Christmas is in the Air

Lovin' when the car looks like this after a trip to the embassy APO!

Since we missed celebrating a traditional Christmas entirely last year while camping in Tasmania (and basically skipped Thanksgiving this year,) the kids were beyond excited to pull out all the decor earlier this month.

After coming home almost in a rage of disappointment from purchasing their Christmas tree IN A BOX - the despair quickly turned to delight as it all came together with eggnog and lights and music of the season. Will excitedly led them in writing Santa letters, we received a new Elf friend and as long as the drapes are closed, we can almost imagine it's snowing outside! :)

I caught their incredibly sweet and spontaneous jubilee on film...

Such a delightful memory. We just sat back and watched them revel in it all evening. They even sweated it out in their hot pjs to feel more like the real thing. (This is the first time we've missed the snow.) I love that the magic of Christmas is strong enough to linger long past the younger years. The Spirit of the season has such momentum when built on pleasant memories of Christmases past.

One evening as we were driving home from netball, the kids saw a homeless-looking man digging through a dumpster. We didn't have any food or cash on us so they begged to run home and grab the McDonald gift cards GramB had given us for such a purpose last year. Reading the fine print that they were only valid in the States, we heated up some soup and snacks and sped back, but of course he was gone. The fact that they were so invested warmed my heart though. I want never to be caught without a fast food gift card again!

"Fizbo" reading their letters to Santa - Will said on that same enchanted evening, "I guess my last request (peace and happiness in the family) already came true tonight, Mom!"

 We're just new to this Elf on the Shelf sensation, but I have to admit it's brilliant. Every morning the hunt is on, and to catch Annie laying on her tummy with her chin in her hands, just talking to him, being so careful not to touch... so precious. (Glad I have two little helpers to keep the magic alive too... there have been a few close calls.)

Like that lunch on his tray? "We elves like to stick to the 4 food groups: candy, candycanes, candycorns, & syrup..."

  Can you believe I didn't win the Best Holiday Cookie award at the embassy party with these beauties?! Darn Pinterest with with all those reindeer and melted snowman cookies.

And I loved Summer and Desmond's coping mechanism on Santa's lap...

"Maybe if I just don't make eye contact with the big scary guy, this will all be over soon."

Will and Kenna got to be Joseph and Mary last minute at the church nativity. We couldn't find the costumes that are used each year so we scraped together some awesomely random ones. I think Summer stole the show when she got to crawl up and give "Mary" the baby at the appropriate time, then just plopped her little self there like she was a born to be on stage...
I got to play a violin Christmas medley with good friend, Leah, on the viola. I really love pulling that instrument out! But didn't love so much when Darren threw me in front of the mic to sing O Holy Night a'capella to fill time before Santa arrived. (Next time I'm whipping out his guitar so he can jump into the program too.)

 We have such a fun ward, with so many loving laps that our babies just crawl into any old time. Like one big family, I tell ya. Very lucky.

ho Ho HO!