It was definitely an interesting morning! I woke up to relatively quiet and somewhat well behaved kids after sleeping past 9 (yay)… and then a quick glance at my laptop left ANOTHER smile on my face – a PACKAGE! From the UK! Something very special for Emanuel that we simply could NOT find here in Canada and were so sad we had not picked up years ago when it WAS available (here’s a hint – it has to do with Pocoyo but is NOT Pocoyo himself!). 

Package!

Then I sat down to do my usual run through on the internet and remembered I had entered into a bunch of draws in a wonderful 12 day series set up by a friend of my mom’s… well I won one days back that I am gifting as I can’t use it myself BUT TODAY… today I won something I have never done before… an hour long drive in a a fancy limo!!!!! AAAAAAAH! So guess what Ken gets as part of his Christmas presents? We are going to set up a date, get sitters for 4 of 5 (probably) and go from there. I think we have to do it in the city but that is not impossible! I have sent in my info and am waiting on all the info but WOW! This was run by an amazing woman and her company Premiere Event Management. Seriously talented lady who worked hard to create a terrific 12 days of draws! My mom and Mike each won something as well!

We have been hard at work cleaning up for our Sunday party… And chasing Echo away from the areas we cleaned! We rearranged the baby toy area, swept everything, shook out our rug… etc etc.

Christmas Baby

We made Santa collagestoday from yesterday’s Advent day. Lots of glue and mess and fun! 

Santas!

Today’s craft was a gingerbread man themed craft. We substituted coloured glue with anything they wanted in our craft mess and they went nuts! 

Creating gingerbread men

All done

The boys spent a large portion of their day outside. It was practically warm out! Their fort is making some amazing progress. 

Fort!

We had to show off the Polar Express lapbooks that are now completed as well! 

Done!

And now for today’s video!

I promise that TOMORROW there will be Sunday School pageant video but today you have to suffer through pictures and some Lisa babble. Anyway…

Today was the Christmas pageant and it went marvellously! First off Trinity chose NOT to go up… she did, however, sit in the very front pew with her Grandpa Mike. Gavin was a terrific Joseph who eventually got bored… Zander sang his little heart out at the very TOP of his lungs AND waved at everyone (wish I had gotten a picture of that!) and Emanuel shushed with the best of them! We were all VERY proud!

Hugs from Grandpa

With Emanuel's friend

We had our luncheon at the church first where the kids had a blast sitting at a different table and meeting other parishioners. Some of our family came to enjoy the event as well! Cousin Veronika with her Adam and her folks (my Aunty Lorraine and Uncle Ken) were right on time, and then Grandma and Grandpa Mike! YAY! Echo was wide awake in her Christmas finery. She wore Trinity’s first Christmas dress… it is closer to fitting… sort of! 

With headband

With cousin

Echo spent some of the program crawling around and entertaining some of the people at the ends of the pews… she really does enjoy the sanctuary… sound echos (ha ha) AND lots of crawl room! 

Floor time

After we enjoyed the pageantry it was time to say good bye to some of the relatives and then head back to home where Grandma and Grandpa Mike came and hung out for a while. They brought a special gift – a magic key for Santa for him to get into our place on Christmas Eve (after all we have a chimney but it is blocked off and the couch in front of it!). 

Key

Trinity was not interested in being an angel… she saw the 3 Kings’ crowns and wanted to be a PRINCESS! Her teacher was so sweet… took her to the craft supplies and made her a shiny pipecleaner crown! Which she wore ALL DAY! So if you ask her, she was NOT an angel – she was a PRINCESS!

Pre-crown cutie

It was finally time for Chris and Chris to open their present… they seemed to like everything! And now I can share my picture of my very first wing holding owls! 

Opening presents

Together in love

Now I have a new deadline – I want to have ALL my gifts done by Wednesday so I can truly enjoy the final countdown to Christmas. I have almost done it with a short list of items to be completed. And for our Advent video… who doesn’t love the Muppets???

My family!