Picture Advent

We had a calendar full of wonderful Christmas activities and events as we counted down to Christmas Day:

10: Watching Harper and Caden in their Kindergarten program

9: Polar Express Pajama Day at school where we boarded the train, ate cookies and chocolate milk, and received special bells with great friends

8: Comanche Lighted Christmas Parade where we sat with sweet neighbors and stuffed our pockets with candy!

7: Shopping for Angel Tree Children (The girls were very thoughtful in choosing the perfect items for the needy children. After we had already chosen the perfect things, they still pointed at toys that they themselves really liked, saying "Maybe that little girl would like this!"

6: Gingerbread House building with Layton

...and icing shots :)

5: Fun and festive school projects like reindeer food to sprinkle on Christmas Eve, handprint plates for mamas and daddys, pinecone Christmas trees, Nativity ornaments, the Candy Cane Legend, M&M Christmas...

4: FBC Christmas Program with Audrey's Church Choir and our Bright Beginnings Preschool

 (This will forever be one of my all-time greatest memories. These babies did an incredible job singing Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star; Ten Little Angels; Wise Men Traveled from Afar; Baby Jesus, Baby Jesus; and Christmas Bells.)

 (And we had a wonderful reception for the church afterwards with yummy cake, cookies, cider, and peppermint punch!)

 3: Gift giving with sweet friends

2: Preschool "Happy Birthday Jesus" party complete with cake and candle that they all blew out together

 (Brenna didn't take this party hat off for hours :)

1: And through all the tinsel and lights, remembering that this season is about Jesus, the first and greatest gift ever given, God with us in human form, sent to bear the sins of the world. When I look back on these pictures and realize everything I do is about my babies, I remember that everything should first center around that baby born so long ago on that wondrous starry night, a baby straight from heaven with the purpose of becoming the Savior for me and my little family. May we never let that be an oversight during the holidays...and all year round.

Merry CHRISTmas!