My favorite things about Christmas...

There are so many things I love about Christmas and we've started some little family traditions over the years, so here's my list of the things I love about the Christmas Season...
Polar Express:
We've been on the Polar Express 3 times now, so I think we've adopted this as one of our new traditions (as long as the kids really think it's the real deal, we'll keep going). This year we went with the Machons. We sing songs, read the Polar Express story, the elves pass out hot chocolate and hot cocoa, and then we get to meet Santa!






Gingerbread Houses:
Last year we made a gingerbread house and it was fun so we made two this year. Our friends left one on our door as a gift so we made one with Grandma Larson and Valerie, and we had another one that we made with Jackson.
@ the Machon's:



@ the Larsons:



Kid Crafts:
Last year Jordan brought me home a macaroni ornament with his picture in the middle from preschool, this year he brought me home an ice cream cone Christmas Tree (I think kid crafts are the cutest things on earth):

Making Treats:
I think I made cookies or brownies or banana bread every other day this month! We always like to make treats for our friends and neighbors so we go through a lot of brown sugar and butter this time of year. It's fun to bring treats around, and it's fun to have Jordan sitting on the counter next to me helping me pour the flour and sugar in that mixing bowl.




Making snowangels and snowball fights:







Christmas Cards:
We love to get Christmas cards in the mail and we look forward to checking the mailbox every day; there are so many friends and loved ones whom we're not so close to distance-wise, so it's a real treat this time of year to see everyone's smiling faces on our door!

Christmas Eve:
We started this a few years ago - we make a big Christmas Eve dinner and watch Christmas Vacation (with Chevy Chase) and exchange a few gifts. This year we had Tiffany & Coby, and their boys, Uncle Wayne and Aunt Laurie, Sommer, Amber, Grandma & Grandpa Larson, our friends Scott and Diane Adams, and Brenda, Nick and Valerie over. After everyone leaves we get the kids in their jammies and tucked in bed, and then it's off to the basement to finish things up before the big day.



CHRISTMAS!!!
Christmas morning is the best; I get up early so I can start making breakfast for everyone and then the minute I hear little feet moving around I get out the cameras and turn all the Christmas lights on. I leave a bell on each of the kids' doors and so the first thing Jordan says is, "MOM, Santa came, Santa came! Look, he left me a bell!" Those first few minutes are just the best! Austin just opens his mouth and I have to say "breathe honey, breathe!" There's so much excitement in the air and it's so magical for the kids.









Before we went to see Grandma and Grandpa Larson, we got to see Brenda, Nick, and Valerie and exchange a few gifts.


Grandma and Grandpa Larson's House:
We went to see G&G Larson and the kids got to open more presents... what a day! After we opened presents they watched our kiddos for a few hours while we snuck out and went to see Sherlock Holmes... (great movie, by the way).





Once we were home, the kids were so happy to be reaquainted with their toys and I overheard Jordan say to Austin with his arms up in the air, "Welcome to Toy World!".
Christmas with Uncle T and Aunt Wee:
Uncle T and Aunt Wee came over to see us and the kids are always spoiled by these two. We love Todd and Wendy and they are so good to us!






Stone Christmas Party:
The day after Christmas we went to the Stone Christmas Party (Jared's Mom's side of the family).




This is by far my favorite holiday. We love to drive around and look at Christmas lights, have dinners with friends and family, go to Christmas parties, make treats, play in the snow.... it's just such a fun time of year.