Festivities

We've really been enjoying this Christmas season.  Judson is at such a fun age and is so excited about everything.  We drove around looking at Christmas lights the other night and he was almost beside himself.  I ended up recording him on my phone because it was just too cute.

I'm almost finished with an Advent calendar I've been making (it's fully functional, just needs some finishing touches...I'll definitely post pictures when it's completely done), and each day Judson's gotten some sort of surprise.  It's mostly things I'm pulling out of the Christmas stuff - his Little People Nativity, a few of the Christmas books I set aside when I got the rest out for him, one piece of my Nativity set per day, and so on.  He loves it!  His Nativity set was one of the first things I got out.  He was thrilled...and instantly realized the animals were very similar to the cow and farmer that came with his Little People tractor.  :) 

Baby Jesus takes over the angel's place atop the manger

The angel and camel take over the tractor

Baby Jesus has slept, eaten meals, and even danced with Judson.  It's really funny.

The other day I ventured into the mall with the kiddos (and had an EXTREMELY pleasant experience, thankfully).  As soon as we got into the Christian bookstore he said, "There's Mary and Joseph!"  Of course everyone in there loved that.

I bought a gingerbread kit (with the house preassembled) at Costco for $9.99.  I definitely think it was the way to go.  It was actually the first house I've ever decorated, I think.  We had lots of fun doing it, and it was just the right amount of activity for Judson.  (There's a tree and two gingerbread men, too...)

Tree-decorating was lots of fun as well.  I worried we'd run out of ornaments  at the rate Judson was putting them on each branch.  :) I don't have a picture of the finished product yet, but I'm hoping to get a good picture of the kids in front of the tree soon.  If not, I will not be sending out Christmas cards this year.  Please don't remove me from your card list.  I'll do better next year.

See the little guy with the green pants and blue shirt in the middle?  Not an ornament, but Judson wanted to hang him and I got a hook to stay in his hat. 

Judson kept saying, "Put more balls on," so eventually I had to concede and let the Beaver ornaments go on.  :)  I asked Nate if he helped Judson get all six candy canes on one branch, but he said no.  :)

I left all the ornaments where Judson placed them, but Selah Arnold (21 months) removed some of them this weekend, so it doesn't look quite as funny.

Finally, we went to ZooLights again - this time with my parents and Morgan, Anna, and Macy.  It was a bit of a fiasco, but we had fun and learned some valuable lessons.  (Most importantly: go mid-week!)

When I chose Judson's jacket color, I forgot Mandy had given us this hat last year.  It matches perfectly...and really cracks me up.

We hope you're enjoying the preparation for Jesus' birthday as much as we are!