Countdown to Christmas!

It's hard to believe Christmas is just days away!!  We have been shopping, baking, decorating, and enjoying our annual Christmas-time traditions.  Here are a few highlights of what we have been up to (and why I haven't been blogging.:)

1.  Zoo Lights- Each year we head to the Zoo to visit the animals and see it lit up in all its glory.  It is spectacular.  We go each year with our friends, The Essman's, and it is always a fun (and comical) time! 

2.  Decorating- Every square inch of our house is covered with decorations.  It is a Winter Wonderland and the kids LOVE it!  Our house always looks so bare each year when everything comes down.

                                                                 Putting up the Tree!

                                                        Can you find our silly elf? 

                                                                  Dining Room

Daddy's Office

staircase

Outdoor Lights

3.  Breakfast with Santa- This year Mom and Dad invited us to Breakfast with Santa, at the Country Club.  We feasted on a delicious breakfast buffet and Santa made a special appearance.  He presented each child with a gift and photo.  It was AMAZING and the kids still talk about it!  Thanks Nana and Grandpa for such a special memory!

3. City Tree Lighting Ceremony- This year, Mackenzie and I enjoyed a girl's night that included a painting party at my school, watching the City tree lighting ceremony, and meeting Santa.  It just so happened that the Art teacher at my school was having an art night at school.  I signed up Mackenzie to do some Winter projects, and then we headed out with some of my coworkers and their kid's to be a part of the tree lighting ceremony and to meet Santa.  It was a wonderful girl's night and I am so proud of her artwork that we will display for years to come!

Showing off her amazing artwork (footprint/handprint reindeer plate)

the finished products!

                                                                      painting pals

Waiting patienty for the tree lighting ceremony

Meeting Santa

                                                ....and of course Santa brought his reindeer!

   3.  The Elf on the shelf- Each year after Christmas, an elf from The North Pole visits our house.  He helps Santa keep tabs on us.  Each night once we're asleep, the elf flies back to the North Pole to give his report.  We look forward each morning to finding the elf and seeing where he has landed.  It is great fun.  Several times a day you hear the phrase "The elf is watching" coming from someone's mouth...including a certain 5 year old. :)

4.  Baking- This was Caleb's first year to really get involved in the cookie decorating.  I will just say that he was a bit sprinkle happy and may have used an entire bottle of sprinkles on one single cookie.  We're setting that one out for Santa!  :)

5.  Christmas Programs-  Both kids were involved in a Christmas program put on by their school.  It was top notch and we were so impressed.  They went all out with programs passed out by school age greeters, hot cocoa for the adults and the most precious program you have ever seen.  Both kids did great on stage and Nana and Grandpa even made it for the big event!

                                               The Whales Room performing Jingle Bells!

Our sweet jingle bell boy!  He was amazing!

                                                 Hangin' with Nana and Grandpa after the show!

                                           The Seahorse's Crew performing 5 Little Snowman Poem

Our sweet little snowman

                                                             School Parties!

6.  Late Night Wrapping Sessions- Jeremy and I are usually up ridiculously late on Christmas Eve trying to get everything wrapped.  Somehow, this year, we are super ahead of the game.  We have almost everything wrapped and have even assembled most of the kids toys and taken them out of the boxes to make it more enjoyable on Christmas morning.  We have had a lot of fun wrapping together each night (we usually do it separately) and reward ourselves with some great late night munchies!  :)

7.  Christmas Pictures- This year, I decided to surrender to the Professionals and let them take the kids pictures.  I was pretty certain in my mind that Caleb wouldn't cooperate and that I was probably wasting a small fortune having someone else take the pictures, and print them. Boy was I wrong.  The kids did great and we even ended up getting a family picture taken at the last minute.  We have also enjoyed collecting cards from our mailbox each day and hanging them up.