Christmas Fun - Part 2

It's the most wonderful , and busy, time of the year!

My girls were at my parents this past weekend because Alyse sang with the children's choir at Papa's church, but before we left we still did a bunch more Christmasy stuff.

We decorated our gingerbread house.  One little girl did most of the work herself.  The other thought her job was to taste test everything....

We have done some baking.  Here are a few things I have made.  I've done more, but still have a few more things that are planned for this week. 

"Santa" sugar cookies.  (Alyse helped with these.)

Reindeer cookies

Brownie bites

We have also been opening our Christmas books at night.  This was a new one that Alyse opened tonight.  We really liked it.

On nights we don't open the wrapped Christmas books, Alyse and I are reading "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever".  I loved this book growing up and Alyse is loving it too.  I think we have started a new tradition.

There have been a number of Christmasy crafts.

One of the crafts that we have been doing is Truth in the Tinsel.

We haven't gone exactly "by the book" but we have been making (most) of the ornaments and then have done a little devotional with each one.  I also have written out a verse to go with each ornament.  I have a plan to put them on a tree that we can use each year to tell the Christmas story but I haven't pulled everything together yet.  Plus, I need to talk Josh into letting me go get another tree.....

These are some of our ornaments that Alyse has made.

Alyse has also been working on her Christmas list.  She hasn't written her final draft of her letter to Santa yet, but she has been busy getting her ideas together.

We have also  done most of our Christmas shopping, but I am now off to do a little more online shopping.  Because I find that very fun.