It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

I cannot believe we are already here, the week of Christmas!  The time is flying by way too quickly!  I am not ready for Christmas to be here, simply because I don't want it to be over.  I love everything about the Season and it has been especially fun this year with Jensen around.  Here's a look at some of our Christmastime traditions and activities we've been enjoying...

We always kick off the Season with a trip to the Jubilee of Trees and a visit with Santa.  Pierce and Madi were both very excited to see him this year and Jensen was perfect!  It was a little miracle that I got this picture...

...all three children looking at the camera!  And very nearly all smiling!  (This was also a very sweet day, it was the day that Baby Sarah was born!)

Next up was our 4th Annual Gingerbread House night with The Woodburys!
Kathryn is so good to do this, she does all the work - making real gingerbread - and we just show up with some hyper kids and some candy.

Madi, Ryan and Pierce working hard on our gingerbread house, and Jack Jack working hard to get Pierce's attention!

It was all just too exhausting for Jensen.  He zonked out!

It's like I have 2 big boys!  They did a great job on our house!

This year Kathryn stepped it up a notch and did a more complicated house design for us.  It was very cute!  But unfortunately our gingerbread was a little too soft, (it was delicious, but too soft to hold up!) and this became the year of gingerbread house collapses!

Jack adding his trucks to the mix, Woodburys with their house before the inevitable cave in, and the poor house after the collapse!  Darn!  We had fun making them but we both missed having them on display all month long.  Our collapsed about 30 minutes after we got home.  We love this tradition and we all look forward to it each year!  I hope we can continue for years to come!

On the 9th we had Madi's Christmas Dance Recital.  She was very excited to perform, she loved her routine and especially loved that her song, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" was the same song Brother was playing for his piano recital.  (More about Pierson's recital later.)

Annie & Madi, they love taking dance together!

That little gap got a little bit bigger that afternoon...while we were getting ready for her recital,  I tortured her and got the 2nd loose tooth out!  Yes there were screams of torture, and yes there was joy and excitement the second she realized what happened, again!

Madi, my beautiful dancer!  I was very proud of her, she is such a cute little performer and she did great.  It is so fun watching her! 

And I have to say that this has been my favorite thing about this Christmas Season...

Our little "Budgey Boo"  (his silly nickname we've all started calling him) has been very interested in the tree...

It's just about the cutest thing I've ever seen.  It seems like I'm just more in love with him each day!  He is such a joy in my life and in our home!  I am particularly enjoying his age right now, (I LOVE this stage!) he is so much fun, so happy and playful, and not a destruction crew.  yet.  Seriously, the funnest baby stage and so perfect for Christmas.  Love my sweet boy, so excited for his First Christmas!  Now I better get moving, still have all our gifts to wrap, treats to deliver, groceries to buy, laundry to do....