December Daily 2016 - Day 4

Today was for Letters to Santa and Advent Celebrations for Aiden's school homework (yes, homework in kindergarten...but it was the fun kind!)

This afternoon the kids and I sat together and looked through catalogues to cut out pictures of things that they wanted to ask Santa for.  I really try to stress to them that we can ask Santa for things, but that doesn't mean he will always bring them what they ask for.  Aiden thinks writing a letter to Santa is the equivalent of 'placing an order', and he expects delivery.  Things we will continue to talk on, as well as stress the true meaning of Christmas.

In the evening we did a little Advent activity that Aiden brought home from school.  This included setting up a wreath and candles, lighting the candles, singing Light the Advent Candle as a prayer, setting up a manger scene, and reading a story.  We did this as a family, and then Aiden had to draw a picture and write about what we did (things I wish I had taken pictures of).  It was a super cute activity that I am going to suggest to my kindy teacher friends!


Tonight's Christmas Movie - Mickey's A Christmas Carol

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily 2016 - Day 3

The Story of the Christmas Movie Bed

In December 2014 my sister, who was VERY pregnant and had a high risk pregnancy, was staying with us for the month.  The only 'bed' she felt comfortable sleeping in was a foam mattress that we set up on the floor in the living room.  This was the beginning of the The Christmas Movie Bed.  We usually watch a show or read a story before bed but that year Aiden was old enough to start watching Christmas Movies!  Each night leading up to Christmas we would lay on the foam mattress in the living room and watch a different Christmas Movie.  The mattress was already set up, so it was a natural place to watch from.

Enter December 2015.  We began setting up for Christmas, trimmed the tree, hung the lights, and were getting ready for our bedtime routine.  After getting our jammies on, Aiden asked if we were going to set up the bed to watch Christmas movies!  I hadn't realized he even remembered that.  It seemed a tradition had been born.

Enter November 2016.  We had a November snowfall, and as soon as the kids saw the snow they started thinking about Christmas.  The first thing Aiden asked me?  'Is it time to set up the bed in the living room and watch Christmas Movies Mommy?'.  Love this.  For now we will stick with the foam mattress on the floor, but I hope one day to switch to a pull-out couch.  This year I bought special bedding for The Christmas Movie Bed, and got the bed all set up while the kids were at school and daycare.  They came home and found it all set up and got so excited!  Love this festive addition to our Christmas season!

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Mickey's Twice Upon A Christmas (Belles on Ice, Christmas: Impossible, & Christmas Maximus)

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily 2016 - Day 2

Today was a pretty low key day Christmas wise.  It seems like the Christmas Movie is going to be quite popular this year!  The kids decided to relax before school in the bed this morning!

We also picked up our wreath for the front door.  Aiden's school sold them as part of a charity fundraiser, and it turned out to be quite beautiful! I can't wait to add a little sparkle to it.

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas ( A Very Goofy Christmas, and Mickey and Minnie's The Gift of the Magi)

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily 2016 - Day 1

The So much wonderfulness today! 

And so much chaos!

The kids came down for breakfast to find their advent calendars waiting for them, as well as a new tradition (thank you Ali), a wrapped Christmas book.  They will get a 'new' wrapped book each day - most aren't actually new, I pulled them from our Christmas book stash - and we can read them each morning before school.  Love this.

After breakfast I packed up and delivered the kids to daycare and school, got the little man to bed for his nap and it was off to the Christmas races for me.  We always decorate our tree on the 1st of Dec, but seeing as it is a school/work night, I wanted everything ready to go for after dinner.  So I cleaned the living room, stored all excess 'stuff' in the basement, hauled up the Christmas decor, set up the tree, hung the lights on the tree, set up the Christmas Bed in the living room (complete with new Christmassy bedding that is ADORABLE), put up the garland and lights on the banister and railing, sorted through all decor and put what we didn't need back downstairs, and then waited for kids to be ready to pick up.

So fun seeing them walk into the house partially decorated.  They absolutely LOVE this season just as much as I do!

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas (Donald Duck Stuck On Christmas)

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily 2016 - The Hanging of the Lights

OLight hanging took us a few days this year.  Aiden and Sophia were pretty excited to 'help' with this task - thus resulting in the first attempt taking quite a bit longer than usual.  I ended up finishing them off on a separate day.  We did a test viewing of the lights tonight  and showed Liam through the front door window.  So fun.  He was so drawn to the colours.  Loving the magic of this season even for a little dude like him.  Official lighting will happen on Dec 1st as is our tradition - Mickey and Yoda will be added that day too!  Can't wait!

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 16th

Today was a day of rest.  I woke up still feeing poorly and spent the majority of the morning resting in bed.  In the afternoon I felt a bit better so I got our Christmas cards in order to be sent out while watching a Christmas movie (Christmas with the Kranks and Jim Carey version of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas).  This was a nice way to relax and still feel productive...I get stir crazy easily it seems.  haha

By the evening I still wasn't feeling amazing but with only a few days left before we head home for Christmas Break I wanted to do something festive with the kidlets.  So we decorated premade gingerbread cookies.  They had so much fun with this!  They each had their own little set of decorations and had a great time decorating, sampling, and then eating their cookies.  Just a little bit of festive fun to get our Christmas Spirit going! :)

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas (yes, again)

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 15th

I arrived home tonight feeling very under the weather and not at all festive.  I so dislike being sick during Christmas, but I seem to get hit with something every year.  I went to bed almost immediately when I got home, and my mom watched the kids until Kris got home from work, which was much later tonight than usual.  Before they went to bed the kids came  to visit and we watched a quick YouTube Christmas video to keep some of the festive spirit going.

