Christmas festivities

Like everyone else we have been busy with all the fun things you get to do in the weeks leading up to Christmas. There are so many great Christmas traditions to enjoy with children! Two weeks ago, we visited Santa at our church. Pierce, still skeptical, at least did not scream and cry this year. He even mustered up the courage to tell Santa he wanted “Trucks and treats” for Christmas. So simple and so cute!

This is me easing Pierce into Santa's lap! :)





Sydney was an angel in our church’s Christmas pageant. She had one line (that all the angels said together), and she enjoyed dressing up in white with wings. St. Nicholas came to visit the kids and tell them about his life in the fourth century and how he inspired the modern secular “Santa Claus.” That was a treat!

This weekend we made gingerbread houses as we do every year. The kids LOVE this activity! Can you blame them? Pierce actually did all of the decorating on his this year – what a difference a year makes. Last year I think we basically did his for him. The houses are now a more mangled version of the pictures you see here since the kids are nibbling at them every chance they get. These are from Trader Joes ($7.99), and I think they are so much cuter than the other options out there.

Someone is sneaking a snack while I'm trying to take the picture!

Pierce was SO proud of his house. Love the cheesy grin!

Voila: the finished products. Pierce's.

And Sydney's.

My memories of making gingerbread houses as a kid involve graham crackers and hours of engineering in order to assemble a horribly ugly and unstable boxy structure. It was fun and I'm sure we learned some geometry and such, but honestly, this quick 3-step assembly is more my speed! Especially with a 2 and 5 year old!

Happy Holidays! Hope you are enjoying the fun of the weeks leading up to Christmas as much as we are (and that you are more organized than I am!).