It's DECEMBER!

 Old fashioned christmas parade 2012 style ;). Nate was at school and literally up until the day of I was having mixed feelings about trying to attend it without him. Luckily Jeannie and Tim were able to join us for dinner and ride with us into town/help us, and we had a great night attending the parade :)

I love this blurry pic as it somehow aptures the whirlwind of the parade and Jules high fiving the WCU Ram

 The first day of advent. We were able to facetime with Nate as he was eating breakfast at school by the time that we roused from bed after our late night, and he was able to watch Luke open day one's capsule. It said "BREAKFAST WITH SANTA!!!".....and off we went to the West Chester Senior Center for a fun filled breakfast. I feel like I keep saying it lately, but things are just so much easier lately. Going to something like this a year ago alone with the kids would have been just not that much fun.... and this year it was a blast. Maybe some of it is mental, knowing that in just a few short months we will be an intact family again, but for now, it's working. I'm doing the things that make Christmas fun for the kids, even when Nate can't participate, and they are fun for me too, rather than exhausting. Good stuff. 

 Day two of advent read "Get a CHRISTMAS TREE AND GO TO LYDIAS BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!". It was a big day. It's so fun having these things all be a surprise to the kids. Julia was literally jumping around with joy. Love it. Love too seeing them talk about and remember and enjoy the ornaments, to see them start to have sentimental attachment to the kids like they do to Nate and I. Isn't this the creepiest fake elf ever? My kids have been asking why we don't have an elf on the shelf (don't get me started on that, to me its like the ultimate Jesus.........watching you.......always........judging..) but that would be a post that would probably alienate everyone I know..........(plus honestly I just get so bored with extra work things like that!) so anyway I told my kids that we didn't invite the elf into our house because they are so good and so kind that they don't need extra elfin monitoring to see if they can get gifts or not ~ they are going to get gifts just like they are going to give gifts, because they love people and people love them and that is what Christmas is about. Sharing with others, and being loved, not being bribed into temporary compliance. 

 El tree. She is a big un! This is our biggest and prettiest tree that I ever remember, and it smells better than any I remember. Nate put the lights on and was like "how does it look?" And I said "Great!" and then when he was watching football I snuck three more strands of lights onto it. :) Our house is currently sporting 6, yes SIX, christmas trees, this one, one in our family room, two in our dining room, and one in Luke and Julia's bedrooms. A huge wreath on the front door, one in the foyer, one in the bathroom, and one on the back porch door, and we have it goin on around here. We have to put up the outside lights, which is generally Nate's department, but he leaves for San Ant tomorrow and is gone through next Sat afternoon (rare back to back school weekends)...so I may try my hand at out door light decorating myself tomorrow or tuesday. The weather is supposed to be in the 60's so why not? It may be like an elfen display with no lights above 5 feet high with my limited reach....but whatever. Its DECEMBER! 

 The foyer

 Julia marvels at the tree

The dining room. 

We had a late night of entertaining last night and have been on the go all day between getting the tree, a birthday party, and decorating the tree tonight. I am WIPED OUT. 

It is crazy how much fun, yet how exhausting how much this decorating business is! I don't even want to think about the fact that in a few weeks we will be undoing all of this doing, but whatever. The kids excitement is contagious. I hope that you are all busy enjoying your homes in whatever fashion you choose....