Wonderful Christmas Time

 

Christmas time at our house is full of so many things.

I am going to try my hardest to try to fit them into one very long post.

 

One of the first things we did (and really one of the few school things we did) was Alyse and I went on a date to a play at the children's theater Uptown to see The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

 

 

We had lots of fun with our friends that we went with.

 

We also had 2 fun crafts days with our friends.

 

One was at our house.  Watching all the kids put these Santa mask on was so funny.

 

We also made these Christmas trees with ice cream cones, icing, and M&Ms

 

Another day we got together to make cinnamon ornaments to give to family for Christmas.

 

One of the girls favorite Christmas traditions we have is when Jolly, our Elf on the Shelf, spends Christmas with us.  She always comes December 1st.  This year we had a breakfast to welcome her.

 

 

Here are just a few of the fun things Jolly did.

 

She brought us Christmas books to read every night.

She brought a letter from Santa reminding the girls to be good.

She brought money to put in a Salvation Army kettle.

She made a snow (flour) angel.

She ate some of our just baked Christmas cookies.

She rode around in Barbie cars.

She went ice skating

She was thankful for a new skirt we got her.

She had to take a little rest one day.

 

She played dress up.

 There was more.... I just can't remember them all.

 

Of course we decorated our house.

Some how I did not take any pictures of all our decorations....

There were some changes from last year but it was mostly the same.

(Look in the back ground of the pics and I guess you will see some of the decorations.)

 

This year Alyse really really wanted to go to the mountains to cut down our own live tree.  I would love to do that too, but we knew we didn't really have the time to go over a weekend so Josh found a tree farm for us to go to.  This appeased her.

 

We picked out our tree.

 

 

Then we went on a horse drawn wagon ride to Santa's barn were we visited with Santa and got to pet a bunch of animals.

 

Another fun trip we took was to McAdenville, NC (aka- Christmas Town USA).

The whole town decorates and its fun to go see all the lights.

 

 

We also love going to Carolina Christmas at the Speedway every year.

(It's at the NASCAR track here in Charlotte.)

This is probably our preferred lights to see.  Also in the middle of the track there is a Christmas Village and a Bethlehem Village with a live Nativity.

The girls got to hold Baby Jesus and they loved it!

 

Every year we also make a gingerbread house as a family.

 

 

This year Josh took Alyse with him and the police department to hand out gifts to families.  I am so glad that Alyse got to go out and give to others and also to see how blessed we are.

 

 

Every year we go Uptown to see the singing bears Uptown.  We have gone every year of both of the girls lives. 

 

They love to go to "the city" and go out to eat and go around and around in the revolving doors.

 

Of course a big thing was writing letters to Santa.

 

 

And we went to visit him too!

 

Soon Christmas Eve was here.

We always do some crafts and make cookies for Santa.

 

 

Then we dress up and get ready to go to church.

(well.. actually we had already been to many Christmas services, but this is the official Christmas Eve service.)

 

 

This year I took Alyse in to see the worship set and creative elements at church.

She loved it.  I didn't think I was going to get her out of there.  We stayed for a little bit of Pastor's sermon but eventually I got her to leave.  I have to say watching her worship was one of my favorite parts of the whole Christmas service.

 

 

When we got home we went outside to sprinkle reindeer food and glitter so Santa could find our house.

 

They also put on their new Christmas pjs.

We put our cookies out for Santa and then we were headed for bed.

 

On Christmas morning we basically just took it easy.

The girls big present this year was Leap Pads.  (Basically just wanted to not fight with them to use my own iPad so this we our solution.)

 

The girls loved all their presents.  Alyse had a big Barbie year.

 

Breeley's was all about costumes, princesses, and baby dolls.

 

 

It was a wonderful Christmas time.

(There are so many more pictures and things I could have added but good gracious that is a lot of Christmas fun already.)