Advent is Ready to Go!

I've got my advent calendar done, and ready to roll. I think I posted that already didn't I? In any event, this is what it looks like.



I've included nothing but a few m&m's in each muffin holder (I made this from a muffin tin, did I mention that?) This year, I focused on creating a prompt of things to do, see, make, watch, go to, read, etc. each day. I know the kids are going to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. I'm looking forward to watching the reactions each morning, I know Mason will run downstairs to retrieve "today's message", excited about what he'll find. I've included things like: write your letter to Santa!; Watch the Grinch who Stole Christmas; decorate a gingerbread house, bake sugar cookies together; make our own ornaments; sleep out under the Christmas tree; have a family candlelight dinner. It's going to be so fun. It is something though, that requires a lot of preparation on this end, if you can do that, by December 1st, you're laughing.

We've had some interesting weather in the past few days. Friday got UGLY out. Suddenly it went from Normal to sheer ice. It took some people hours to get home from downtown. Thankfully we only had to pick kids up from school. We were celebrating my brother's birthday on Friday, and we opted to choose a restaurant much closer to our homes. That way, we didn't need to get caught up in the mess.

So Friday, we went for dinner, then back to Ama & Baba's for b-day cake and presents. Madelyn was so funny on Friday, she was more smitten than usual with her Uncle Chris. Hugging him, snuggling him, loving him up. You've got to take it when you can from her, it doesn't happen too often. Any way, back at my Mum's house, she was crawling all over him on the couch and suddenly said "I don't know why I'm so attracted to you..." It was hilarious to say the least. Kids say the darnedest things.

This is what I LOVE about being a stay at home Mum, you get a little girl her breakfast, and the fact that she is able to come to the table and eat, with last years spider hat on... How lucky we are, truly... [sigh]

I put the rest of our Christmas stuff up this wknd. I really didn't put out all my stuff this year. It looks nice. There's just enough stuff. I love how the lights twinkle, and everything is so sparkly at this time of year. I wish it lasted longer. The sparkle and joy of Christmas need to pull us through to March, rather than be over at the end of December... The kids are interested in listening to Christmas Carols now, that is my favorite. We've been enjoying ourselves so far.

And tomorrow, we start a new month. I feel like I can really sit back and enjoy it. I've got the majority of my shopping done. I've got Christmas cards ready to go. I've got recipes dog-eared. I've got crafts ready for the days they'll be done on. (I do have to p/u some felt though, better not forget that, but it doesn't come into play until the 12th). We can just enjoy the magic of Christmas.