25 Days of Christmas 2018!

Our Activity-Based Advent Calendar took us on some new adventures this year:

Day 1: Polar Express Train Ride with Santa!

Wendy brought her baby on board. 

We chose to have a semi private cabin so our kiddos wouldn't bother people running around and such. The train ride was 2 hours. 

An elf came and blew up some fun balloons for the girls. 

Lilly chose a Christmas tree hat 

And Wendy chose a Santa hat. 

Mrs. Clause brought cookies. 

There was some coloring while we waited for...

Santa! We try to not lie to the girls so we tell Wendy it's fun to pretend Santa is real. After we took our picture with him, Wendy said "See mom! Santa's not pretend, he's real!!". Great. 

Wendy had fun playing with another kid in our cabin. 

 Day 2: 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional

Day 3: Mail out Christmas Cards

Wendy and Lilly helped put on the stamps and then put them in the mailbox to be sent out!

Day 4: Color Christmas Picture

Day 5: Christmas Dance Party!

My sugar plum fairies!

Day 6: Christmas Craft

I cut out these Christmas trees and drew a line where the girls were supposed to put stickers on to decorate the tree. Thanks Pinterest!

Day 7: Snowflakes

Wendy, PJ and I cut out snow flakes from paper and Lilly got to decorate wooden snowflakes with paint. Wendy found the paper hard to cut so she eventually decorated the stick snowflakes too. 

 

Day 8: Ornament Shopping

I got the Austin, TX ornament for our first full year in Austin, PJ got a popcorn ornament to document the family seeing their first movie in the movie theatre, Wendy picked out a snowman and Lilly picked out Elsa. 

Day 9: Make Cookies for Neighbors

The kids love to help and by help I mean eat the dough. I wouldn't have minded if we didn't need all of it for our neighbors! I'll have to remember to triple the recipe so there's plenty for them to eat next year. 

Going door to door to deliver the cookies! The girls even got some presents back!

Day 10: Paint Kindness Rocks

The girls painted rocks and then, once they were dry, we put kind messages on them and hid them around the neighborhood. Wendy wanted hers to say "Happy Birthday", Lilly chose "Be Kind" and I wrote "Merry Christmas". PJ didn't get to paint with us but if he had, his would have said "Life is Good". 

 Day 11: Christmas Karaoke

Wendy chose "Angels we Have Heard on High", Lilly chose "We Need a Little Christmas", PJ chose "Sleigh Ride", and I chose "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" which became the theme for this year's Christmas. 

Day 12: Look for Lights

Day 13: Stocking Shopping at the Dollar Store

We didn't take a picture in the Dollar Store this year but, if you look closely at the bag PJ's holding, you'll see it is indeed from the Dollar Store!

Day 14: Christmas Move- PJ's Pick

He chose The Polar Express and the girls actually watched the whole thing!

Day 15: Zilker Lights 

We were so excited for this one since last year, when we were planning on going, the even got rained out! The girls' favorite part: riding on the school bus to get to the park. 

As an extra treat, the girls got to ride the Carousel. 

And at the end we were treated to cookies and hot chocolate. 

A great view of the city skyline!

Day 16: Make Cookies for Ministering Families 

So many cookies and about 2 hours of deliveries but they were well received!

Day 17: Christmas Coloring

When we opened up this activity, Wendy said "What!? Again!?" I know kid. But it's free!

Day 18: Gingerbread Houses

I learned from last year to build the houses early in the day and then let the girls put candy on the house. They did great! 

PJ taught the girls some things too...

Lilly and Mine

Wendy's, and PJ's

Day 19: Look for Christmas Lights 

Earlier in the day, Lilly went poo poo for the first time! So I ordered special cookies for us and made hot chocolate to drink while we looked for lights. 

Day 20: Shop for Stocking Stuffers at Wal-Mart

So tempted to get these Christmas Jams. 

Day 21: Christmas Movie- April's Pick

I chose The Muppet Christmas Carol. Lilly did not like the ghosts. 

Day 22: Mayweather's Light Display

This light display is only about 2 miles from our house and was featured on ABC's Light Fight! It was completely different this year and yet still had some of the stuff from last year. A teenaged boy puts up all the lights and donates money for Make A Wish. 

Day 23: Make Birthday Cake for Jesus

Day 24: Make Christmas Cookies for SANTA

My sister and her kids came in on Christmas Eve so they helped make the cookies. It was really nice having kids that could read help make cookies! I found myself just standing there...

Day 25: Open Presents!

Wendy was gifted her baby blessing PJ prayed over her when she was a baby hand painted on canvas. She also got a doll and many sets from the grandparents to dress the doll up and play with.

Lilly also got her baby blessing printed on canvas and a doll with many sets. Thank you for all the presents- Merry Christmas!