For Christmas, we started the tradition of having an event-based advent calendar. Here's what we were able to do leading up to Christmas!
Day 1: Mail out Christmas Cards!
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| Wendy really enjoyed me tracing her hand at first. |
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| For Lilly, I just traced her hand once and cut it out to use as a template. Much easier that way! |
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| Then Wendy got bored too so I used her template as well. |
Day 2: Get new Ornaments
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| My new ornament is the house, PJ's is the "ugly" sweater. |
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| Wendy had a lot to choose from, but decided on BOB from the Minion movie. Lilly's ornament for this year: her baby cap and hospital bracelet from when she was born! |
Day 3: Winterland Festival and Boise Zoo
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| Getting Lilly ready for her picture with Santa! |
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| While waiting in line to see Santa, we were trying to psych Wendy up. She is a little terrified of Santa. |
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| Prepping Lilly while in line to see Santa. |
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| The Boys and Girls club of Meridian set up this festival where kids could come in and play games, decorate cookies, and a variety of other things. It was well organized and a lot of fun! |
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| Wendy decorating her sugar cookies. Yes, her mouth was green afterwards. |
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| After eating her cookie, Wendy wanted to play with balloons. We actually still have this balloon in our car! |
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| We got to make magic Reindeer food. We spread it over our lawn on Christmas eve so the Reindeer can see our house! |
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| I really wanted the "toddler screaming at Santa" picture, but they managed to get one with Wendy looking calm. I think this is when Santa asked her if she wanted a Candy Cane. |
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| Lilly doesn't know to be scared of Santa yet. |
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| After naps, we got the kids bundled up to go to free day at the zoo. |
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| Wendy has started to pose for some pictures now. |
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| Lilly admiring her older sister. |
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| "Cheese!" |
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| Wendy admiring some monkies. |
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| My view the entire time (over Lilly's head). It was worth it. |
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| Admiring some more monkeys. |
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| Wendy thought they were pretty funny when they would swing with their arms. |
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| The giraffes! This one was taking shelter inside. |
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| Wendy thought they were pretty cool. |
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| And Wendy's first ride on a Carousel! |
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| She was a little scared at first. |
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| But loved it by the end! |
Day 4: First Presidency Devotional
I don't have any pictures from this. Wendy would listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir when they sang, but otherwise kept asking to watch her shows while we were listening to the speakers. Moving on...
Day 5: Christmas Coloring
Day 6: Make Snowflakes
Day 7: YW Babysitting
No picture from this event either, but the Young Women from our church offered free babysitting for two hours so parents could go out and shop (or whatever). We got to go out to dinner! It was lovely.
Day 8: Ward Christmas Party
Somehow, no pictures from this either but we had dinner with our church congregation and Wendy got to play some games including a cake walk!
Day 9: Mary Poppins
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| A mutual friend was starring as Mr. Banks in a community theatre production of Mary Poppins so we made it a date to support him! |
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| But it was really late and, by intermission, all we wanted to do was go to bed. |
Day 10: Seth's Christmas Party
No pictures from this but a co-worker of PJ threw a Christmas Party. They made yummy Mac & Cheese and Wendy refused to stay down stairs for the "kids party". Until, of course, we were ready to leave and they started watching Finding Dory. Then she wanted to stay...
Day 11: Make treats for VT/HT Families
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| We tasted these delectable ginger bread cookies when my sister came to help when Lilly was born. We made them for the families we visit every month to help spread some Christmas cheer! |
Day 12: Christmas Dance Party
No pictures, but just imagine us dancing around the Christmas tree to Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, and (Wendy's favorite) Jingle Bells.
Day 13: Christmas Coloring
Day 14: Dollar Store Stocking Shopping
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| Decided to plan stocking shopping in our calendar so PJ didn't have to go shopping Christmas Eve again this year! |
Day 15: Snow Slime!
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| We had a craft night where we mixed Elmer's Glue, water, and Borax together to make slimy- silly puddy. Wendy thought it was cool. |
Day 16: Look for Christmas Lights
No pictures, we just drove around the neighborhood because it snowed heavily this day.
Day 17: Christmas Movie (AM Pick)
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| Only the best Christmas Movie ever! Wendy actually watched the whole thing. |
Day 18: Make Treats for Neighbors
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| Close up of those delectable Gingerbread Cookies! |
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| Merry Christmas Neighbors! |
Day 19: Wal-Mart Christmas Shopping
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| Wal-Mart is the nice stocking stuffers (lol). And we couldn't forget Baxter's presents! |
Day 20: Make Gingerbread Houses
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| Wendy quickly realized it was much more fun to eat the candy than to put it on the house. |
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| We told her she had to at least put the candy on the house first and then eat it. |
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| Finished product! |
Day 21: Christmas Movie (PJ's pick)
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| My first time watching it all the way through and it is awesome! Good pick PJ! |
Day 22: Look for Christmas Lights
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| Wendy's baby doll came along with us to watch some local houses' Christmas light shows. |
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| The first one was alright. |
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| A little spastic, but still cool that they decorated it for us all to see! |
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| The next one we went to was pretty awesome (McCoy Family Christmas Light Show) |
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| Even had lights on their yard! Wendy kept saying "one more!" as in "Let's watch it one more time!" |
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| Then we rode by this house so Wendy could admire the minions. She got out and gave them a high five. |
Day 23: Make Cookies for Santa
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| We made Gingerbread cookies for our third time this month (they're really that good!) and PJ made representations of our family out of the excess dough! |
Day 24: Make Birthday Cake for Jesus (Kids get PJ's)
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| After we decorated it, Wendy said "eat cake!" |
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| We had to go outside to scatter the reindeer food so Santa's reindeer know where to stop! |
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| Then back inside to open new Christmas pajamas! |
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| Wendy was pretty excited about hers. |
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| Wendy helped Lilly open hers. |
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| Lilly was excited too! |
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| You wouldn't know it though ... |
Day 25: Open Presents!
