Christmas 2015

Christmas this year has been wonderful. I love the Christmas season because of Elsie. I loved it before Elsie, but there is something about having a child during this season that makes it so much more magical. I tried to do as many festive & fun things this holiday season even though Elsie won't remember them. I just think if I'm in the habit now, these fun festive things will become traditions & Elsie will have a great childhood.

This is what we've been up to this month:

We decorate the house the day after Thanksgiving..

I made mini apple pies again. 

 I made Elsie a cute felt Christmas tree. She loved it! It also helped her not take ornaments off our Christmas tree).

I made a list of Christmas movies to watch.

I bought Elsie a new plate. She loves it! It's not totally Christmasy but I'm kind of glad about that because now she can use it through February.

Dee came home one day with chocolate & a Barnes & Noble gift card. (Major husband points!)

We had ice cream over at Dee's Aunt's house.

We turned the Christmas tree lights on often.

 Elsie loved watching White Christmas with me.

 We went to our ward Christmas part on December 14th

 We looked at the lights on Main Street & then Watched the Nativity for F.H.E (Dec. 14)

Elsie caught a flu bug Dec. 15 ):

Also I read a ton of Christmas books & so did Els. Elsie's favorite was Frosty the Snowman & my favorite out of the 6 I read was "The Immortal Nicholas".

 We did Coins for Kids this year (we've done it twice in the past) & went out to eat at Dickey's BBQ.

 

 We decorated gingerbread houses at my Uncle Corey & Aunt Susan's house.

 Dee & I made a Pazookie. YUM!!

 The Monday before Christmas we looked at the lights around the temple & then watched Elf for F.H.E. Elsie loved the lights. (& she tried to take her clothes off so she could take a "bath" in the fountain... She loves water!)

 I made homemade caramels & fudge. Elsie helped!

 Auntie Riss came over & we watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" & ate caramels & fudge while baby Bella & Els played.

Elsie helped me make sugar cookies on Christmas eve. She kept cutting the cookies in half though & licking the frosting -_- love this cutie!!

 Before we put Elsie's Kitchen next to the tree.

 We stayed up until 3am putting Elsie's kitchen together. We had no idea that it would take so long!!

 Christmas morning!

Elsie loves her kitchen!! It was worth staying up until 3am when we saw her reaction in the morning!

I made German pancakes for Christmas breakfast like I did last year.

We went over to Grandpa & Grandma's house (Dee's parents) for Christmas lunch & Elsie got spoiled with gifts. She got new PJs & was ready to rip her clothes off to get them on -_- & she loved the baby doll grandma got her & the stuffed puppy Uncle Jeffery got her.

Later we went over to my Aunt Nan's house for Christmas dinner. We ate soup & dessert & hung out with (most) of my cousins, aunts, uncles, sisters, & grandparents. It was a lot of fun!

 We didn't start opening gifts until 8pm.

 

 (She was very happy that Santa brought her "She-Shes"

 I surprised Dee with his favorite tootsie rolls (:

Can you guess which ones that Dee got me for Christmas this year?? (:

We've decided on 3 gifts for Christmas & that's it. (From mom & dad at least). Whatever is in the stocking is from Santa. The three gifts we give symbolize the gifts that the wise men brought baby Jesus. They gave him myrrh, frankincense, & gold. Myrrh is a practical gift.. this year for our myrrh gift we got Elsie flash cards. Frankincense is a sentimental gift (which will usually be a fun vacation or tickets to go to a movie, or something we do together as a family).. this year it was just a book. Gold is a valuable gift.. this year we got Elsie a kitchen (we also got her play food, pots/pans, & plates to go with it). Each year we will read the Christmas story & before she opens her gifts, we will share the significance of the three gifts. I thought this was the perfect way to incorporate Christ into our Christmas.

That's all for now!