Scary Claus

We took the kids to see Santa Claus and his reindeer at Thanksgiving Point on Tuesday. There was only two reindeer there. We decided that they were Comet and Dasher, but Avery thought they were just "big doggies". Mason wanted to see them fly, but I told him that they had to wait for Santa to get done seeing all the little kids and then they will take him home. I love that he is getting into this!

Mason was also so excited to see Santa and make sure he got the letter he sent. The line was pretty long, but the kids did pretty well considering how late it was too. As soon as David set Avery down on his lap, she had a complete meltdown! I thought that she would have just stared at him like "who the heck are you!", but I think that she was so tired that it was just too much! Also he wasn't the "best" looking Santa, a bit creepy... well come to think of it, I don't think I have ever seen a Santa that wasn't kinda creepy in one way or another! Luckily this year Mason was more than happy to see him!
I had been wanting to take the kids to see Christmas lights all month, but never got the chance. So Thanksgiving Point also has a little Christmas light display that you can drive through and listen to music, so I figured that would work and finish the night off nicely. I sat in the back with the kids so I could unbuckle them to look out the windows better, we were only driving like 5 miles an hour so I figured it was okay (sorry if I offend anyone!) But the kids really enjoyed it, and were shouting excitedly at every one.





It was a fun evening, and totally worth it (except next time we will go a bit earlier). I hope to maybe add this to a new Christmas tradition too.

Christmas Crafts

We have some shelves in our living room that I took all the decorations off of and was going to decorate put some Christmas decorations up there. I had it all pictured in my head and was going to make all of them, but they sat empty for most of the month! Such a procrastinator! But I am not a complete loss... I did some of then earlier this week! I had bought a nativity from the Wood Connection while ago and some vinyl from a gal that lives out here to put on some wood plaques.

Here is the first craft, and the easiest! I just put the vinyl on a 12" tile that I picked up from Lowes. So easy, but I love it so much.

Next I bought a 12" by 48" board also from Lowes and had them cut it down. I painted it off white and sanded the edges and parts of the board. Applied the next set of vinyl and done! The last one I did was just as easy but a little more time consuming because there were more pieces. Just painted them all black, and the star off white. Then sanded the figures a bit to give them some texture. Glued the star to the stable and tied some raffia on the manger.
I put some vinyl also on the wall to kind of fill in some empty wall space, I usually have a picture in the spot so it should cover it if I choose to leave it up.

SO there are my Christmas crafts that I have done this year... not everything that I wanted to get done though. Hopefully next year I will be more on the ball and get the rest done BEFORE the week of Christmas!

Once there was a Snowman...

Last Saturday we got a fair amount of snow in the morning and David had been promising Mason since last winter to build a snowman with him, so now they had a chance. It was such a nice day, as far as winter and snow go, that it wasn't too cold or wet (but that still doesn't mean that I wanted to help). Mason had to stop and eat some snow! We got a cute little snowman kit from my sister inlaw a couple Christmas's ago. It came with a "carrot" nose, scarf, 3 buttons, coal smile, and two coal eyes. Unfortunately it started to rain later that day, and pretty much most of the weekend. This is what our poor snowman looked like this morning... Sad! Who knows, maybe he will be back again someday!

Letters to Santa

This year I ordered some cute little "Letters to Santa" that I thought would be fun for Mason to fill out and mail to Santa.




We watched a fun little Playmobil pirate movie online, then right after it brings up the advertisement for the toys... smart thinking on their part! Also Mason has been working hard on his name, his "S's" are getting there.

I was in the mall the other day and saw a cute mail box for Santa letters in Macy's, PERFECT!

Mason was so excited to mail his letter! We will have to see if he has been a good boy and what Santa brings him!

A Walk to Bethlehem

I know it has been awhile since my last post. I really have just kept forgetting about it, but I am back on the saddle! We are all so excited for December and Christmas time. This year I wanted to start some of our own Christmas traditions since Mason is older and knows more of what is going on.

Well, the first weekend in December I went with our young men and women to a live nativity in Alpine. I had never been before and was really excited. Needless to it was such a neat and very spiritual experience. So I thought what a great way to start off the month and a new tradition to really bring in the Christmas spirit! I invited my family to go with us on the following Monday for FHE. It was SO packed, but still really fun and I think the kids enjoyed it too.

We parked at a church and some wagons and buses come and pick you up and take you back to a farm.

Ava and Mason waiting so patiently.

There were shepherds that welcomed you when you got there and told the story from the bible about King Herod, the taxes, and Joseph and Mary returning to Bethlehem. Then you walk up a path and there were some Roman soldiers asking people what gender there babies were and telling people were to go.


Avery really liked the horses, but kept calling them dogs (everything is a dog to her!)

Next we went into a big barn that was supposed to be like a Bethlehem market. There were live camels, sheep, goats, and donkeys that you could feed and pet.



There were also people working in the market place making baskets, bread, pots, wool, playing children's games, and other various things from that time.





Then you walked across a little feild into another barn that had a star lit up and some french horns playing music.

Inside the barn was so quite and reverent were they had Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. You could really feel the spirit.

Avery loved the baby Jesus, and kept saying "a baby, a baby!"
At the end of the nativity there was hot chocolate, yummy!
It is so easy to get caught up in gifts and the material side of Christmas, it is so nice to take a step back and remember the true meaning of Christmas. I am so grateful to have been able to share this with my family, and I think that this is one thing we will do every year!