Christmas

We spent Christmas Eve mostly at home.  We listened to Christmas music, we cooked, wrapped presents, decorated, and just enjoyed some quiet time together.  It was wonderful. 

WE attended the Live Nativity

We made and decorated Christmas cookies

We acted out the live nativity.  Eli was Joseph and I was Mary.  Joshua was baby Jesus.

Gavin was a wise man.

Christmas Morning

Gavin got a guitar and a Lego plane from Santa

Eli got a Bugatti and a lego train from Santa

Gavin playing his new guitar

Unfortunately we didn't get any more pictures from Christmas Day because it was a bit hectic.  We went to church, had a ward linger longer, and then went to our friends for an extremely delicious dinner.  I am sad I didn't get any pictures!

Advent Calendar

The advent calendar is one of our favorite traditions at Christmas. I didn't get a picture of all the daily activities, nor did I get a picture of everything. But, I didn't get a few.

Christmas Chain

Christmas Chain

Caroling at Brick Church

Wreaths

Macy's Santa Land

More Santaland

Meeting Santa

Just wanted to add this adorable picture

Advent Calendar

Christmas is in full swing around here and it has been so much fun.  Gavin is a true believer right now and you can't help, but be excited.  We went and saw Santa this week and on our way to go visit, he asked " how are we were getting there?"  I said, "the subway."  He answered, "We are taking the subway to the North Pole?"  The conversation only got more interesting when he asked, "Did Santa bring his sleigh to Bloomindale's?"

We have done advent calendar's in the past, but they have been edible!  This year, following a good friend's lead, we are doing activities every day leading up to Christmas. We got a great advent calendar last year and it has 25 pockets.  It has been so fun.  Gavin pops out of bed every morning and heads straight to the calendar to see what we are doing for the day.  I didn't have it together the first day, so I only had the first's day's paper in the calendar.  He asked me why there weren't paper's in all the pockets.  I told him that they appear magically each day.  That has really added to the mystery and excitement.  Here is a look at our first couple of weeks!

Our Advent Calendar!

Day 1 Make Ornaments with Lucas and Sam

Day 2-Make Christmas Chains

Gav's prek friend joined us!

Gav's chain

Eli is very creative, wouldn't you say?

Day 3-Watch a Christmas Movie and eat caramel popcorn .. We watched Frosty the Snowman

Day 4-Make paper snowflakes

Gavin got to go see Elizabeth Mitchell perform that day as well!

Day 5-Christmas Caroling at Brick Church

Day 6-Get Christmas Tree and decorate it!

We have bought from the same guy 3 out of the past 4 years

Day 7- Go to Library and pick out Christmas books-Charlie Brown Christmas and The Polar Express
 

Day 8-Go see Santa

We went to Bloomingdale's this year and the Santa was super friendly and spent atleast 5 minutes with the kids

We went to eat after!

Day 9- Do something nice for someone else..Gavin helped a friend find her boot and Eli helped Gavin do something, but I can't remember. 

Day 10-Watch a Christmas Movie and eat popcorn-- The boys watched Rudolph.  It was also the day of Gavin's Holiday Concert at school!

Gavin got to ring a bell!

Day 11- Go to Ward Christmas Party and see Santa!

Day 12-Make a gift  (I won't say what or for whom, because they are reading) It was also our ward Christmas program.

The boys before church

Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! The day before Christmas Eve I was not feeling the Christmas spirit. Luckily, Christmas Eve morning I woke up feeling excited. I even kept that mood after I went to Fairway (a fabulous grocery store, but can also get extremely crowded and Christmas Eve morning was the worst I had seen it). I came home and made a brunch with Cranberry Cream French toast being the star of the menu. We watched Christmas movies with the kids. Gavin was very disturbed by "The Muppet's Christmas Carol." He kept asking when it was going to be like it was at the beginning (happy.) We had to turn it off to eat and he started balling. He said, "when is Scrooge going to be nice and when is everyone going to be happy." He was very sad all through breakfast and said he wouldn't be OK until everything was happy on the movie. I guess that movie was a bit much for my sensitive and loving boy.

That afternoon we went a live Nativity at the Church of Heavenly Rest. It was such a neat experience and it really brought the real meaning of Christmas back. The kids loved the live animals too. Gavin was very concerned about seeing baby Jesus the whole time and asked about 100 questions during the performance. As a side note we sat behind Tom Brokaw and Eli kicked him a couple of times. Sorry Tom.

That evening we went to some friends for soup and treats and carolling. I have to say our pianist rocked and therefore carolling was a rocking good time!

We came home and had a Christmas Eve family night where we talked about why we celebrate Christmas and told the story of Jesus. The boys then got to open one present. We are starting to give Christmas books for that gift they open.Boyd and I stayed up way too late playing Santa's helper and making my triple peppermint trifle. Boyd requested that I make it again.

Christmas morning was glorious for all involved and the boys were so excited for the gifts. It took forever to open them all because the kids played with their toys in between.

We had monkey bread and yogurt for breakfast!

I spent the rest of the day cooking and sleeping. They boys played and slept and ate, and played some more. We were also able to skype with Grandma and Grandpa and Grandma Miggy and the gang! We even had a conference call with my siblings!

That night we went to our friends' home and celebrated together with a large feast! We had such a wonderful dinner. It was a great end to a wonderful Christmas!