The Start of Christmas

Now that the production is done, we've finally started to move on to prepping for Christmas around here. Bill finally pulled down the Christmas tubs and other miscellaneous stuff and tonight the kids put together their tree.

Brace yourselves, folks. This tree is like none other. In fact, if you ever had this tree you've gotten rid of it long ago. Hey, it's all us newlyweds could afford! We've kept it around all these years and it's filled it purpose here and there. Now, it's the kids' tree.

It always begins with unpacking the box and finding the top. (Why, yes, Bill is standing on the craft table. He's changing a lightbulb.) 

Putting this thing together takes some thinking. Like those mind-bender, unsolvable knot games. 

Once it's together you string the lights on. We have about 4 miles of lights for this little tree. Again, same set from Bill and my first Christmas (sigh).

Meanwhile, someone must step in and "fluff" the branches in order to fill it out. (Sheesh, people! Do you want this to look authentic or what?!)

I pack all the kid ornaments in the same box as the tree and let them at it. 

This Nutcracker Advent calendar was confiscated after a wild round of White Elephant gift exchanging one year. The kids love it. It's little books with the story written in it.

It's all done. I should have taken a picture with the kids in front of it but we had other things to do.

Like flip over 16 days on our other Advent calendar. This one was made by my grandma for me and my sister and brother when we were growing up. Obviously, I have it now. I think it was made from a kit. 16 days, 4 kids = 4 days of flipping over. Every time Luke flipped an animal over he made its sound. (When it wasn't his turn he was running around the table.)

And when that was over, we began "The Worst  Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Robinson! LOVE that book!!! (V didn't join us for that part. We can't seem to get her to sit and read with us yet. Maybe that will change after she receives some of her Christmas gifts from us. :) )

Wednesday night we watched "Elf". Fuuuuunny movie! The kids also helped me color in some stamped snowmen for some gift bags I was going to make. 

This is one of my favorite gifts to make for teachers. So, if you're a teacher to one of my kids: Spoiler Alert. I take a coffee bag that I've been saving since my last trip for coffee beans from my favorite coffee shop in the whole wide world (Burgie's and I've been a lot) and cover it with some scrapbook paper and layer on the snowman, etc. Inside are some homemade biscotti and to go with that is a Starbucks Frappuccino decorated with some paper. Doesn't it look so cute?  

So, that's it for now. We're getting Christmas started here.