MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and joyful Christmas!!!

Christmas Programs

With Christmas comes the kids' Christmas programs.  The first program we attended was Jackson's.  He sang with his class first, then all three kindergarten classes sang together.  You could really tell that Jackson enjoyed singing this year.  He really belted it out!

Then we attended Jordan's Christmas Caroling program a couple of days later.  Jackson sang in this one too.  He is considered an "after-schooler" there, so he participated as well.

Jordan was a candy cane.  Look at Jackson cheesing it up in the back!

Following the Christmas carols, Santa always make his entrance.  Jordan is still not a big fan of Santa, so the best we could do is get her to wave at him.  Jackson, on the other hand, was anxious to sit on his lap.  He told Santa he wanted his two front teeth.  Santa was amazed.

 

We're busy at home getting ready for the Big Man to make his appearance Sunday morning.  We're all very anxious for Christmas this year.

All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth!!!

Sooo this year, we've put this song into practice at our house!  Jackson was wrestling playing with a neighbor on their trampoline and his front two teeth got knocked out!  He didn't cry and they didn't bleed.  Aunt Bebe almost had a heart attack (she was babysitting at the time), but the neighbor across the street is a dental hygienist, and after a quick look, she verified that they were okay since they were baby teeth. One came out all the way and the other left a little bit of root that will come out in time.  Jackson was excited that the tooth fairy came that night.

~SIGH~ I was just thankful we weren't headed back to the ER for stitches or a cast.  And needless to say, he is BANNED from the neighbor's trampoline for evermore!!! 

O Come Let Us Adore Him

One thing I try to instill in my kids is the real reason for Christmas.  Of course, we love all the presents, decorations and Christmas lights, but we all know that Christmas is Jesus' birthday.  Because of this, I have many, many nativity sets.  I have one in almost every room of our house... even bathrooms.  I feel like it's a constant reminder of the season and to give thanks every day.

Jackson has bought into this as well.  They've talked about it quite a bit in school, he has tried to remove baby Jesus from most of our nativities because He hasn't been born yet.  Of course Jordan isn't too fond of that idea.

Jordan has been fascinated with the nativities this year too.  She re-arranged this one because "they all need to see baby Jesus", and have a front-row seat.

And this is the one in her room.  She arranged the characters like the cover of a Christmas book that we have.

And this is my favorite nativity this year.  Jackson made it in school this year.

Everyone Loves a Parade

We made our annual trek to EC for the Christmas Parade.  The kids love seeing it every year, and were very excited.  We got to Popo's work and had a quick supper before it started.  Lots of yummy snacks and homemade chicken noodle soup.  So GOOD!

Then it was time for the parade!!!  Here are Jackson and Kathryn getting ready.

Jordan watched from Nana's lap.

The theme this year was Disney, so there were lots of great floats featuring Mickey.  Jordan just waved and waved at all the floats.  She loved it.

Jack and Reed pretended to cut the floats in half with their "light-sabers".

And the parade wouldn't be complete without the grand finale!!!  Santa closed out the parade as he does every year riding on the firetruck. 

Using the Force

While Kenny and I were decorating the outside of the house for Christmas, the kids found these cardboard tubes in the garage.  They made great light sabers!  Jackson and Jordan instantly transformed into Jedi Masters  and were honing their Jedi skills.  I didn't get any good pictures of the house.  The kids captured all of my attention.

Here they are using the "Force".  At this point, I was wishing the Force would put the lights up on the house!  As you can see, they were having a blast!

 

Disclaimer:  No runny noses were incurred due to Jordan's ankles being exposed to the cold. :)

'Tis the Season

The weekend after Thanksgiving, we pulled out ALL our Christmas loot out to transform our house.  Honestly, Kenny and I love Christmas and our kids love it more, so while it takes 2 whole days to get everything out and decorated.

We started on the inside this year because of the bad weather.  Jackson's tree went up first, then Jordan's, then the big one downstairs, then the little one downstairs, then the skinny one upstairs.  Phew!  That was alot of trees. 

I also decided to re-do the garland on my banisters.  I bought the mesh in Canton and couldn't wait to use it.  Here's our entryway with our little blue tree.

I also bought these great green poinsettias in Canton for my tree, but I put a few in the garland on my coffee table. I just love them.

 

Sunday we finished up the outside in the freezing cold.  I don't think I got any pics of the actual decorations on the house.  I was too busy snapping pictures of the kids pretending to be Jedi's.  More to come on that in a later post!