Things I am thankful for despite my illness:
1) I am (so far) not ill during any actual Christmas Break events.
2) Illness hit AFTER the Advent Celebration at school was complete.
3) Kids don't seem sick (yet?).
4) My principal booked me a supply teacher before I even left school today.
5) It is 3 days before Christmas break so I didn't have plan anything for school tomorrow - kids are already doing festive activities.
6) My mom is here to help out...I am feeling pretty useless right now and Kris is working!

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 14th

Today's big event doesn't have anything to do with our family.  However it it is significant enough to me that I want to share it and remember it.  I don't know if this will actually end up in our family album, but at least it is recorded here for me to see!

Our school has an Advent Celebration and Social each year, and tonight was that night of this event.  I (crazy crazy I) was in charge of organizing and orchestrating the entire liturgy.  So so much work went in to this with each of our teachers and classes, and the final result was so wonderful to see.  We read through a children's picture book version of the Nativity, with our younger students performing a small skit after each reading, and our older students singing portions of Christmas Carols that coincided with the events in the reading.  It turned out so beautifully and I am so proud of the final result.  The students did a wonderful job, and families who came to watch seemed to really enjoy themselves.  Such a fun evening!

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 13th

Today was a day of rest.  :)
Lets just go with, 'last night was oodles of fun...too many oodles', and leave it at that. ;)

By the time we got home today we were both still exhausted.  We spent the majority of the day hanging out on the living room floor watching Christmas movies with the kidlets.  Aiden has been afraid of watching the Grinch this year, so we talked to him about the message the Grinch learns, and about how Cindy Lou Hoo helps the Grinch learn the true meaning of Christmas.  When Soph went down for her nap he consented to watch with us (haha), and of course, loved it.  We drank hot cocoa and curled up on the bed that is now permanently siting on the living room floor (until Christmas is over) and enjoyed the movie.  It was fun to watch him watch one of our favourites and love it as much as we did when we were younger.

"It came without ribbons.  It came without tags.  It came without packages, boxes or bags."

Tonight's Christmas Movie - The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (cartoon)

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 12th

The kiddos are loving their advent calendar surprises each day!  I cause Soph playing with her's and Aiden's toys they have collected so far this morning.

After breakfast the kids got to work making their Christmas lists to Santa.  They looked through fliers and magazines to find pictures of things they might like to ask Santa for.  We let them choose three things to ask for from all the things they cut out.  They had so much fun doing this!  I love using this child friendly letter format (which you can download for free here).

The rest of the day was all about Kris' work Christmas party.  This was our second year attending, and was yet again a great night!  Kris works with a really great group of people, and we had a great time eating, drinking, and dancing up a storm.  Nanna and Nonno came to spend the night with the kiddo's so we had no worries for the evening.

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 11th

My mom arrived in town today so Kris and I headed out after dinner to do some Christmas shopping. Still so much to get done before we head home next weekend for Christmas Break!  Between a trip to the mall, Winners, Walmart and Toys R' Us we got a lot accomplished!  Still just a few things to pick up/order and we are good to go!

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 6th

Today was a quiet day for us.  Kris took Aiden skating.  Sophia and I went grocery shopping.  And the rest of the day was spent relaxing at home.  Aiden did some Christmas colouring in the afternoon which I am excited to include in my album!! He helped me do some stamping, and then coloured in the images.  So cute.  He also beautified the only piece of Christmas artwork I have ever made with Sophia, with some Christmas stickers.  He was so proud ... haha.  Will have to make something new with Sophia soon.

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Handy Manny: Flicker Saves Christmas

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 10th

Tonight Aiden, the kids and I were home alone.  After yet another viewing of Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas, Sophia was off to bed and Aiden and I played a snowman board game.  He had a great time trying to dress his snowman before I could.  Such fun.  I love that he is big enough now to do these kinds of things with!

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 5th

Today was quite festive in our home!  After naps we dressed the kiddos and headed off to the mall to visit the Big Guy himself.  Santa photos are always a favourite for me, and the kids were so excited to see him while we made our way through the line!  We talked about how they would sit on his lap and the photographer would take a picture.  Everyone was thrilled.  Sophia even entertained the people behind us by lifting up her shirt and wiggling her belly at them (honestly, she has NEVER done this before...hillarious).  Soon there was only one person ahead of us, and the kids were watching Santa with so much anticipation!

And then, it was our turn.  Aiden climbed right up on to Santa's lap - no problem.  Sophia however, went stage 5 clinger on us and refused to even PRETEND to consider that she would ever sit on his lap in our wildest dreams and could we PLEASE get out of there immediately?!?!?  We made the best of the situation and took a family photo instead of one with just the kids.  Everyone left happy.  haha

After our pictures we stopped to watch the workers assembling the new Christmas tree for the mall.  They are just finishing renovations in the mall and this tree is making its first appearance....so fun!

