Getting ready for Christmas!

We are SO ready for Christmas this year!  We usually don't put up our Christmas tree & decorations until the day after U.S. Thanksgiving, but since we celebrated our Canadian Thanksgiving at the beginning of October, there wasn't much to wait around for.  Sooo.... We (meaning the kids & I) decided to put up the tree & decorations earlier than we ever have.  Neil was in Brussels, Belgium for a big international food safety convention, and the kids had an extra day off from school (a teacher prep day) on Friday, Nov. 22nd, so we decided to get out all the Christmas decorations & get ready for Christmas!

We had the kids' parent-teacher conferences in the morning, and then Jonah & Clay went to play at a friends house while PJ, Tessa, & I went to see "Catching Fire" (the newest Hunger Games movie that is out--which we really liked), then once we all got home, we turned on some Christmas music, put up all the Christmas decorations, with a Christmas tree in the front living room, and even one downstairs (the kids wanted to put our little Charlie Brown Christmas tree down there & decorate it however they wanted--it's very cute.  It was the first Christmas tree that Neil & I got when we were first married & didn't have a lot of money.  It's about 5 feet tall & only cost us $15, which was all we could afford at the time.  We have a lot of great memories with that little tree!)

The next day, I took each of the kids Christmas shopping for each other.  They really enjoying going to pick things out for their siblings & buying it with their own money, and then wrapping it themselves.  It makes me happy that they love doing things like that for each other.  After Neil got home, we made our traditional gingerbread cookies that we make each year.  We love that tradition!  We decorate some to hang on the tree & eat the rest--YUM!  :)

This past weekend we were able to watch the LDS Christmas Devotional from our prophet & leaders of the church online.  We really enjoyed the beautiful music, and great talks, and it helps us remember the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, his life, example, love, & sacrifice & all that we are blessed with in our lives!   :)  

We hadn't added on our gingerbread men yet.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

 

Time to make some gingerbread cookies!

Having some delicious fun!  :)

Clay's masterpiece

Neil showing his cookie-decorating talents

Neil's well-dressed gingerbread man!

One of PJ's cookies

Tessa's cute Christmas tree cookie

Jonah just tries to fit as much candy as he can on every cookie he eats!  :)

A few of the finished cookies to hang on the tree.

Enjoying some snuggle time with Dad!