Getting ready for Christmas

Over the last few weeks, we have been preparing for Christmas. We started by decorating the house, putting up the trees and hanging lights outside. Trevor was very excited when our neighbors put up their outside lights and couldn't wait for us to put ours up. (Now that I think about it, I'm not sure he has even seen ours!)

I also took the boys picture in wrapped boxes for our Christmas card. It was a fun activity. Evan thought sitting in the box was great! I think I got some really cute pictures for our card. Below are a few pictures that didn't make the card, but are cute and/or funny in their own right.

of course, this picture made the cut...couldn't resist posting it.

too bad Trevor wasn't smiling...
I love Evan's expression!

this is fun!

really fun!

While in PA, I picked up some train cookie cutters with the thought of making sugar cookies with Trevor for our neighbors and friends. Unfortunatley, I didn't realize how much work rolled out sugar cookies are! We will have to find another Christmas cooking tradition because I don't plan on making these again. The dough was so sticky, and the whole process was very time consuming.

stirring the cocoa and flour together for chocolate sugar cookies

cookies baked and being iced

picture of Daddy's and the boy's Christmas tree

taken by Trevor!

At the gym, they have an annual Christmas party with food and drinks. Santa also makes an appearance much to the children's delight. I was in the playroom prior to Santa's arrival, and the kids could hardly wait! To my surprise, Trevor announced that day that he wanted to tell Santa he wants Bibleman for Christmas. Bibleman is an action figure that he has seen in his Hermie DVD advertisement. We'll see if he gets Bibleman for Christmas; we've been talking about Bibleman being the reward for successful potty training.

Santa handed out candy canes

Another tradition we have started this year is using the Family Life Today "All God Wants for Christmas" countdown activity. There are 7 small boxes to open each day with a story for each box. There is a pop up manger scene, and each box is a different character in the Nativity story. The final box is a mirror which reflects "all God wants for Christmas" is you! Tonight Trevor astonished us when we were talking about Gabriel. Trevor said, "He said "Don't be afraid! I've got BIG news!" Jeremy and I just looked at each other. We asked Trevor if he learned that in Sunday School; apparently that is where he picked it up. A big shout out to Sunday School teachers for finding ways to say things that 3 year olds get!

We are all so excited to celebrate Jesus' birth, Evan's first Christmas, and 1st Christmas as a family of four. We feel so blessed!