One and Only

My Loves

Letters to Santa

We finished our Letters to Santa today.  Bennett has remained very consistent in asking for his two specific  Lego sets and an alarm clock, Bryn wants a fish and an Anna doll (and you really have to pull it out of her), and when I've asked Norah, she has said " a real kitty cat", "a horsie", and "a carrot"!

Breakfast with Santa!

We got to have breakfast with Santa bright and early this morning (it was delicious!).  All the kiddos brought him pictures they had painted at home before we left and sure had a lot to say to him! Can you tell Norah really loves Santa!?

Lights Night!

It was our annual night to head out with popcorn in search of the best Christmas lights! Always a hit and this year it was fun to have a minivan so the kids had more space to get up and dance while we watched the lights dance to the music!

Date Night at the Theater!

Family date night at the Stages Theater to see A Charlie Brown Christmas live on stage tonight!

I definitely have some theater lovers!

New Xmas Jammies Tonight

So Attached

Swimming with Daddy Tonight

Kindergarten

Cookies and Singing

We cut out all the cookies then B got his guitar out for singing and dancing while the cookies baked! Festive, loud, and happy cookie decorating for sure!

Swinging, Wild and Free

Big, Middle, Little

Together

Gorgeous December Days

Santa Fun!

Making Memories

We had a family date at the Holidazzle downtown tonight.  We ate brats in the warming house, ate lefse together, and strolled hand in hand (or toddler in arm) around the little areas of lights.  Our favorite part was the sleigh ride along the pond.  A kind woman took our picture in the sleigh with our horse and it turned out wonderfully blurry.  I have a few other grainy phone pics and the memory stored in my heart forever.  I love holiday traditions.  I especially love this picture with B.  He's my super best bud and we used to walk through this park every single day together when we moved back from Seattle, because our relocation apartment was right across the street.  He loves when I tell him stories all about it, and Bryn smiles and chimes in too because she was also there for all of it, albeit in my belly.  That smile of his is everything to me. 

What a wonderful evening of new memories for all of us.

 

Hot Chocolate and Lots of Books Tonight

Reindeer Buds

6am

Jingle!

For the first time ever in our house, Elf on the Shelf has arrived.  The kids were beyond excited to have him join our family and named him Jingle.  When I told them he brought donuts covered with North Pole snow from Mrs. Claus, they loved him even more.  (Update since the elf arrived and since I am way behind on my blogging: since Jingle's arrival, the kids have not made a peep once lights are out at bedime)!!!

Christmas Countdown

I decided to do another Countdown to Christmas this year....we started today with a special treat of milk and cookies waiting for the kids when we arrived home from school.  We're basically just making sure that we stop each day to give thanks for the season and putting family and our time together first (maybe with a fun or festive little treat thrown in there sometimes too!).

Love Those Smiles

A Few Favorites