December Happenings

This year is especially fun, in my opinion because of the excitement the kids have about everything having to do with Christmas. We started the month with our Advent calendars from Trader Joes and are again awakened by Ezekiel asking for chocolate. I wanted to do something called the Jesse Tree for Advent, but I think I will prepare during the year and do that next year.
One night I took the kids out in the stroller after dinner and baths to look at the lights in our neighborhood.

Another day, the boys and I made sugar cookies. It was messy, but we all had a good time. I had to tell Ezekiel at least 10 times not to eat any more cookie dough because thats basically all he wanted to do. Gavin was good at helping me roll out the dough and use the cookie cutters to create the cookies.


Last week we got our Christmas tree and decorated while drinking hot chocolate and eating our sugar cookies. We even had Christmas music playing, much to Jason's chagrin. Maybe I should clarify...Jason, Gavin and I put up decorations and Ezekiel pulled them out of the box and tried to bounce most of them. Basically I had to give Ez a bath while Jas and Gav finished decorating because he was being so destructive. It was still fun. I have some pictures, but I need to download them from the camera still.
We also went to Knotts last weekend and had a great time...in fact we are going back today (Knotts gives law enforcement, military and firemen free entry for a few weeks in Dec).
Saturday evening, we met Nana and Papa Dan for dinner, then drove around a neighborhood in Brea that had AMAZING decorations. There were streets upon streets of decorated houses that the boys LOVED seeing. Plus, since we decided you can't look at lights without a coffee, we enjoyed Peppermint Mochas as well!
And yesterday we spent the afternoon with the Gregory side of the family in Burbank. This is the famed Christmas party that Grandma Gregory basically talks about ALL YEAR (love you grams!)...we have never gone and it was fun for us to see people we didn't even know we were related to :-) The kids had a good time and I'm sure ate more cookies and fudge than I even know about...It was fun to see my Grandparents, plus my aunt, uncle and cousin that live in TX whom we rarely get to see. My aunt has collected some amazing books for my kids and a few months ago sent me a box of them. Yesterday she had a new one for them that we have already read a number of times, including on the drive home yesterday.
Well, time to get ready for the day. Hope you are enjoying your Christmas season as much as we are! More to come........