After a quick bite to eat we visited a few stores and discovered that a school choir had set up in the middle of the upper level and were singing Christmas carols.  Such an enjoyable experience!  We stayed for a few songs (Aiden didn't want to leave at all) and then made our way home.

When we got back to our neighbourhood we drove around and looked at the Christmas lights.  The kids were loving this.  So many blow up Frosty's in our neighbourhood! hahaha  Such a fun day!

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Sophia The First: Holiday in Enchancia

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 4th

Kris arrived home tonight after a week long trip after travelling to Chicago for the RSNA conference with some of his work peeps. He brought back some super cute gifts for the kids.  Snow globes.  They love snow globes.  These are their first each and they are both ecstatic.  At least we can say we have SOME snow now, as things are looking pretty green outside.

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Mickey's Christmas Carol, Pluto's Christmas Tree & Frosty the Snowman (AGAIN)

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 3rd

Today's story is about the arrival of our first Christmas card!  The kids and I go to the mailbox every day after daycare, and today we found a surprise waiting for us!  Our first card arrived from Auntie Tracey & Erica.  Aiden was super excited.  Sophia was impartial - hahaha .

Both enjoyed when I hung the card on our art wall.  We take down the regular art during the holidays and put up any Christmas art that the kids bring home, as well as all of our Christmas cards.  Such a festive and easy display!

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Mickey's Twice Upon A Christmas (Huey Dewey & Louie Short, Goofy Short, Mickey Short)

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 2nd

Today was Baking Day 1.  And the story of that is that I got a new phone, took adorable pictures of Baking Day 1, and then when I went to update my new phone to add my old content, the adorable pictures of Baking Day 1 disappeared into the abyss and can be found by no one.  :(

Aiden and I 'baked' chocolate covered pretzels.  He had a delightful time unwrapping the Hershey's Kisses for me, and handing me the M&M s to place on top of the melted Kisses.  He had an even more delightful time sneaking tastes when he thought I wasn't looking.  Lets just say that batch #1 of these will NOT be gifted to others, as I can't guarantee that there isn't a slightly licked M&M in the mix anywhere...hahaha.  Such a cute kid.

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Mickey's Twice Upon A Christmas (The Minnie & Daisy Skating Short)

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - The 1st

This December started out differently for us this year.  Traditionally we get the outside lights up in November, and they don't get turned on until December 1st.  This was about the only 'normal' thing that happened today/  Lights went up in November.  Lights got turned on today for the first time.  I set up our inflatable Mickey and Yoda (I mean Santa Mickey and Santa Yoda) right before I went to pick the kids up from daycare.  When we walked home they could see the lights blazing from down the street, and Sophia was SO excited to see Mickey!

We also traditionally set up our tree and indoor decorations on the 1st.  This year we did that early as Kris is out of town and we didn't want to wait for him to get home, but also didn't want to do it without him.  So the decorations went up a few days ago.  The kids are thrilled with them so far.  Sophia is handling the tree MUCH better than Aiden did at that age.  He thought that every ornament needed to be tested as a baseball.  Pretty sure he was doing some quality testing ;).

This morning the kids came downstairs to find their Advent Calendars set out on the kitchen table.  They were SO excited.  Each has their own calendar this year, which is fun for both of them.  I also picked up a super cute magnetic Christmas Tree countdown game which they are loving.  All in all a great start to our December!  Now lets hope for some snow!  Aiden keeps asking when the snow is going to arrive.  I think he is too young to understand the finer details of El Nino just yet.  :)

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Frozen

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily - Decorating the Tree

This year we broke tradition and decorated the tree a few days early!  Kris is going to be out of town on the 1st, which is when we usually set up our tree and other indoor decor.  The kids had a great time, and we had some special visitors helping us out that day.  Nanna, Nonno, Uncle Marc and Auntie Amy were all visiting for the weekend, so they all helped out with various decorating activities.

Aiden helped assemble the tree (he IS super strong after all).

Auntie Amy and Uncle Marc hung the lights.

Everyone helped hang the decorations.

The kids also had fun playing with their nativity.

A fun day had by all!

Tonight's Christmas Movie - Frosty the Snowman

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.

December Daily 2015 - The Santa Claus Parade

This past weekend we went to the Santa Claus Parade with good friends of ours.  This is the first year Aiden has really understood what a parade is, and was very excited about it, and asked daily 'Is today the day we will go to the parade?!'.  Even Sophia had a fun time sitting on Daddy's shoulders and watching to colourful floats go by.  The only downfall to the evening was that it started to rain - enough so that we ended up having to leave early.  Although disappointed to leave, the kids were happy to get their hot cocoa on the way home, and thankfully didn't realize we had missed out on seeing the Big Guy himself at the end of the parade.  I don't think we will get away with that in the future...haha.

December Daily® is a December mini-album project devised by Ali Edwards with the simple goal of capturing the spirit of December via one story per day. Read more on her website here.