Tis the Season

The one thing I really enjoy about the holidays, and probably more so than anything else, is getting ready for them. I love getting the tree up and all the trimmings with the kids. I love making cookies and trying to find just the right gift! ( I don't enjoy wrapping gifts or the taking down the tree though!)

After the kids opened their gifts from St. Nick we got their tree out and let them decorate it. They have a smaller 3 foot tree we put up in the upstairs living room. We put the larger tree downstairs in the den. The kids tree has all their favorite character ornaments on it etc..., and since we are upstairs so much they get to see it all day long. I try to keep the rest of the decorations to a minimum upstairs. Downstairs we really go all out, and it turns into a Winter Wonderland.

Cole and Gavin put the finishing touches on their Christmas tree

Cole and Gavin help make some Christmas Cookies

Just out of the oven long enough... the kids enjoy their baked goodies

Twas the night before Christmas..... Santa is pooped!

Jolly Old St. Nick

Round these parts they celebrate St. Nick's Day. You can try to fight it, but they talk about it at school so the kids come home expecting St. Nick to visit their house and leave a present. St. Nick is NOT Santa Claus. He's someone else. Todd and I are not really sure who, or what or even why for that matter so we just told the kids he was Santa's helper. He comes the night of Dec 5th and the kids wake up Dec 6 with a small gift, candy etc... I have since googled Ol' St. Nick and learned about him but that is really irrelevant since my kids aren't really old enough to understand that Todd and I don't really want to do it- but anyhoo... they awoke the morning of Dec 6 to find that St. Nick had in fact paid them a visit. He left them "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" DVD, some ornaments for their tree, and each a couple books... they were pleased to say the least!

Cole, extremely excited about his DC Superfriends book!

Gavin shows off his new book!

Let it snow, let it snow, let snow... NO!

With the first big snow of the season the kids just wanted to get outside and play! Todd took the kids out in the yard for some good ol' fashioned fun- snow ball fights and building a snowman of course! They really had a great time. They stayed out for almost an hour before they came in, rosy cheeked and runny nosed! I warmed them up with some hot chocolate and a Christmas show. This was Gavin's first snowman and he really had a blast. The neighbor boys were out and pitched in as well. We have since had our share of snow, OVER 34 inches just in December alone! With my car being so low to the ground I have gotten stuck at the bottom of the driveway multiple times already, and it has even knocked one of the driving lights on the bottom of my car out! I have also gotten stuck trying to pull into gas stations, stores etc... frustrating to say the least- and to think it's not even January yet!

Cole, Gavin and Issac (neighbor kid), help Todd put the finishing touches on a snowman

C&G show off their snowman!