Our kids couldn't wait to put up the tree. They wanted to put it up right after we had Thanksgiving dinner. We couldn't give up on Thanksgiving that fast but we caved and put it up the day after. Elle and Easton were so excited to decorate the tree, hang the stockings, get out our Santa and start making decorations for their rooms. By the time they were done, they had cute paper elves, wreaths, bows, trees, etc. on their beds, closets, doors, dressers and even CD players. (I kept meaning to take a picture but forgot! It was so cute!) They are so creative!
Our tree definitely isn't one of those glamorous trees with big fancy bows but it is filled with memories-- ornaments from when Don and I were kids, a souvenir from somewhere we've been, home made ornaments of the kids from Primary and school, and pictures of our family. Our kids love it and we do too! It's fun to walk by and see a picture of Elle when she was 2 hanging from the tree and notice how much Jayne looks like her or a picture of Easton smiling at us from between the branches. And Don and I both have to giggle when we see the picture the Primary took of Jayne with a look on her face of "Why are you taking my picture?" Someday it would be fun to have an "elegant" tree too but I don't think I will ever be able to give up on our tree of memories.
I thought for sure we would get the tree set up and Jayne would pull all the ornaments off and pull the train off the track constantly but she didn't. She looks at all the ornaments and likes to point herself out and take the princesses off but doesn't touch anything else. She loves the train too! She will lay on her tummy in front of the tree and say "Choo Choo" and watch the train. After the tree had been up for a week, Jayne somehow noticed the dial under the chair to turn it on and off and figured out how to do it on her own. I would be in the kitchen and hear the train going and come out to see Jayne lying on her tummy watching the train.
On December 1st, "Elfie the Elf" came back to our house and appeared in the Christmas tree. He first showed up last December when we read "Elf on the Shelf" and the kids loved it. He would watch the kids during the day and report back to Santa at night and then appear in a different spot each morning. He flew back to the North Pole with Santa on Christmas Eve and we haven't seen him since. Elle and Easton were anxious to see if he would come back this year and he did. Yay! Every morning they couldn't wait to find where he was that day.
December 1st also started the countdown to Christmas and this year Don found a Star Wars Lego Advent Calendar. Elle and Easton took turns and each day looked forward to a new little guy or ship. Christmas Eve was Easton's turn and he got Yoda Santa. He is such a nice brother though that he shared with Elle and gave her the Santa suit and he kept the Yoda head.
Another tradition we have is reading a Christmas book every night in December leading up to Christmas. I wrap all our Christmas books and the kids take turns opening a book. It's so cute seeing them feel each wrapped book trying to figure out which one it is. They have their favorites.
We love to make sugar cookies and this year Elle and Easton wanted to use both the Christmas and Star Wars cookie cutters. Darth Vader looked pretty cool next to the bells and angels.
Decorating the cookies
Jayne never actually got around to frosting her cookie. She just ate the frosting by the spoon and ate the cookie.
Even though we haven't had much snow, the kids still got to play in the leaves and have a little hot chocolate in the play house
Decorating a gingerbread house
Elle and Jayne cleaning
Easton reading a book with Jayne
Jayne sat up to the counter one day with Darth Vader and Belle. She had them dancing and playing together. She loves princesses and well, Darth Vader definitely comes up a lot in our house. Can you imagine a better match?
1 comment:
Looks like you had a great holiday season! Every tree needs a train around it! My kids love ours! It's such a fun tradition. Jayne's hair seems to be getting lighter and she looks so much like Elle! What a cutie, ALL your kids are adorable!!
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