It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Or at least feel like it. Brrrr! It's been cold. I guess I should say, it's been cold for Arizona.

wreath from Costco

Welcome to our home and all of our Christmas festivities. I know a lot of people like to make fun of me and how I start getting ready for Christmas in July, but I find the more prepared I am, the more I can enjoy doing stuff with the family and I relax all December.

So yes, the cards are done, the packages are sent, the presents are bought, wrapped, labeled and hidden. . . just fun from here on out. Heck, even our lights are up!

Right before Thanksgiving I got some Christmas crafting done with my girlfriends. We made the wall plaques and the barn stars. JOY blocks from Bonnie

And Grandma Rogers brought Luke's new stocking at Thanksgiving. I love all the kids' cute stockings.

Snowflakes from Tenderheart and the Angel was a gift from Kerry

We have all of our advent traditions. One for everyone. Countdown blocks (made last month) and our matchboxes (made with Tasha and Molly one year).
They're filled with candy and something Christmas-y to do each day. This magnetic cookie sheet was a birthday gift from Susan one year. A friend (I won't name names) knocked it down 3 or 4 times when she was over one day. My kids have yet to knock it down. We also have a pocket Santa by the kids rooms and we read one Christmas book each night, plus my friend Lisa sent me a scripture countdown. I think I'm going to put them in something like this for next year. I really like advent calendars if you can't tell.

The first Monday of December we always put up our Nativity and tell the story of Christ's birth as a family. Gift from my Aunt Kristine with a few "extras" Ellie picked up from Primary last year.

We also have a Little People one, but I cannot find the baby Jesus anywhere. Sadie has decided a stable isn't posh enough and brought out some doll house furniture to accessorize. The 2nd Monday we always deliver our goodies. I hope it's warmer by Monday night!

Buddy, our Elf is also back. Our neighbors Jill and Casey each have their own Elf too

The kids race out every morning to be the first to find him. So far there was only one morning he didn't move (and a few close calls where Mom jumped out of bed and shoved Nate back into his room because "it was too early to be up").

Ellie shows you our Christmas tree. I'll have to do a post sometime about some of my favorite ornaments. And also figure out how to turn the flash off of my camera so I can take some night shots. I'd probably have to read the manual for that and what fun would that be?

Going to the mailbox every day. Probably the only time of year I enjoy getting the mail.We love getting your Christmas cards, so keep 'em coming. The more the merrier.

Breakfast with Santa. Ellie had a sleep over with a friend so we had an extra. I can't believe we almost took up a whole table just for our family.


The kids were very good and didn't ask Santa for anything ridiculous, or anything he wasn't already bringing them (phew)! Also, Nate's looking a little Italian in this picture -- don't you think?

Making cookies. It was a mess. I was a wreck trying to *enjoy* the mess and let go, but the kids had a BLAST! We sent them off in our Christmas packages, so I'm not quite sure what they looked like when everyone got them.

We've got lots of fun stuff coming up too. Can't wait!! So are you ready for Christmas??