'Tis the Season

 Soon after Thanksgiving Scottie and Oodles showed up at the house.  The first thing the kids do after waking up is search for the elves.  And they're always hiding in the craziest of places ... although, one time they stayed in the same spot.  I quickly noticed that their legs looked like they had shifted so they probably just really liked that spot.  (Since then Craig took over and has surprised me with his creativity).  Brooke loves finding the elves and wants to show everyone in the house where they are.  I'm always surprised at the places they show up:  like on top of the lemon jar, refrigerator, bookshelf, Christmas tree, etc... She makes sure to say really nice things in front of them.  Jace is still working to get on the nice list.  He got a message from Santa that said he'd been watching him and he needs to work extra hard on controlling that temper of his.  With all the excitement of Christmas it seems even harder for them to be good.  Jace told me that it's much easier for adults to be nice than little boys.  "It's much, much harder for little boys."  The other night he came in and laid down with me after bedtime.  I was reading my scriptures and he wanted to join in.  We took turns reading for about 30 minutes.  He did AWESOME!!  and he wants read scriptures with me every night now.  Probably more for the 'special' time with mom but I'll take it any way I can get it. 

We've also been trying to do something Christmassy and special every day during the month of December.  It gives the kids something to look forward to and helps contain the pent up excitement.  Some of the things we have enjoyed together include: 

Decorating the Christmas tree together, visiting Santa at the mall,  picking out our 'special' ornaments for 2011 (We pick out a special ornament for the tree every year signifying something important that happened during the year.  This year we picked out 3 ornaments.),  we made Christmas countdowns out of our leftover Halloween candy, we made gingersnap cookies together, and yesterday we made mini trees for the kids bedroom that they got to decorate themselves.  It was lots of fun.  On the docket for the rest of the week - Christmas stories & hot cocoa, & making ornaments for the kids mini trees.  I love Christmas!!  It's such a special time of year. 

Oodles on the bookshelf.

Suppose to be showing off our little Christmas tree but ended up
blocking it with my giant  37 week pregnant belly.  Oh well ...

Gingersnaps - SO yummy!!

The Man in Red must have been a helper elf because he wasn't that jolly.

This is not that great of a picture but I refuse to pay $20 bucks for a 5x7.  

I would have tried for another one but the lady started yelling at me. 

2011 'Special' ornaments.  One for Craig's MBA graduation, Christmas in AZ,

and one for baby Ty's first Christmas.

Jace & Brooke by their mini trees in their bedroom.