Christmas Excitement

I forgot to take so many pictures this year!  Getting ready for Christmas is my favorite thing to do!  I love all the activities leading up to Christmas, decorating the house, eating yummy treats and dancing to Christmas music with my kiddos.  I just love the excitement that is in my home at Christmas time!  This year I wanted a Christmas wreath on my door and Bria was determined that we decorated the outside of our home as much as the inside.  I found this wreath on Pinterest and was really excited.  Bria and Erik made the whole thing.  All I did was tie it together when they were finished!  I did put the bow on too:) 

We got a new Christmas train this year!  Derek and I went Christmas shopping and Derek ran into the Geo-trax Christmas train and stood there staring at it for probably 10 minutes.  Well, of course we bought it!  Our kids love trains and last year our Christmas train broke.  Our favorite tradition is sitting by the tree at night and watching the train.  This train is especially fun, because the kids get to control it!  Zak couldn't keep his little hands off the track and kept tearing it apart, but luckily it is extremely kid proof! 

 This is where I often found my funny little Zak!

 The kids in their church clothes.  I love Zak's cheesy grin.  Whenever I would hold up the camera and say, "Cheese" he would put his chin way high in the air and cheese it big time:)

Here is another cheesy smile:)

 We tried to do something fun every day of December.  Here the kids are making Christmas candy necklaces.  Erik didn't make much of a necklace.  Most of it ended up in his belly!

 The kids were ecstatic the day it snowed!  They ran outside and tried to catch snowflakes in their mouths! Erik kept getting really frustrated because he couldn't catch any.

 We made ornaments out of clay and then painted them.

 And of course we had to make gingerbread houses!  The kids loved all the candy!

One night, we surprised the kids when they were going to bed.  We hid Polar express tickets in their beds and as we finished up family prayer, the kids climbed into their beds to find a ticket!  They were a little confused, but as I told them this meant we had to go get our shoes on and get in the car for the Christmas Express, they were all giggles and excitement!  The car was already warm with Christmas music playing and on their seats was popcorn for the ride.  I punched their tickets before they got in.  They were giggling so much they could hardly contain themselves!  We then drove around and looked at Christmas lights.  We had so much fun because it was so unexpected and the kids just made it that more magical!  When we pulled in to go home, Erik cried.  He didn't want it to be over.  We will be making it a tradition to do every year, but it will always be a surprise.  I love Christmas!