Christmas Festivities

Both of the boys love this Christmas tree thing from GG. It lights up and sings and has a moving train, so it is pretty amazing. It was really the only Christmas thing that they were even interested in helping me set up. 

Eden's work had a Christmas Family night and she and Toni took the boys. I was so grateful because we really needed a Santa pic and you know that Anderson was all over those real reindeer! 

SANTA!!!

How legit is he in this sleigh??

Also, Max...the paleontologist. 

Cookie decorating is always a win.

The elf returned. Luckily my kids do not have high expectations for him to do crazy things and they are happy when he just sort of moves around the house, hanging on different things. 

He brought them each an Advent calendar this year because I apparently thought that I needed 500 more tiny pieces in my house. Anderson's lego one is really nice and he loves putting his together each day. Max is occasionally interested in his Minion one. 

Also, Anderson no longer believes in the elf, so that made that last half of the month pretty nice. 

I tried multiple times to wrap gifts while they were awake and I failed everytime. 

Thanks to Amanda's planning, we sent Noni & Bop to a play in Atlanta for their birthdays where they celebrated all of the festivities. 

On one FREEZING cold day, we hit up the Farragut lights with the Brimers!

It was really, really cold, but also lots of fun!

One day I picked Anderson up at dismissal because he was "sick." The nurse had called me at 11 and 2:45 was the soonest I could get there, but he was totally fine, so we walked to Publix. I have no idea why we decided to do that because we have never done that before, but it was fun. He saw the poinsettas and was SO excited because they had been talking about them in school that day. So, of course we bought one for him to bring to class and that is story of why you possibly saw me walking down Campbell Station one afternoon with a small child and a poinsetta. 

I saved my personal day this semester for Anderson's Holiday party & it was really festive. His teacher gave all of the kids antlers and the majority of them wore pajamas to school. Anderson has never worn pajamas to school; I am not evern sure if he did in Pre-school, actually. 

Anyway, the other moms all brought yummy food and I WON THE DAY because I signed up for plates & napkins! That is bascially the equivalent of a working mom's trophy. 

I was the reading corner person at the party. I was really just happy to be there with him for that hour. 

Anderson's school had a "Family Movie Night" and he actually wanted to go, which suprised me. 

I am glad we did because it was actually really cute. 

They made sand ornaments, played with legos, ate popcorn and, best of all, Max sat in my lap during the movie, which was really sweet. 

I asked if they needed help, thinking I was going to carry in some waters or something....and I ended up runing the Santa line. Lesson learned there. 

Bop made me this festive hat for my secret santa at work.

 I will never tire of the fact that my dad is a balloon man. 

Also, this Grinch oneise has seen so, so many good days. 

In order to keep up with all of the required festivities, we decorated cookies and made huge messes. 

Max decorated cookies at his class party and he actually wore his pajamas, which was a huge win. 

We were a little late in the season, but we finally decorated our little tree 2 days before Christmas. As Nicole said, "This ditch is the best part of their childhood."

Our tree seems so huge when we are next to it and then so tiny when I step back away.

GG brought them a gingerbread house kit which they ate before they finished the actual building of it.

They never really want to do any kind of art/craft activities so when they show a tiny bit of interest, I am all over it. 

For example, I had to finsh this for him because he lost interest after 3 minutes. 

I brought Grinch snacks (the heart is supposed to be his heart once it grew 3 sizes) to Max's class on the last day before the break. 

And I put my Grinch onesie to use once again by reading to his class in it. 

Probably going to start saving for their therapy now. 

I boutght this already made gingerbread cookie kit and added the things we have in our kitchen- bloody bone sprinkles, eyeballs, etc. 

I became slightly alarmed when Max kept referring to the angel in our Nativity Scene as "Jesus' Fairy Godmother" so I thought a craft Nativity would help set the story. Alas, Brandon ended up putting the entire thing together...as Giant Anderson watched. 

Max also got really excited when a commercial for ET came on before a movie we were watching and he yelled, "I know him! That is BB8!" So, we might just be completely failing as parents; the jury is still out on that one.