Christmas in Tulsa

The rush was on to get all things Christmas done before the big weekend arrived.  It seems crazy during the moment but having to get our Christmas activities done before we head out to Michigan actually is nice and makes for a pretty relaxing vacation.  But I say this after the fact.  Shopping, parties, school activities and musicals just about does me in the two weeks before the kids are out of school. (yes, this was the year I missed most of James Christmas play because I had the wrong time on the calendar)  The calendar ruled my life those weeks which is not what I enjoy! Sunday before Christmas was going to be our day at home to celebrate.  I think the kids were most excited to light all the advent candles and then sing Joy to the World.  This year we worked through another advent reading and I love that they enjoy doing this.  As usual we missed our share of days but managed to complete our poster.  This year each kid was given a special Christmas book the night before and told to read it well!  We labeled all their presents with sentences from each of their books.  It was so funny hearing them discuss what they thought they needed to know from their books.  Turned out Brayden had the hardest time...although I picked the phrases which were the shortest and most non-descript.  After a nice meal we sat down to start....nice turned out to be not so nice.  Mid-way through gifts Ron got sick and spent most of the evening in bed.  So much for a day spend together.  It was still fun to see the kids open their gifts.  They were most excited to give some home-made gifts to each other.  Becca is the queen of gifts and notes.  She had stuff under the tree within one day of it being put in the house!

Have fun reading....Becca works so hard at spelling but it is just hard.  This is just her and her heart put on paper-which is what I love!

She made him a paper soccer ball ornament

She made him a ruler out of paper

This made me cry...it was a little blue heart taped on a magnet.

 We made it!  All gifts opened...except for some for Ron.

We couldn't leave without decorating cookies.  James was concerned Santa wasn't coming becuase we wouldn't have cookies out.  Santa does the kids stockings....which they find full the day we head out to MI.  The kids play along...although Andrea was pretty concerned about the cookies this year.