I mentioned in a previous post that we put up the tree before Thanksgiving, which we never do. With being gone the week of Thanksgiving and then coming back and jumping back into school and work it was either before Thanksgiving or a couple weeks into December.
The boys always get excited about getting out the decorations. They each have a box of ornaments that they have gotten over the years that are specific to them. They can choose to put them on their small individual trees or on the family tree.
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Getting out the Christmas books, movies, and music is also fun.
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| New PJs from Gammer |
We did what we do every year and hung up our paper stockings and mittens with an activity for each day leading up until Christmas. Some of the things included were making and delivering cookies, opening a Lego Advent calendar, shopping for the food pantry, making paper snowflakes, looking at the decorated trees at the Inn at VT, driving around and looking at Christmas lights, drinking hot chocolate, opening a new Christmas book (this year it was A Christmas Carol), opening a new Christmas movie (Illumination Grinch), opening our new ornaments for the year (the boys got Sonic and Tails; Taylor and I actually bought each other the same ornament without realizing it - Carl and Ellie from the Pixar movie Up), going to see the Nutcracker, going to see a Christmas movie in the movie theater, watching Elf with our friends the Empsons, going to an acapella concert at church, eating a candy cane, going to holiday parades, going to the Advent Service at church (where the boys did a reading), going ice skating, camping in front of the Christmas tree in the living room, going to their school Christmas performance, going to the DAK Christmas light show, and making a Christmas craft.
Corban was excited to be in the Blacksburg holiday parade with Scouts. They went the night before and helped to decorate the float. While Corban and Taylor were doing that I took Gabriel to meet some friends and watch the parade. They had fun dancing, collecting candy, and wrestling on the grass. They were also all kind to give some of their candy to Corban since he didn't get any.
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| He was so excited to have everyone yelling to him and waving |
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| When you find your kindergarten teacher after the parade (she said that they were calling his name as his float went past and he was confused until he realized who it was) |
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| Checking out the trees at the Inn at VT |
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| Posing with Buddy at the dentist's office |
For their Christmas performance this year Mrs. Mayhew took months teaching them Christmas songs in different languages. They both really enjoyed it and we had a lot of singing going on around here in the weeks leading up to the night.
Corban's class led chapel one week and did a great job doing some skits. Corban played Caleb as the spies were going into the city and did a great job projecting his voice and getting into the part.
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| Local house that has radio Christmas lights and Santa on some nights. We don't really do Santa around this house but Corban asked me if he could tell Santa what he wanted to Christmas, which I said was fine. He told him that he wanted a PlayStation :) |
Last year we took the boys ice skating for the first time and they loved it. They had asked several times if this could happen again this year and thankfully there was an afternoon that it was offered that worked for us. They both were quite fearless and Corban especially wanted no help getting his bearings on the ice.
I was supposed to work on Christmas Day (which was on a Sunday this year and Taylor was preaching that day), but a few days before a co-worker asked me if I'd work 12/26 for her if she picked up Christmas for me. That was a no brainer and I was happy to be and church and home that day with everyone. The boys got matching PJs a couple days before Christmas, which they are wearing below on Christmas morning. Corban especially likes PJs that zip up with hoods.
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| A couple of creepers on Christmas morning |
We did what we always do and had a meal (dinner) at Waffle House on Christmas Day
The most exciting thing that the boys got for Christmas was a used Nintendo Wii with games (some that friends gave us when they gave us the Wii, some that were ordered used off of eBay by Aunt Jessica). They were both totally shocked and have especially enjoyed playing Lego Harry Potter and Lego Lord of the Rings. We let them play it a lot on Christmas Day (we waiting to open it until after church) and over the rest of Christmas break.
After Christmas we had lots of family come to visit. First it was the Spears and Grandma Cheryl and after that it was the Murchisons with Gammer and Pop Pop. I don't know how we didn't take any pictures with Taylor's family when they were here. We really only had one full day with them though.
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| Lizzie with the Playmobile Santa Workshop |
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| Cousin Mario Kart |
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| Cracker Barrel |
The week before school started back we went to the science museum and took Aela with us. It was a fun day of exploring, eating Jimmy Johns, and picking out candy at the big candy store.
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| They worked hard and built this entire house together |
A couple weeks after Christmas we did our annual MLK cabin trip with the Bergerons. The boys had fun staying with Taylor's parents. They did their favorite thing to do there: go to Barnes and Noble and pick a book, go out to lunch, and wander the mall. Apparently waiting to read the new books until after the mall wasn't an option for them
After the MLK trip it seems like the end of break and the time to get back into the routine of school. Our tree may still be up though (working on that). . .
It really was a nice break filled with lots of fun and time with family :)
