Christmas traditions

I got the kids an advent calendar this year and then Mike and I got to talking about the traditions we both did as kids at Christmas.  I remembered doing an advent calendar with candy and making Christmas cookies.  Mike's Mom made a  felt tree with felt oranments that the kids took turn putting on the tree.  We asked her about it and she sent it to us!

Here is the felt Christmas tree from Mike's childhood

I filled this countdown calendar with 2 candies each day for the kiddos each morning

here is the advent calendar I got the kiddos and then Aunt Jes and Uncle Brian got them each one too!  They had lots of candy each morning in December!

We also made Christmas cookies with everyone one afternoon!

Lizzi Christmas!

Lizzi left us a few days before Christmas to spend it with her family so we had a Lizzi Christmas the morning before she left!

Pawpaw showing the kids his train.

Kate opening the BIG box

Alex's monster puppet

Salt Lick for lunch!  Kate loves Lizzi!

We were so happy to have Lizzi join us for the holidays this year!  We hope to see her again soon!  Kate was really taken with her and kept telling her that she loved her about 100x a day!  It was funny because Kate would say "I love you Aunt Lizzi" and then Alex would say "I love you Uncle Dougie."

Date Night with Doug and Lizzi

On Thursday we left the kids with Gram and PawPaw and headed to Mike's office Christmas party, out to eat and then Austin Comedy Club with Doug and Lizzi.  It was a great night out!  It was nice to see where Mike works every Tuesday and Thursday and to spend time with Doug and Lizzi!  The comedy club was really funny as it always is!

Kate's mini dance performance

Kate had a little mini performance before the break in her dance class.  Unfortunately only about half her class was there, but it was still really cute!  All the girls were asked to wear pink and Ms Anne, Kate's dance teacher, supplied the girls tutus.

Alex's Christmas party at school

Gram, Kate and I all went to Alex's Christmas party at school.  He has a small class of only 4 so it was a small but fun party!  They also decorated waffle cone as a Christmas tree.  so cute!

It's beginning to look like Christmas!

Santa hats!

Sammy the reindeer

the girls all dressed up for Christmas!

Kate's Christmas Party at school

Kate's class has a Christmas party with a book gift exchange, pizza, decorating a ice cream cone as a Christmas tree and then singing!  It was great!

She loves her Hello Kitty skirt!

jax and Cassie

Kate's classmates

book exchange

decorating waffle cones as Christmas trees

Kate with her teacher, Ms Karen

Aunt Lizzi and Uncle Dougie

Aunt Lizzi and Uncle Dougie got here on Tuesday night and we were all so excited!  Here are some cute pictures of them with the kiddos!

Uncle Dougie as a horse!

riding their bikes around Lizzi

Santa at our house!

Our neighborhood rocks!  We can arrange for Santa to come visit our home every Christmas!!  Kate was so excited when he got here that she was jumping up and down!!  Alex is still not a fan of Santa, but he did get close to him with me holding him!

Classic!  Alex was so happy!