Leading up to the main event...

I just love getting ready for Christmas! The school parties, the church parties, the parties with friends (although ours was cancelled due to the flu - which reminds me of what I DON'T like about Christmas is the constant fear of getting sick...but back to my point!), finding the coordinating outfits (for a bargain, since they'll only be worn 2 or 3 times!), seeing Santa, shopping, wrapping, of course the baking (or should I say - the eating, after the baking!), attempting the perfect picture for the Christmas card, getting cards from all of you, decorating the house, decorating the tree, taking treats to friends and neighbors, Sankta Lucia, driving through the park to see the incredible light display, choir concerts, simply spending time at my brother's house (it is SO Christmassy over there!), counting down the days on the magnetic Christmas tree countdown thing, the list goes on and on... So here's a glimpse into just a few of the things that we've done so far...

Not everyone was excited to see Santa this year! I'm sure you all have pictures just like this! I haven't tortured my kids with the whole sit on Santa's lap thing for years, but I thought we'd give it a whirl this year - maybe it wasn't such a good idea!

Butter, this is the guy whose bringing you trucks, don't you at least want to say Hi!? NO WAY!

Mom's lookin' a little worn out after this ordeal! Really, why do we even need a picture with Santa anyway?

This year I let the kids do all the tree trimming! I put up the lights, opened the boxes of decorations and let the games begin! I sat back with my hot minty-chocolate in one hand and the camcorder in the other as I watched these two carefully place the ornaments in just the right spots! They had a ball - and it looks great!

Here we are at the church Christmas party. They had a nice dinner, then I actually got to sit back, relax and have some uninterrupted grown-up time as K and D worked ever so dillegently on their crafts. It was a really fun night...and I this time i didn't make them see Santa!

I'm not even sure what this was all about! K and D decided to put on a play for me one evening for FHE! They spent all afternoon preparing and practicing, and here's the end result...

D, dressed in all brown, is the reindeer pulling Mrs.*Clause in the sleigh! He's missing the red-nose in this picture! What a good sport!After the silly play, we then sat down and got into the true meaning and purpose of Christmas. I just love having the kids tell the story and realizing that they do know that it is so much more than presents and parties!