In the Christmas Spirit

Thanksgiving is behind us now, and Christmas is coming faster than I can get ready!! But despite that, the kids have been having a ball getting things ready and playing in all the snow we have gotten lately! At least the snow makes it feel Christmas-y! :)

The kids have enjoyed sledding behind the neighbors houses across the street, and dragging each other around our yard. They also apparently like "hiding" each other in two sleds.... can you see Cody's feet sticking out from underneath Syd?! Cody and Briann went "Bell ringing" for the Salvation Army with Grandma the other night after school. They were so excited that they got their pot completely full, and got free hot cocoa from the Caribou Coffee place inside the grocery store! I did get asked if they could keep the money they made before hand, but after explaining that the money was used for a big holiday dinner for people who don't have anywhere to go for Christmas they were even more excited and eager to make more money! Made me tear up just a bit to hear Cody ask if there would be kids at the dinner and if they got any presents?! How blessed we are, and don't even realize!

And of course we put up the tree! Cody had the honors this year of putting the star on the top of the tree, and even though it took us three or four trys we got it to stay finally!!

Yes I realize that i have a total "mom tree", with all of the handmade kids ornaments from all of the school projects, and at home projects, but I figure I only have a few years when it will be like this! I love everyone else's perfect trees with all matching decorations, but I don't know what I would do with the candy cane reindeer, and gingerbread men of construction paper, or wreaths with kindergarten pictures in the middle?! Some year I will have the perfect, "department store" Christmas tree, but this year I am going to love my "home-made" tree :)

Merry Christmas Everyone, here's to hoping I'm ready when it actually gets here!! :)