24 days til christmas

i figured i better at least write down all the activities that we did in december...before my pregnancy brain consigns it all to oblivion. i probably won't document too much about each activity in this post...that way, i will be forced to take some time later to really highlight the super fun things that we did - things that would definitely be worth repeating...and maybe even become our own little family's christmas traditions (at least that's my plan). several of the things we did, we probably would have done (or wanted to do) anyway, but this advent activity helped me to feel more organized and on top of things...and ensured that we got it all in.
so without further ado, i present to you -
our 24 days til christmas...

december 1st - open a new christmas book which you'll find under the tree. (dad read this to the children while i was gone at our ward's relief society christmas dinner).

december 2nd - open a new christmas movie to watch with dad (again, mom was lame and had plans away from the home that night).

december 3rd - go to starbucks for hot chocolate and drive through a nearby neighborhood to look at the lights.

december 4th - decorate ginger molasses cookies and put together a gingerbread house.

december 5th - go sub-for-santa shopping as a family to pick out toys.

december 6th - make some christmas crafts (we did two different types of ornaments for the tree in their bedroom).

december 7th - open a new christmas book to read with mom (dad was at the church for mutual).

december 8th - go walk through the lights on cherry lane/natal circle, and stop by chick-fil-a for peppermint shakes afterwards.

december 9th - open a new christmas movie to watch with dad (mom ditched the family for the last time...thank goodness).

december 10th- go to the imax to see santa's cool holiday film festival, and then to the train garden that night.

december 11th- baking day! make cookies and deliver them, along with a book about Christ, to all of our neighbors and friends who are not of our faith.

december 12th - go watch ruby's dance performance, and stop off at mcdonald's for peppermint hot chocolates afterwards.

december 13th- go shopping for parents and siblings. (i took asher to pick out gifts for ruby and daddy, and john took ruby to pick out gifts for asher and mommy).

december 14th - open a new christmas book to read with mom (dad was at the church for mutual again).

december 15th - go to the bass pro shop to see santa.

december 16th - go to the legacy village (a local retirement center) and make christmas cards with grandma ruby and her family for about 40 alzheimer's patients who live there; and take dixie (an elderly single lady in our ward) to go see the zoo lights that night.

decmeber 17th - go watch ruby's christmas music performance, shop for other parent and sibling (this time i took ruby to find a gift for her dad, and john took asher to pick out a gift for me), and go to the mccormick and stillman railroad park at night.

december 18th - special (and traditional) christmas service project (i'd tell you what it is, but then i'd have to kill you).

december 19th - go watch a christmas play (spectacular) at the phoenix first assembly church of God. (fun to see what other religions do to celebrate the birth of the Savior).

december 20th - make snow globes to give to friends and open a new christmas book to read as a family.

december 21st - the polar express!

december 22nd - go see the mesa temple lights, and take homemade hot chocolate in a thermos.

december 23rd - go to schnepf's farm for ice skating, a train ride to see the lights, and a hay ride to feed santa's reindeer...hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls by the fire afterwards.

and...finally...

december 24th - make cookies for santa in the morning, movie with cousins. christmas eve dinner at aunt lori's house in the evening. then home to open christmas pajamas, leave cookies and milk for santa, carrots and water outside for the reindeer, santa's two magical keys on the outside of the door (one for the screen door, and one for the actual house door), finish our nativity, and turn off all the lights and lie by the tree while listening to soft christmas music. (this was probably my very favorite night of the entire season).