December Daily 7: Gingerbread

Mr. Timmy was sitting on top of our cupboards this morning. Westen actually found him right away this morning. As soon as he stirs, Westen gets RIGHT up and says "Dad, will you help me find that little guy?" The first couple days I think it was actually causing him to get less sleep because he got up earlier than usual! Our day today was all about gingerbread. We made the dough this morning. I'd never made it and I was a little worried because it seemed kind of dry, but after letting it sit for a few hours, it was perfect. We rolled it out and cut different shapes. Westen didn't want to do only gingerbread men. We made a puzzle out of the dough too, for Westen's advent gift tomorrow. We shaped the dough into a rectangle, then cut it after it was cooked into different puzzle pieces, then put it all back together and decorated it with icing. Westen wanted to make a snowman on there, so we did.. Then I thought to make clouds and Westen thought to make snow on the bottom and snow falling! He's so creative. Earlier today, he woke Aeson up from his nap accidentally and as Aeson was very, very tired, I told Westen I wasn't very happy that he woke him up... So he went in his bedroom and came out a little later with a butterfly he had made for me. He told me he made it because he didn't want me to not be happy! :) He's so sweet. Poor Aeson's been exhausted all day! Anyway, we decorated our cookies tonight and tried to make a gingerbread house, but nobody ever told me how hard that was! I haven't made one since I was a kid, and this one was a total failure! At least everything else turned out! Tonight, we've been watching Home Alone 2. Westen thinks it is hilarious! It's so strange to have your kids watching movies you watched as a kid!

December Daily 6: Snowglobes

Timmy made it into the bathroom today. Eric said that was creepy lol! We finished our snowglobes this morning, and Westen loved them. Saint Nicholas visited him at school and he came home with a cute little snowman he'd gotten for a gift. He said his angel LOVED his snowglobe and said "Oh thank you so much, Westen!" :) Westen drew lots of pictures today, as he always does.. but he drew one of a beautiful Christmas tree. Tonight, we had our last music class. It is SO cold out here! ...not below zero yet, though!

December Daily 5: Christmas Countdowns

Our Internet connection was down last night, so I'm just posting yesterday's now. We spent the day with my sister and her family, watching football at lunchtime and then eating at our house again for dinner. Grandma called and had gotten us each an ornament for our tree. We went to the store and got all the supplies we need for our crafts and Christmas goodies we're going to make. I'm trying some new stuff this year, so I hope it turns out! Chelsea got Westen a Christmas calendar, so we started counting down on that as well.. We now have 3 countdowns going! :) We started the snow globes, which is our first gift for Westen's angel at school, and ended the night with Harry Potter and "flizzards." (homemade blizzards Mommy makes.. for some reason, that's what Westen calls them! :))

December Daily 4: Santa & Xmas Party

Timmy was on the refrigerator this morning. :) Sneaky little guy! Westen loves telling about how he fell down from the tree when he was in there and then when "nobody was home" he got back up! :) In case you aren't familiar, nobody's allowed to touch the elves or their magic disappears.

We decided to drive to Rushville with my sister and her baby to visit Santa. Westen all of a sudden couldn't remember what he wanted when we got there, but he still had a little chat with him-- even discussing Timmy. :) Aeson had fallen asleep on the way there, so he was pretty uncertain! Sitting on his lap only lasted a second. (I'm planning on adding all pictures tomorrow!) He did enjoy the cookie and candy cane he got, though.. and they both got to pick out a bell to bring home.

Tonight, we went to Eric's Christmas party for work. His parents watched the kids. It was a good time and delicious food!

December Daily 3: Polar Express

Westen woke up to find Timmy perched on the fish tank today. We spent the morning coming up with our grocery list for holiday baking and coming up with the crafts we're going to do.. both for ourselves and for Westen's angel at school. Aeson found the elf hat from last year and wore it around the house. :) I'm planning on adding pictures to all these entries this weekend! Westen came home from school singing "Let Kevin and nature sing." haha, I thought it was cute, but I told him it's Heaven. :) I cannot WAIT for his Advent program at school! That's one thing I love about his preschool. They don't have to dance around all the holidays like public schools do. I think it makes things so much more enjoyable and fun. This whole month, he'll be bringing home books about Christmas. We read the story of Jesus being born today. It was so cute to hear him talk about Mary and Joseph. Westen also came home today with a candy cane ornament he'd made at school. My sister and her family came over for dinner and we all watched The Polar Express together. Santa may be up for tomorrow!

December Daily 2

It flurried here this morning. Westen woke up to find Timmy perched above our big picture window in the living room. It was a pretty busy day, as we had our regular Thursday "mommy playgroup." We decided on one of the gifts for Westen's "angel" next week. He has to make homemade gifts all three of the days for his angel. I was having a hard time coming up with things for another boy, but I think we have it now! The boys each got to pick a toy out tonight. My mom saves all her change and when she cashes it in, she splits it up among the grandchildren and they can use it as they wish. Westen bought two Star Wars figurines and another Transformer. Aeson chose an Elmo jack-in-the-box. He's loved Elmo lately! Also, for a child who hates socks and hats, he LOVES his mittens! So far, anyway. :) Westen also spent time with Grandma Sandy today. We didn't do anything Christmas-y, but I'm definitely getting in the mood for it. I need to come up with a grocery list so I can start baking!

December Daily : The First of December

Well, I should first mention that it snowed for the first time this year yesterday. Almost always, the first snow (well, flurries) is around my birthday (November 5), but this year it was later. Westen went outside to see if he could make a snowball, but he couldn't. :) It had just flu.rried and a tiny bit stuck to the ground. It was pretty much gone by today. Looks like more is coming, though, and Westen is VERY excited about that.

We started Elf on the Shelf after Thanksgiving for the first time this year too. Today, our elf (Timmy) is perched in above the window in the bathroom. His hiding places so far have been a shelf in the living room, the Christmas tree, our living room lamp, a fake tree we have, and a curtain. Aeson was waving and blowing kisses at Timmy tonight, so Westen had to blow him a kiss too. :)

Westen's enjoyed plugging the Christmas tree in every day. The excitement of helping us put it up wore quickly, and it ended up being Eric and me doing mostly everything! Aeson tried to stick a couple of branches in.

I'm so excited for this month.. I love all the Christmas activities.

We'd planned on watching the Grinch tonight on tv, but it was also my sister's birthday, so we had dinner with them instead!-