It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

I know that the holidays are a stressful, emotional, and crazy season for lots of people but I will say I still enjoy it. It was one of my favorite months as a teacher and now it is one of my favorites with my kids. There are so many fun things to do and see and watching it through their eyes is so exciting!

In keeping with tradition we put up all of our Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. Our rule is whatever we don't get up that day doesn't get put up that year.

James was so excited about decorating the tree and bless his heart the first ornament he tried to put on fell and broke 

Harrison did not get to help decorate the tree. Sorry buddy!

I tried to capture Harrison's reaction to seeing the tree. He was excited!

All of New Bern is decorated so pretty. We have had fun checking out all the events our new town does.

Checking out the mall decorations 

Family picture in front of Nana and Pop's tree

This picture has nothing to do about Christmas and I don't know why I can't get it to turn but I thought it was funny because James said this was a picture of himself and the circles were ant piles. Random. 

Big boy Christmas clothes

James's ornaments from school 

We have had a couple of weeks of sickness lately which has put a damper on the month.  Harrison came down with the stomach bug. We thought we were out of the woods and then I got it. Yuck.  The next day after being sick James reminded me that I had promised we would make cupcakes on Friday. (note to self, do not make promises to kids)  Needless to say I was not really feeling it but alas we did it.

I had to put H in the front carrier bc he was so fussy 

Drawing pictures while the cupcakes cook 

Harrison's masterpiece

Each weekend from Thanksgiving to Christmas downtown New Bern puts on a "Berry Merry Christmas" with different activities. They also have "snow" falling each weekend night.

James convinced me that he needed to see Santa again

Our neighborhood has these special Christmas balls that hang down from the trees.  It's hard to describe but it creates a magical effect as you drive through the neighborhood.

"Cheese" 

We invited our friends from across the street to come over and make edible Christmas tree cones.

Ages 1, 2, 4, 5.  God bless the mothers with four boys!

This was our snack and this is about as fancy as it get around here 

Every night we have been doing our special Advent tree and calendar.  Each day on our calendar it reads a verse and goes through the telling of the Nativity story.  The tree's ornaments are something I made with a bunch of ladies in Shreveport and go along with a daily devotion called, A Meaningful Christmas.  James is really old enough to get it this year.

 Our fire department put on a drive through live Nativity. 

 They also provided free hot chocolate and cookies. Yum!

 I love seeing all that the boys make at school. Honestly it makes me feel less of a need to do some of this stuff at home! (which for the record we do some type of art work every day. It just may not be as involved as these!)

Harrison's angel 

This was his gift to us from his teachers 

 After our friends across the street came to our house James and Harrison got a chance to go over to their house the next day and they made finger print crafts. It is awesome having neighbors with kids close in age to ours! 

This was James's present to us that he made at school. I tried to wait till Christmas to open it but he was adamant that it was to be opened immediately.

It has been such a fun and busy month! We are looking forward to these next few days before Christmas!