so my advent calendar for december is chock full of christmasy-family-activities. i have been trying to keep up to date with things so i can continue manufacturing memories for kate - yes, i said manufacturing which means i'm forcing it, all the while knowing she's probably not going to remember too much... oh well. makes me feel like i'm doing things for the beast. yes, i said the beast. her personality has undergone a major transformation - where did my sweet, friendly, pleasant girl go? hopefully she, like a cat, will find her way home soon.
i know, you can hardly believe she's capable of bad behavior...
december 1: make a paper chain
pretty happy about that chain!
december 2: play a game as a family
december 3: watch a holiday movie
december 4: take a family picture
december 5: pick out new ornaments
kate picked out the red lollipop - and then wanted me to sing the song for the rest of the day :) 
and i got this cute little snowman for beth's first christmas
december 6: make a christmas craft
this year, kate made a santa hat. it was great - easy enough for her to do, quick to assemble, quick to dry, and she loves throwing it on for a few minutes everyday.
december 7: write a letter to Santa
kate told me what she wanted to say and i helped her move that chubby crayon around
a pink car? where are we going to find one of those? where did this idea come from?
december 8: go to a local christmas activity/attend grandma carson's annual christmas party
santa claus showed up and had gifts for the kiddos - they were all terrified (except the babies and cousin sophie) 
this is as close as kate would get to the big man
santa gave kate a dora doll - she looks thrilled
me, holding the terminator baby. seriously, i tried fixing her red-eye, but it just left huge glowing gray spots... much more creepy than the terminator eyes
i read kate a cute story called the wagon - basically one family in need takes gifted christmas money to fix up an old red wagon for another family in need. good speed for kate.
december 10: make gingerbread houses
december 11: watch a holiday movie
december 12: send out christmas cards
december 13: go to the movies as a family
we went to the sticky shoe to see this movie. it was a little slow for kate and she kept telling us "i don't like this one" and "i want to go" but we stuck it out and she had a good time. definitely a few funny parts - for me they all centered around steve carell's accent.
december 14: go see the elves at gardner village - i haven't done this one yet but it's on my to-do list for tomorrow!
here she is last year - pretty bored after the first couple of elf sightings... maybe she'll have more fun now
december 15: go to a local christmas activity/shopping at the mall and seeing santa
kate wanted to go see santa claus and, since there wasn't a line, i took her in. she was just as nervous as she was at the family party, but she had a bit more gumption this time! i was just hoping she didn't have this kind of experience like poor ralphie!
oh, and santa was completely sick - blowing his nose, coughing, not much of a voice... good thing she was too scared to sit on his lap.
so with only 9 days to go, hopefully i can keep up so as to avoid this marathon post.
merry christmas!!!
6 quick quips:
Um, so I kind of wish I was your daughter - what a fun December so far! Miss you guys, can't wait to see your Christmas card!
What fun ideas! I'm looking forward to hear what you do for the rest. I think Ellie would have fun with this, too!
I just love that you do this every year! I am totally doing it as soon as Paige is old enough to actually know what's going on. I always want to make a killer gingerbread house, but I kinda feel like a loser doing it by myself with no children helping or anything:)
Okay I just opened your Christmas card, Awesome! I'm kicking myself, yet again. I have no card to share and I've been thinking about it since august. I'm super lame. I loved your card and family picture. And congrats to Weston on his new job. Does that mean he quit his other job for the Church or is he just keeping that one on the side?
Merry Christmas.
Love the rundown and pics. I miss you all and wish we lived even closer. Don't worry about the memories. Kate is sure to remember certain things long after you have forgotten them and she will have memories! You did.
Love hearing about all your fun Christmas activities. I'm doing an advent this year too but I've kept mine pretty simple and included things we were going to do anyway (like decorate the Christmas tree). My kids are loving it though. And as for the "beast" - I think December brings out the worst in kids!
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