Getting Ready For Christmas

  This year, getting ready for Christmas was a bit of a slog. Lizzy came home at the start of winter break feeling sick. And like clockwork, one by one, the kids all fell. With everyone feeling terrible and not wanting to eat, making merry sort of fell off the radar. 

    As the days ticked down to Christmas, though, I was eager to do at least a few of our traditions. We decorated cookies to give to the neighbors. 

    Henry has taken to wearing this hat, and he looks adorable, like a 1930s newspaperman hot on the trail of a good story. I love it!

    I made ginger cookies, surprise bars, and got a few chocolates from Costco to round out our treat plates. I had Emily count out the houses in our cul-de-sac. I wasn't clear about adding the 2 houses at the top of the street, so we were a plate off, but a couple of houses didn't answer the door, so it turned out okay. 

    Caroling is a tradition for both Daniel and I. We love it. Some years we go out every weekend in December, this year we could only manage one night. It was cold, but no snow, and we were able to get them all done within 20 minutes. We don't really know our neighbors well, but I knew that a few to the left of us were older, so I wanted to hit them first. They were so excited to have us sing to them. At the rental house across the street, the young man who opened the door was so shocked. He thought he was only supposed to take one of the treats off the plate and was so happy to receive the whole plate. It was cute. We had a good time, and I was so happy.

    The activity days had the kids do a nativity reenactment. Henry was supposed to be a shepherd, but he decided to be a hat rack, so he stood with his hat on his shoulder the whole time. Then, when they closed the curtains, he fell over to represent the hat rack being knocked over.

    We finally got our tree on the 20th from Lowe's. The nice thing about getting a tree so late is that they are discounted, Yay! I always leave the tree up for Kings Day so we have it nearly as long or longer than most anyway.  With Daniel still working 12s and everyone being sick, it was an undertaking to feel festive. The kids helped decorate the house. It's always fun with a new house trying to merge your decor with the space. Charles was especially helpful figuring things out.

    Devon found a hidey hole. Later we went to Knights of Lights! We met Santa.

We decorated cookies with Mrs Claus and Dasher.

Henry was less enthused to meet Mrs. Claus.

    There was an eye spy of several elves thoughout the area. Then the younger kids entered the snowball fight. It was a lot colder than I origionaly anticipated so poor Teddy was freezing. He stayed under Daniel's or my cape nearly the whole time, he would run out and throw a few balls then run back and warm up.

This year they did a maze with the 12 days of Christmas.