Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I love love this time of year. For obvious reasons like celebrating the birth of Christ and also just the joy this holiday season brings to pretty much everyone. It is like nothing else. There is just excitement in the air. Why can't it be like that all the time?  

A little while ago we filled our Operation Christmas Child boxes. Our church doesn't do this but it something so easy and tangible that we have done since Shadd was a wee one and I love that we are able to bless some children a whole world a way. This year they had some cute information sheets that we got to fill out with our address so it would be awesome if someone would write us back. 

This year we prayed before we went shopping andI really hoped and prayed that my children would embrace the spirit of giving. And boy was I shocked. I'm not sure why? God can do anything!  They loved filling up the card full of things that they thought there little boy or girl would want. 

Another thing we have been working on is making our place decked out in lights. I'm not sure what has gotten into d this year but he is beginning to resemble that guy off of Christmas Vacation. If was freezing one night and we are outside hanging lights on our back tree. They look beautiful and if you are in the neighborhood, drive by, stop and see us.

 Then there was last friday...

I got up early to shop with my momma and sis. The stores were dead if they had opened the previous night. Otherwise it was true black friday madness. Check out that paper.

Then we did some decorating of our own. 

Wow, does that ever make a mess. This is the transition. 

The tree.

 Some technical difficulties with our 8 year old tree downstairs. Some lights just didn't want to work. After some time we went with it and an extra string of lights. And then the kids got to work.

Of course we took a break to see Frozen. It was cute but so thankful for d's parents while they watched Sage. The previews lasted 40 minutes. I mean these guys are little and how long do you expect them to sit here. 

And of course, we broke out the fisher price nativity set.  They always seem to love it. Sage has been playing with it quite a bit so the other two migrate there as well.

Now all we need is a lot of snow and a few snow days with Daddy.