We have been enjoying preparing and doing Christmas-y things this year. We went to cut down our Christmas tree the first weekend in December. It was the day after Sloane’s second COVID vaccine and she was wiped out. We got her to rally to go pick out a tree. We went to a farm with animals and even a Santa to take pictures with. But the trees weren’t our style, so we dragged the kids to a second farm. We appeased them by letting them carry the electric chain saw. Their sound effects were spot on!
Do you spot the tired Sloane in the background?
We decorated the tree and the house. This includes our manger that plays Away in a Manger and our humming elf puppet. Sloane and I tied wreaths with Rach, Bennett, and B’s two grandmas. Sloane was enamored by the three dogs there and both B and Sloane were super helpful making little green bundles for the wreaths.
Sloane and I watched a youtube instructional video on drawing Santa and Rudolf. Soren was in my lap with a piece of paper and marker as well. After a few minutes, we looked down and realized Soren was following along as well. I was super impressed with his Santa! Sloane’s Santa was cute too- I love how his beard is a chin strap.
We’ve been in our house for 3.5 years now. One of our favorite activities has been nightly walks to a house 2 blocks away that is over the top with decorations- as in they store the decorations in a POD because it is so much. Right before Thanksgiving, a for sale sign went up in their yard and no decorations are up this year. I got a little teary eyed because it was so exciting for the kids. We have branched out and are now enjoying other houses.
We baked a few types of cookies this year- gingerbread (which Adam had to rescue after I messed up!), peanut butter crinkles, and triple ginger crinkles. We made it through all three batches with only one person crying, and it was me. Decorating was fun and there were even sprinkles without corn and soy that we could use. Luckily Adam’s family is coming to town to help eat all these cookies.
