Getting Ready for Christmas

The Sunday after Thanksgiving, and subsequently the first day of December, we busted out the Christmas decorations and started decking the halls--well, at least the family room and office. 

 Michael really got into the advent calender this year. He COULDN'T WAIT until Christmas, especially after those first presents made their way under there. Most mornings, he had the thing from the calendar pocket up on the picture before I even got out of bed! It was a lot of fun. 

 We were lucky this year to have a white December. Michael loved it. He didn't care if the temperature was in the single digits--he was out enjoying all that snow! One night, we all headed out to play in the snow with Michael. Rachel didn't know what to think about it all. She must not have hated it though, because she didn't really cry. She just sat on this little sled and watched the action. 

 Brian and Michael shoveled out the driveway, and we were grateful that we found that $2 kid snow shovel at DI this past summer. Totally worth it!

 I showed Rachel how to make a snow angel (aka I made her do it).

And we had Michael make one too. Too bad the picture we got was all blurry, but you get the idea.

After this venture, we decided that Rachel needed a girl coat. She now has a very cute white coat (yeah, I couldn't find another color in her size at any of the four stores I checked out). I know you were all worried about it, so I thought I'd let you know.

 Rachel was really good about leaving the tree and the presents alone. My visiting teachers came over one night mid-December, and one of them expressed amazement that I had presents under the tree and that my kids left them alone. To be honest, I was a little surprised myself. Yay that Rachel is learning boundaries finally! We're still working on the DVD shelf in the office, but that's another story.

Michael got to do lots of fun Christmasy activities in Preschool. One of the things they did is make ornaments for their parents for Christmas. I took all their pictures for the ornament, and here's Michael's. I think it is funny that he's wearing a "Beach Bum" shirt for this Christmas picture. Hee hee.

I wish there was some way to capture the essence of his Christmas excitement and wonder in words, but alas, I lack the talent. I will just say that each year gets even more magical than the next as Michael gets older, and we love it.