This year I decided to do an activities-based advent with Ethan. We made a simple paper chain and inside each link was an activity. Each day we undid one link and read what our activity was. I meant to get a picture of the chain but I never did. It was a lot of fun, but a bit ambitious! I will admit, there were a lot of Christmas movie nights and a few days it just didn't work out (especially when Tristan was gone). I didn't get a picture of every activity, but here is a sampling of our countdown fun!
The first night they opened their Christmas p.j.'s and we went to have dinner with my parents. Here they are, sporting their Christmas jammies!
Love the reindeer on the tooshie!
One day we went to see Allisha, Dylan, Skyler, Caitlynn and her dad, Brian, to bake sugar cookies. Here the kids were learning how to cut out cookies.
Time for some frosting and sprinkles!
The finished product
All worn out from a day of baking!
The boys had so much fun pushing each other around in this laundry basket after their little quiet time. Talk about a second wind!
Another day Tristan, Ethan and I baked and decorated these snowman cupcakes.
One night we built a gingerbread house. I love how Ethan's lip is sticking out like he knows how yummy this is going to be!
And, yes, he was using his "digger" to help us build the house! That kids loves construction vehicles! And there are no finished product pictures because we never got it finished...oh well, maybe next year!
One morning we headed out the The Barn nursery to see Santa. If you bring your own camera you can take a free picture with Santa. I spent some time talking to Ethan about getting his picture taken with Santa and he seemed so excited. But then we got there and he was SUPER shy and wouldn't go near Santa without me! Carter didn't mind being held at all!
I finally got him to look at the camera. He liked Santa a whole lot more at the end when he got his candy cane and toothbrush!
One night our activity was a Christmas Family Home Evening with the Marlatt's. They planned a fun lesson that involved the nativity and had yummy home made Almond Roca and hot chocolate. Allisha and I ended up with the fun job of snuggling the little ones on the couch!
Tristan and Ethan with the completed nativity
One of our bigger activities was going to Zoo Lights at Point Defiance Zoo with our good friends, the Marlatt's. We went together 2 years ago when our older boys were just little so it's funny to see some of the same pictures now that both of our families have doubled in size! We were so grateful that even though it was cold, it wasn't as cold as we thought it would be!
Getting ready to head in to see the lights!
Ethan thought all the lights were great, but he loved playing at the "habitat" exhibit. Here he and Skyler are hanging out in the nest together.
One of my favorite displays with the bridges and Mt. Ranier
This is the best picture I could get of these two buddies!
Carter did great and slept for a large portion of the evening. This was right at the end of the night and you can tell he wasn't all that happy about life!
It was fun to go and spend time with friends as we counted down the days to Christmas. It was a lot of work, but I think I would like to do the chain again next year. I love the traditions we use to celebrate the holiday season's arrival!
