the beginning of us: The Christmas Season

I haven't posted in forever it seems! I can't seem to find the time lately but I did take pictures so here are some to share.

Decorating our Christmas Tree. Jake was fully into it this year; he decorated from start to finish!

Next was the gingerbread house and same thing; he was right into it from start to finish!

This was his gingerbread house that he made at school and decorated there.

Had to have a bit of dancing time with Gertie.

This was the church Christmas dinner. All the kids went to the front and listened to a story. As you can tell he is really interested. However I have to say my boy knows the Christmas story from start to finish. Last year he received a sticker collage of the nativity story from some friends. This year I ordered another one and each morning we would do a sticker and he can tell you the whole story of the birth of Jesus; even who was in the barn with Jesus! I definitely recommend it rather than a chocolate advent calendar. Here is the link to the site I bought them from. http://muralmosaic.com/giftshop/nativity.html

This was at the Christmas church dinner. I love this picture of him and I.

This is he and Savannah. Savannah and Jacob have seen each other almost every day since May 2010. I watched Savannah when her mom went back to work and then they now go to the same sitters. They are really good little buddies and it is so cute to see them play and chatter away to each other. This year I started to begin a new tradition. Jacob gets flowers for all the ladies in his life. So on December 23rd we went to the flower shop and picked out flowers for everyone. He picked them all out himself and he got bouquets for Savannah and her mom; his girl cousins, his aunts, and grandma. I did this because I want him to learn that boys/men do special things for girls/women.

More story.

This is his school Christmas concert. He was a shephard.

Christmas Eve; opening PJ's.

Christmas morning. As you can tell the Jammies fit and he got a pedal tractor.

Stocking time!

Grandpa had to help him with some of the toys.

Madison in the coveralls we got her and the sweater I knit her. This year I knit all the kids sweaters. Kind of a Christmas tradition for me to make them something and I am usually working on the gifts right up until it's almost time to open presents. I as per usual was wrapping them Christmas morning. I tell myself I work better under pressure but really I'm just a procrastinator.

Randon in his sweater.

Jaybird in her pretty pink dress and she had sparkle hightop runners that just happened to be in the same color; it was too cute!

The siblings.

The bird I cooked. First time I have done Christmas dinner. I actually brined the bird for 2 days prior. My family tends to like things the same and nothing out of the ordinary so I didn't tell them I did this until they had all eaten some of it and the result was no one could tell the difference!