it gets done! :)
Making Christmas cards.
Making Christmas ornaments to give away.
Elanor loved getting to play with the dough too!
Making Christmas cookies--Hannah tenderly letting EZB taste some dough.
"This is so much fun!"
Not only has she eaten a candy cane, tasted cookie dough, but Elanor has also eaten powdered sugar! Wow, welcome to world of sweets I guess! I'm so much more relaxed with her than I was with Hannah! :)
We've danced like crazy to all kinds of Christmas music!
We hosted our life group Christmas party and had such a special time in spite of the snow building up outside--which just made it all the cozier inside.
My sentiments exactly Anna-Lynn. I just love Christmas parties!
We turned our gas fireplace into a wood burning fireplace for Shawn as his Christmas present and have thoroughly enjoyed the switch. Shawn was so excited and touched he got teary eyed. Having a real fire is so cozy and takes me back to my childhood. (Yes we had a fireplace in Africa and used it quite often--it did get down in the 60's you know.) :)
So now we are off to see some Christmas lights and have hot chocolate . . . . I just love this time of year! We can't wait to go to Grandma and Grandpa's!
Hope you are all enjoying the season with your family and friends and being filled with the peace of Him who is our Prince of Peace no matter what the season.