Getting Ready for Christmas...

We've had a wonderful Advent season with a peppering of fun holiday family traditions, as well as some down-time for focusing on the real meaning of the season. Having SA in kindergarten kept me busy as "room mom", but school was out last week and we've enjoyed a slower pace. Some things we've done leading up to Christmas... two days and counting:

-Put up our Christmas lights, tree and decorations the day after Thanksgiving (avoided Black Friday shopping at all costs.)
-Attended a Christmas concert at our church and had our baby Jesus for our nativity blessed
-Got to sit on Santa's knee at our neighbor's Christmas Party!
-Watched Olympic ice skaters perform at the Christmas tree lighting at the Galleria
-The kids were somewhat good sports about letting mom get a pic for our Christmas card
-Baked and decorated TONS of goodies for friends and teachers (and ate quite a bit ourselves)
-SJ and I got to help and attend SA's kinder Christmas party at school
-Girls sang in our church's preschool Christmas program
-Drove around looking at Christmas lights
-Bought most of our presents on Amazon! With only one trip to the dreaded Toys R Us.
-Went carolling with friends on our street for the first time, and were given brownies by a neighbor for our efforts!
-Attended a Christmas story time at our library
-Visited my mom's entire side of the family for a great meal, presents, and fun with cousins
-Played lots of Christmas songs in the car, at home, and on the piano
-Lit our final candle in our bay window for the closing of the Advent season
-Vowed to do more each year to help those less fortunate as time and finances allow - this has been a tough year for almost everyone. We are looking forward to the new year full of renewed hope.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!