It's the most wonderful time of the year, right?

Now that it's officially December, we can actually begin to count down to Christmas in an organized fashion. The kids were excited to start doing their advent calendar. They are disappointed that it's only one small piece of chocolate per day. They always immediately ask me if they can do another one and they're not happy about waiting until the next day. Wyatt's class is also now doing a daily advent prayer at school. I think it will make it less abstract for the kids and help them understand when it's going to happen. The other morning, Wyatt rushed out of his room quite excited, then quite deflated, he said "Oh maaaannn. Santa didn't come last night..." Since the stores have had Christmas decor and Christmas music going since after Halloween and we're constantly watching Christmas movies and reading books, I can see where it would be confusing. Now that we've got it marked on our December calendar, we can count how many more sleeps.

December also means, the return of everyone's favorite elf. He made his debut on December 1. I'm guessing you know the story, but the elf finds a new spot in your home each day to watch over you and make sure you're being good. At night when you're sleeping, he flies back to the North Pole to report back to Santa. He returns again before morning and finds a new spot to keep watch. He's Santa's eyes and ears on the ground. I'm not sure if the threat of him telling Santa actually improves behavior in our house, but it's just another fun Christmas tradition. Sadly, I keep forgetting to move him at night so he spends at least two days in the same spot, but no one seems to notice or question his authenticity. One the first day he was here, I told the kids they had to give him a special name. They thought about it a second and said "hmmmm...... how about Graham!?" I thought this was hilarious because this was the boy name I was trying hard to sell to Dayven for the baby. He strongly disliked the name and continued to shoot it down until I finally gave up and moved on. I was always asking the kids if they thought it was a good name for the baby and obviously it was still stuck in their heads. Guess I got my "Graham" after all!

Are these the saddest looking kids you've ever seen? It's the one thing I dread this time of year. There is something about taking the annual Christmas photo that brings out the whining, sniveling orangutans, and I'm not just talking about the kids. I got so tired of my grumbling husband, I finally let him off the hook and decided to only have the kids. Hadley is pretty cooperative, but Wyatt is another story. Just when he finally started coming around, she had reached her limit. I uploaded the pictures to find an assortment of facial expressions, gestures and vacant stares. I'm not sure which one will finally make the card, but it may take a little creativity this year! 

Hadley is loving the snow and asks on a daily basis to go outside and play in it. She's a true Canadian! Since Wyatt and I do not like the snow, she's always outnumbered (we're Southerners at heart). Dayven takes her outside to shovel with them and this weekend they took Finley for a walk to the park. Sadly there are no pictures or video since I didn't go along, except for this tiny bit I took in the driveway before they left. He said she had a ball at the park - rolling around, eating snow and making snow angels. Since neither one of us taught her, we're not sure where she learned it. She exclaimed she was going to make one, lied down in the snow and started waving her arms and legs around. She was in heaven!

December is also the time for parties and celebrating with friends. We attended a fun party at the home of some friends of ours. Since it was a "family" party, kids and all, it was typical chaos and merriment, but everyone seemed to have a good time. Hadley threw a fit when it was time to go home. She sobbed "I!....want!.....to!......stay!......at!.....the!.....party!"  She is such a social party girl. She cried the whole way home. Further evidence it was time to go home and go to bed.

This kid loves her sweets! She spent quite a bit of time at the buffet!

Some girlfriends and I spent last Saturday enjoying the Homes for the Holidays home tours where six homes were beautifully (and professionally) decked for the holidays. I always love to check out other people's decor and get ideas. We were able to squeeze in lunch and a little shopping too so it was a great day.