The First Week of Advent

Advent came quickly this year and although I'm still playing catchup on this blog, I am going to go ahead and post tonight about the fun we've had this first week of Advent.  I know that there's even more fun ahead in the next three weeks, but I'd say we started the Christmas season out strong this first week.

First Sunday of Advent, Hope:

December 1: Beginning our Advent Calendars.

 December 2: Get out our Christmas books and READ!

(I didn't get any photos of us reading those Christmas books, but trust me, we did.  And will continue to!)

December 3: Open a special Christmas present from Sweet Mama.

(It was Christmas hairbows.)

December 4: Get out our nativities and tell the Christmas story.

This video is very long, I know.  But it's precious.... if you have time to watch Clara playing with her stuffed nativity, and singing a few Christmas songs.

 December 5: Make a Christmas craft.

December 6: Go see Christmas movies (Rudolph and Frosty) at a/peture theatre and we finally finished decorating the tree...

 A sliver of the tree from each year since we got married.

(That's mommy's gingerbread house. Clara will get to make one later this month.)

 What a fun first week!  And the second week of Advent looks even busier.  Stay tuned for more!

Santa Clara and her Reindeer

I got this Santa suit at a consignment sale this fall for like three bucks and I can't tell you how much fun we had wearing it this Christmas season.  I wanted to make sure that I got it captured on film for all the memories, so here are some shots I grabbed in the unseasonably warm December weather!