Christmas Fun

Christmas is coming and the kids are getting excited!!
Today, Nicholas, Addison and I ran a bunch of Christmas errands and then headed to Grandma and Pop-pop's to get their house ready for the holidays! We set up the tree and decorated the house. Nicholas and Addison skillfully placed each ornament and the Angel on the tree with lots of help from pop-pop and Aunt Jessica. I did most of the lights and the outside decorations.
The kids had a great time spending the day with Aunt Jessica and grandma and pop-pop and Nicholas showed everyone just how excited he is for Christmas to get here! He bounced off the walls all day long with excitement for the Christmas holiday and the impending visit from the big man in red!!

Getting ready to decorate

Finding the perfect branch

Addison gave excellent instructions on where each ornament was to be placed!

Pop-pop and Addie investigating the Elmo ornament

Nicholas and Aunt Jessica

Our Cute Reindeer

The Angel

Finished Product

Weekly Wrapup!

We've had a pretty good week this week! It's been quite busy but we got a lot accomplished and the kids enjoyed themselves, so that's what's important!

We started off with last Sunday and Addison getting her first haircut! Her hair was growing in so unevenly that I really was not happy with how it looked. We took her to Snip-Its and they did a great job at giving her a nice little haircut that looks adorable on her! You can see the finished product in later pictures!

We finished decorating the inside of the house for Christmas, and now all we have left is to put up all of our outside lights! The kids are loving the Christmas trees and lights and all of the decorations! It's so nice to see! And Nicholas loves opening a new door each day on his Advent calendar and looking at the manger scene.

We had one minor blip on our radar screen this week....I hit a deer on my way to work one morning! Not too much damage, and I was all alone so the kids didn't have to experience another car "accident"- thank goodness! No one was hurt which was the most important part!!

Yesterday we spent the day at Grandma and Pop-pop's! We met grandma for lunch and then headed back to her house to create our first Gingerbread House! Nicholas and Addison had a great time decorating the house with Pop-pop and I while also sampling all of the decorations!! This definitely a tradition we'll have to carry on year after year!

Today, we're home enjoying the little bit of snow we received over night! We may do some baking and finish the outside decorations all while watching the Giants-Eagles game! A nice, quiet Sunday at home while we get ready to start another great week!!

Addison's First Haircut

Nicholas enjoying his Cookie Monster cupcake from lunch yesterday

Pop-pop and Nicholas testing out the decorations for the Gingerbread House

Putting together the walls

Pop-pop and Addie

Helping Grandma bake some cookies while waiting for the walls to set

Beginning the decorations

Our House Decorating Team

Putting on some "Distinctive" touches

The Finished Product from All Angles!

Addie in her new vest....she LOVED this and would not take it off!

Turkey Day Take 3 and a Tree Trimming

Yesterday, we invited a bunch of friends over for a third celebration of Thanksgiving and a kickoff to the Christmas season!
Everyone came over armed with their own contribution to the Thanksgiving table and lots of energy to help us decorate our tree for Christmas! Uncle Dan and Nicholas went right to work getting the tree and all the decorations out from under the steps and then set to work putting the tree together. Nicholas instructed Uncle Dan in a kind but firm manner on the finer points of light stringing and soon we were ready to eat!
After eating, all the kids- Nicholas, Addie, Tommy and Jamie- were ready to get decorating! They dove right into the box of glass ornaments and all the adults followed close behind! Ornaments were hung and then we were able to enjoy some dessert and hang out time!
The kids had a ball running around with one another and the adults enjoyed catching up and watching all of the little ones finally get to enjoy one another!
We still have some decorating to finish, but everything looks great so far!!
It was the perfect way to wrap up the Season of Thanks and kick off the Season of Giving!

Between Aunt Heather and I, we took quite a few pictures!
They aren't exactly in the best order!

Addie and her favorite Dancing Snowmen

Addie Hugging Jamie

Attempting to get a shot of all the kids....didn't work well!

Three of the Four Amigos

Trying to Find the Perfect Ornament

Niki and Nicholas stringing the Lights

Trying to find the right branch

Tommy

Nicholas showing Uncle Dan the "Right" way to string the lights

"Please let the tree light!!"

Daddy and the Kids hanging some ornaments

Nicholas and Addie hanging ornaments

Niki and Addie Trimming the tree

Aunt Jen, Niki and Addie

The beginning: Putting the Tree together

Waiting to decorate

Trying to figure out if all the lights are lighting!

Fluffing the Tree

Brother and Sister

Putting the Branches on

The Girls Trimming the Tree

More Trimming

Uncle Dan supervising Nicholas

The Lights

Uncle Dan Helping to Trim the Tree

"This tree is fake?!?!"

"What do you mean I'm hanging them wrong!??!"

The Dancing Snowmen...again