It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

We decorated our Christmas tree and the kids had a great time helping. Ben wanted to clump 15 ornaments in the same square foot, but with a little encouragement, spaced them out so the tree didn't tip over!

We do an Advent calendar with a special thing for every night from December 1-25. Most of the time it's an activity like reading a Christmas story together or having hot cocoa, but occasionally it's a little gift. One of those was a Lego Christmas tree. Ben and Dave had a blast putting the tree together and Elizabeth and I worked on the little presents.

Both kids had Christmas programs recently. The kindergarteners through 2nd graders at Ben's school did a nativity-themed musical. He was a donkey and was a very enthusiastic dancer & singer.

Elizabeth had been singing her Christmas program (don't try to call it a concert or a performance- she is very particular about it being her "program"!) music over and over for at least a week before the program. But when she and her class of two- and three-year-olds got up on the stage, she caught sight of Dave and spent the whole time smiling and waving at him instead of singing.

Another Advent calendar activity was to write (or dictate) a letter to Santa. This is what Elizabeth told me she wanted. Ben asked her, "You want a stuffed reindeer?" and she got miffed and said, "NO, a Santa reindeer!" Luckily, Dave later talked her down from one of Santa's actual reindeer to a stuffed reindeer. She is also maintaining that she doesn't want to talk to Santa, but might be okay with standing back and watching Ben talk to Santa. She wants him to come drop off presents, but she does not want him to stay at our house. Today she also thought maybe Santa could bring her a fruit as well as the previously requested vegetable. (Don't ask us, we don't have any idea why she wanted Santa to bring her vegetables either!)

Here is Ben's letter. We pointed out he already has a bike that is still a perfectly fine size for him, so he has since changed his request to a couple of board games. Note that he felt it necessary to remind Santa that he is on the good list!