Christmas Advent: 1-10

A few Christmas' ago Teresa sent us a Christmas countdown from Germany. It is little stockings that hang on our window. I've always put candies in them. This year I decided to not do candy, but put little slips of paper in each one with a Christmas activity written on it. They draw the paper out in the morning and we get to do that Christmasy activity that day. It's been a hit.Day 1: Go with Daddy to pick a Christmas tree. (Zachary was sleeping so I stayed home and cleaned up for Kamber and Brian to arrive and stay with us.) They did a great job. It took all of 10 seconds to pick the tree, they bought it, brought it home and ta da . . . our house smelled like a pine forest. And looked like it with needles everywhere.

Day 2: Festival of Trees. We go to the Festival of Trees every year. There are hundreds of decorated trees. All the proceeds from the sale of the trees goes to Primary Childrens Hospital. It's always amazing to see all the decorations.

I let the girls choose their favorite tree to take a picture with. Can you see a theme to Brielle's favorites? There are ten more pictures just like these.Ava's favorite with butterflies. But she wouldn't leave the stroller for it.
We got to take the Bishop family with us! Yay! They were visiting for a couple of days, so they came to roam the trees and wreaths and gingerbread houses with us.
We had to take a picture with the divided trees, just like our house.
My favorite. It was so cool! It was like four trees forming a wave for a surfing Santa.

Day 3: Decorate the Christmas Tree. In the morning, before preschool, we decorated our tree. Ava said it was all too hard and she was getting "too tired and sweaty" so she wanted to sit back and take pictures of us decorating. I let her and I got a WHOLE LOT of this: Ten pictures of my back side sorting through lights and ornaments. She's fired.She did get one of Brie and I together, but was mostly trying to make sure she included our listening elf up on the mirror too.

Day 4: Christmas Lights on Temple Square. We went as a family and Tawna to Temple Square to see the lights. We started out listening to a childrens choir singing Christmas music in the Assembly Hall and then moved on to see the nativity scene and all the thousands of lights. Amazing.Brie with Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus behind her.
I love this picture of Zachy. I love the look of pure amazement in his eyes.
The Santa Piper!

Day 5: Sing Christmas carols at church.

Day 6: Playgroup Christmas outing and Watch "How The Grinch Stole Christmas".
Our Playgroup got together in the morning to celebrate Christmas. We started at the Dollar Store where each child got to choose and buy a gift for another child whose name they had drawn. They were very excited to choose just the right thing. (That is exactly why Brielle chose reindeer antlers for Eliza. Sorry.) We then went to the mall where we exchanged our presents.
We got to go visit Santa and sit on his lap (no pictures allowed), eat lunch at Hot Dog on a Stick and then ride the carousel. Definitely a fun time.
That evening we popped popcorn, got out all the blankets and pillows, got into pajamas and watched (for the first time) "How The Grinch Stole Christmas". We were having a church party the next night with this theme and wanted to know what it was all about. We loved it. So cute.

Day 7: "How The Grinch Found Christmas" Ward Christmas Party. So yes, we figured it out. We learned about Whoville and Who people and how they dressed and did their hair. And we tried to dress for the party the best we could. (Brie wanted to be Cindy Lu Who. She has a plastic cup in her hair to make the cone shape.) Lots of people dressed up which made it fun. It was a GREAT PARTY!Scott serving "Roast Beast". He had just come from his work party at the Grand America. He was too full for our humble roast beast :)
See the Grinch on the basketball hoop?
Zachy LOVIN' his Who Pudding.
The Grinch came and recited the whole and entire story. It was absolutely amazing. He changed the end a little bit so that he found Christ. The kids loved watching him. Ava cowered in sheer terror.

Day 8: Christmas shopping and read Christmas stories.

Day 9: Mail Christmas cards and help Daddy put up Christmas lights on the house. We had so much snow so early this year that no one could get their lights up. Finally it warmed up enough to melt the snow off of the roof, so Scott came home early and now our house is all lit up!

Day 10: Start making Scottish Shortbread for neighbors. You should see the stacks of butter on the counter ready to go!