the christmas story

last week, a couple of days before thanksgiving, the kids began getting super excited about christmas being right around the corner.  they started talking about all the fun stuff that would be coming along with it... picking a tree, decorating, their favorite christmas songs, making their wish lists, and many many other kid-fun things.  then in the midst of talking about all the many fun and silly things they were excited about, avery said, "christmas means we get to sit together, drink hot cocoa and read the story about jesus' birthday."  

i was surprised to hear her say this and also so happy.  i forgot we had done this last christmas morning, until my four year old reminded me.  i couldn't help but smile inside and out at the fact that she remembered us doing this, and that it made such an impression on her that she was excited to do it again.  i think we just may have ourselves a yearly christmas tradition now.

last christmas morning i made them hot cocoa with lots and lots of mini marshmallows.  then grant and i took turns reading the christmas story from their children's bibles while avery had the job of acting it out with their toy manger set.

it truly was an amazing way to spend the morning with my little ones.  i am already looking forward to doing it again this year.  i love this time of year and memories and moments like these are exactly what it's all about.

we are off to a slow start with the decorating this year.  i am typically one of those day after thanksgiving decorators.  not so much this year.  we did buy our tree a few days ago though.  isn't she a beauty!?

we decorated the tree the night we got it.  bryan hung up the house christmas lights the next day and i hung our christmas wreath on the door.  other than that though... everything is still in boxes.  i am hoping to get it all done over the next few days.

i hope all of you are enjoying getting into the christmas spirit too... even if you are like me and it's taking a little longer than you want.