Tis the Season!

The excitement is building! This year's preparations for Christmas have been so much fun! Austin and Caitlin are very into it! We can't put up enough decorations to satisfy them. Austin keeps telling me we need to put up more! :) They love listening to Christmas songs and have even started singing along this year. Their clock radios are tuned into the Christmas station! Favorites are Santa Clause is Coming to Town, Jingle Bells, and Frosty the Snowman. I am trying my best to instill a love of Andy Williams' Christmas music (I am probably the only 37 year old in the world who knows this guy!).

Last weekend we went and bought a live Christmas tree after our fake one had a lighting malfunction. Then the kids and I put the garland and ornaments on and Daddy put the star on top (a VERY big deal - A & C were pumped!). Ryan also put up some lights out front that got many oohs and ahhs from the kiddos. I got most of the other decorations up while the kids were sleeping and they were so cute...walking around to each thing, saying thank you for decorating, and "it's so beautiful!". I found an Advent calendar template online and made them each their own countdown calendar which has been a hit. There are 3 big days that they are looking forward to...the 19th (when they turn 4 and a half!), the 24th (when Santa comes), and the 25th (when it's Jesus' birthday [and they get to open presents!]).

Yesterday, Austin and Caitlin got some face time with SANTA! They got all dressed up and we went to the mall to see the "big guy". The line was slightly long, but they were soooo good with the wait. When it was finally their turn, Austin hesitated a little, but then Santa gave a smile and he marched right up and had a seat. Caitlin decided to try a stall tactic. She told me she had to go potty!!! I told her after she talked to Santa. Then she saw Austin going up there and must have felt better. They took the most adorable picture! Gone are the days of screaming babies pictures. :( Those were pretty darn cute! Anyway, Austin told Santa he wanted a drum set with cymbals and a bass drum with a pedal and a Thomas train. Caitlin told Santa she wanted a Sleeping Beauty crown and a Jasmine & Ariel dress. We'll see what happens...

Last night we got to do another yearly tradition (and this time Ryan got to join us!). We did the "Christmas Lights in our Jammies" drive. The whole family wears their pj's and we drive around looking at Christmas lights. There is a HUGE light display at a John Deere place by our house so we drove through there and then through a couple neighborhoods. This year we added a new component..."Christmas Movie Theater"! We put a bunch of pillows on the floor, popped some popcorn, got a plate of gingerbread cookies, popped Rudolph (or "Wodney the Wed Nose Weindeew" as Austin calls him!) into the DVD player and enjoyed the movie by the light of the fire and Christmas tree lights! I am so thankful for these special family memories we are making.

We got our first snow of the winter last night! Not much but enough to get the kids excited. Boy is it COLD outside! This could be the start of a long, cold winter...

Okay, better go for now...more later! They have some pretty cute things they're saying these days.....