Christmastime is Here

I cannot believe how quickly the Christmas season is upon us! Thanksgiving was really late this year, so it's almost like we lost a week of planning and preparing! I'm getting a time line and lots of to-do lists ready so that I can accomplish all of my tasks. An excuse to make a list...right up my alley!

I love how much Lorne loves Christmas! He is so great about helping with all the decorating and puts so many pretty lights on the house. We even took a trip to Toys 'R Us and did some marathon shopping while Jeremy and Denise kept the kids. We had lots of fun! He has definite opinions on the kids' toys and it's really cute!

Santa sent two of his elves Edwin and Ella to watch Sawyer and Chloe until he comes on Christmas Eve. They brought Advent calendars with them.

Sawyer wasn't quite sure what to make of Edwin and Ella.

I think that was because Lorne had brought all the Christmas Rubbermaids downstairs so he was kind of overwhelmed by the change in the living room. It does take some getting used to I'll have to admit. Our living room is pretty bare the other eleven months of the year.

The Little People Christmas toys are a hit each year (at least for a few hours!)

My attempts at keeping the KidKraft Advent Calendar from the kids were obviously futile.

Denise bought me this calendar last year and I couldn't have been more excited. There's a new magnet for each day. I started out with it by the Little People in the living room, but Sawyer dropped them and a camel lost its head. I super glued the camel and moved the display to the game room, but the storage bins were obviously no match for Chloe! It's now at the base of the storage bins, but the poor camel was decapitated again, so he's currently residing on the refrigerator until he makes his debut. I think that's best and I'm thinking the camel would agree!

The Advent Wreath is a great way to teach our kids the true reason for the season.

Lorne gave me these bears years ago, but they're getting more love now than they've ever gotten.

I make "binoculars" with my hands and tell the kids to "look with their eyes" at fragile items. This is Chloe's version.