Christmas is pretty much my favorite…ever. The outfits, the lights, the chilly weather, the anticipation, the gift wrapping. Ok, so gift wrapping it totally not my favorite, but you get the idea! Unfortunately, come November, everyone on my instagram feed was Christmas-ready with trees lit and cookies baking and I was over here trying to remember how to to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving. (And I wound up accidentally cooking it upside down. Don’t ask. I don’t cook.)
Anyways, it took me a little longer to get in the “holiday groove” this year. While everyone else was blasting Mariah Carey’s Christmas station on pandora, we were singing along to the Moana sound track 24/7. I’m totally blaming my laziness on being pregnant and tired, and on my lack of caffeine and alcohol. But hey, we got there eventually…
It started with our yearly visit to see “The Big Guy”. This is the girls’ (and my) favorite thing to do each year. My sweet friend runs these adorable mini-sessions out on a farm and she is always kind enough to allow me to crash and take photos. The girls brought their very specific Christmas lists and boom…Christmas Card pictures done! Check that one off the list! 😉
And in case you were wondering…yes, he really is the REAL Santa!
My girl and I were then off to see the Nutcracker. Not my personal fav but she had been begging all year- so off we went. She left with my similar sentiments about the show (“It would have been better if they were talking and singing, Mom.” Can’t say I blame her.) but she also came away with an unbridled love for nutcrackers. So there ya go. Worth every penny…?
When you don’t live near a tree farm, it’s Whole Foods to the rescue. You’d be surprised at the quality photos you can get from a grocery store tree lot! 😉
One of our favorite new traditions this year was decorating their teepee together. I let the girls take the lead and set it up however they wanted. We strung up lights, put antlers on the unicorn and filled it with their fav Christmas books. It was so much fun and they really enjoyed playing in it all month. Something I think we’ll definitely do again next year!
A Charlie Brown Christmas, the Musical at our local children’s theater was a hit. Cubs was obsessed with Snoopy and asked if we could keep him!
Matching dolly jammies from Dressie Jessie Smocking
We baked, we snuggled, we decorated, and we wrote copious amounts of letters to Santa. With the wish lists changing and expanding each time. I eventually had to tell them that Santa’s mailbox was FULL, because seriously…Amazon Prime can only do so much. (I refuse to shop in stores during the Holidays because, people.)
Decorating these tiny trees for their rooms is another favorite tradition of ours. We’ve been doing it since Q was a baby and the girls LOVE collecting tiny ornaments and getting to decorate them “However I want, right Mom? I don’t even need to leave spaces!” Plus they serve as like the cutest night lights ever…and come with a timer which means I don’t need to hike my lazy butt up the stairs every night to turn them off. Win-Win!
Shooting the cutest collab from The Emry Shop and Zozu Baby
Reindeer food making is another tradition we absolutely love.
I did a separate blog post all about it HERE.
Until next year, Christmas. You were pretty good to us this year.
But really though…I need a nap!
