It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Today was pretty non-eventful.

Kyri had school and all 4 of Ms Kate's kids came over today, since they are off track.

We played SORRY and the kids all had fun on the bean bag.

This afternoon we went to Target and we picked up Wendy's for dinner.

I was highly disappointed.

I need to stop going there unless it's for a frosty :)

The kids all went to bed really good!

I put them to bed early and Kyri was sad because she wanted to play with her babies. So, I told her to take them into her room with her and play with them in bed. We always leave their lamp on (unless they do something to lose out on that privilege) and they can read books and listen to music, etc. Well, before leaving their room I told Graysen to get into bed so I could tuck him in.

He told me he wanted to watch Kyri play with her babies and climbed onto her bed instead :)

Silly boy!!

As long as the kids are quiet I don't care if they play in their room for a while.

After getting the kids in bed I cleaned the downstairs.

It wasn't terribly messy, but papers had stacked up enough on my counter to leave me little space for preparing food.

This is such a HUGE pet peeve of mine, but I have yet to figure out how to keep it under control.

My counter is ALWAYS a mess!!

One day.....

But oh how I LOVE a clean house!!

Then my friend, Keri, came over and I cut her hair.

She cut my hair back in July, so I was FINALLY getting around to returning the favor!

For those who do not know this about me,

I LOVE Christmas time.

LOVE!!

When Gary and I were first married I think he thought I was a little nuts.

He wouldn't let me put up Christmas until after Thanksgiving.

Well, now it is GARY who is always wanting to put up our Christmas decor after HALLOWEEN!!

LOVE!!

Gary has made it a tradition to get me a new decoration every year.

And I LOVE that!

I always wanted a nice, complete Nativity.

Well, when Gary worked in the Philippines (before we were married) he got this Nativity set.

I LOVE it!!

It is so different and unique!

It was stored at his parents house until last year....he is lucky I didn't break down and buy a Nativity set before that :) but I'm really glad I didn't!

I will soon need more shelving for my growing collection of decorations

The tree

(and I LOVE the Santa in the back corner....that's what Gary got me last year)

The village

(oops...didn't notice the falling snow until now)

I am SO excited for Christmas this year!!

For gifts we always do:

something you want

something you need

something to wear

something to read

one Santa gift, plus stockings

and

one new ornament for each child

I was done with all the kids presents at least a month ago (except the ornaments...we have yet to get those) and for a while I stressed about Gary's gifts. But now I am done with his too!!

And I can just relax and enjoy the spirit of Christmas!

I have always loved Christmas, but I think I love it even more now that I have kids.

I can NOT wait until Christmas morning!!

I get all of this from my mother.

Just the other day when I was talking to her she told me that she used to not even be able to sleep because she was so excited for Christmas....for us!!

And maybe we're bad parents, but everyone keeps asking Kyri and Gray what they are asking Santa for for Christmas. They both just shrug their shoulders and say, "I don't know."

We don't ever ask them what they want.

I don't ever want them to expect to get something simply because they want it.

I pretty much know what they will like.

But since people have been asking, then Kyri told me she wants to write a letter to Santa.

I think that will actually be a lot of fun!

We will probably do that in the next couple days!

Why does Christmas have to be 2 1/2 weeks away?!?!

We have a lot going on before then, but right now that seems like forever away!!

There is just something so magical about Christmas!!