Hot chocolate and tree decorating.
Jonny took all her tree ornaments to the same spot.
This is the first time Jonny has done the star. Usually it's Atticus and panic ensues over heights. Jonny was much more chill about it.
One of the dumbest Christmas books we have. But of course they both read it over and over.
We have smaller tree from when Dan and I first got married. (The big one was my birthday present a few years ago. I love Christmas trees, okay?) This year I added colored lights because I think that's much more magical for kids. Although I'd prefer the big giant bulbs. The tree is just too small for them.
We went to the tree lighting at our little town square.
She may have been chill putting the star on the tree, but Jonny could not handle the terror that was the height of my shoulders. She was in absolute panic grabbing at my face.
Their letters to Santa
Jonny's reads: Dear Santa, I'm a good girl. Obey Mommy. I obey Santa. I want Moana, please. And dresses. Love, Jonny
Atticus' reads: Dear Santa, I'm good. I'm Atticus. Love, (He was ready to sign his name and then realized he wasn't finished so he wrote "oh" and continued.) Oh I want a bike please. đź’—Atticus
On the back they drew pictures. Atticus drew Santa with green cookies on a black plate.
Jonny traced her hands because she was still all about the hand turkeys from Thanksgiving.
Holiday baking!
So there are these weird furniture stores out here, Jordan's Furniture, that go beyond furniture. They have restaurants or Imax theaters in them. One of them has a ropes course and a village and statues made of jelly beans. There's also one that has an old antique Christmas Village. So I took m y kids one afternoon to check it out. It was terrifying, but also pretty cool. I only took one terrifying picture though. Guys, these things moved. Stuff of nightmares, or Christmas wonder. Whatever. They also had a Christmas Laser Light show and some other stuff that maybe we'll check out next year.
Walking past these other weird things on our way out of the store. They did their best scared faces for these body-less statues.
Caught him like this one afternoon.
They named him Snowy.
Ready for the ward Christmas breakfast. Atticus picked out his own outfit.
Being a very sweet brother while they waited to see Santa. Did I mention Jonny is obsessed with Santa?
Each year as part of our advent calendar activities we write lists of the things that make us happy. These are their lists from this year.
Atticus picked out this present for me. (Gaudy earrings, as usual...) Then he wrapped it completely by himself, including curling the ribbon. (After he came out and had me show him how.) I was super impressed.
I've never done gingerbread house kits. We've always gone the graham cracker route, or once we made them out of rice crispy treats. I found this kit of mini houses on sale this year and I may be converted. They were so easy and I didn't have to help my kids try and make houses that were way too big to stand on their own, try and stand on their own. Woot!
She loves herself a good "Muh-tache".
And she was pretty pleased with her "Piddy Tails".
This is them dressed up to go to Atticus' school's Polar Express party. I'm not entirely sure what the faces are about in this first picture, but I think it's hilarious. The second picture is Jonny post breakdown after I told her she needed to swallow the dinner she still had hidden in her mouth.
I love how this was Atticus' school party but I only have a picture of Jonny. Atticus was too busy with his friends. Although he was super cute taking care of Jonny when they got their milk and cookies, helping her find a seat and opening her milk. Before that we had been in the gym that they had decked it out complete with a train track and giant train engine, and one of the teachers read The Polar Express to us.
One of my very favorite Christmas traditions that we started only four or five years ago is going to the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake for their Children's Choir Christmas Carol Service. It often overlaps with my family's Christmas Eve party so we've never been able to stay for the whole thing. This year we weren't going to be able to go at all. So we tried to substitute it with the Candlelight Carols at Trinity Church here in Boston. It was beautiful and we enjoyed it, but didn't hold a candle (see what I did there?) to the Children's Choir.
They obviously were enthralled.
Afterwards we went to see the big tree at Faneuil Hall.
The Old State House
I had a much cuter picture of them in front of the tree, holding hands and smiling. But this one makes me laugh more.
Just Jonny sleeping like a regular human.
We were watching A Christmas Story and he couldn't handle the anticipation of Flick about to stick his tongue to the pole.
Normal Jonny sighting.
"You can even pose with it!" What? Harvey Fierstein dressed as the Easter Bunny isn't part of your Christmas traditions?
Another super annoying Christmas book that I had to read over and over this year.
