Dec 2: Decorating the tree

Only the lower four feet had ornaments!

Dec 15: Christmas clothes

Dec 19: Throwing airplanes into the tree

Dec 19: Arlington Christkindl Market marionette show. After the show, the kids were invited up to the stage to see one of the puppets up-close. Raine and Carter preferred to hang back — they remembered how creepy those puppets look when you are too close!

Raine met up with her school friend, Drew. They made puppets together before the show.

Dec 20: Raine’s class Christmas party.

This was not a “holiday” party like you are forced to have in public schools these days, this was a bona fide “Christmas” party. For the gift exchange, each child brought a wrapped book and they passed the gifts around the circle each time they heard the name “Jesus” in the nativity story.

Dec 21: Breakfast with Santa. We were iced out on our original date. Fortunately, we were able to reschedule and have a very fun time.

While waiting to see Santa, the kids got to write letters to the missionaries serving from our ward.

They also got to make crafts to take home. (Fortunately, I purchased WAY more crafts than we had kids because we had a very chatty Santa this year! Each child made two or three ornaments while they waited.)

My cute little friend Adrian wanted to take a photo of me with my camera, since I was taking photos of everyone else. Carter wasn’t too thrilled about being in it with me!

 

Dec 22: Sunday afternoons can get a little silly around here while we wait for Daddy to get home.

There is always at least one re-enactment of primary.

At some point during December, Carter became obsessed with Superman. Fortunately, we had a shirt and cape in the dress-up bucket.

Dec 23: Raking leaves for our secret Santa sister in the ward.

After filling ten yard bags with mulched leaves, we had only de-leafed about 3/4 of her front yard! We were hoping to at least clear the front so the young men would only have to deal with the back when they finally got around to her, but we severely underestimated the number of bags we would need. (And we didn’t want to stick around too long and risk being caught in the act!)

Dec 24: We were able to perform some service that helped us get into the Christmas spirit when we found out that a family in the ward was without electricity and low on food. We packed up some supplies, wrapped a few toys that were lingering in the corners of my closet, and picked up some pizzas for them. It makes you realize just how much you have when you spend a little time in someone’s barren apartment, deep in the ghetto, on Christmas Eve. Our kids were able to personally experience what everyone always talks about at Christmas time . . . helping those in need.

Christmas Eve: making gingerbread houses while watching Mr. Kruger’s Christmas.

Then we snuggled up on the couch and watched The Polar Express, projected on the wall. Soon enough we were all warm in our beds, waiting for Santa to come.