It's Christmas Week!

The most wonderful week of the year is here!

For as long as I can remember, I have loved the final days leading up to Christmas. This is the week that everything happens: cookies, wrapping, final preparations, Christmas music on the radio, etc. I wish I could freeze time on Christmas Eve-everything seems peaceful (well maybe not inside our house) and a little magical.

I even went a little further this year and placed a radio on the kitchen counter so that the kids could listen to Christmas music on a daily basis. This is something my mom always had playing in the kitchen around the holidays. You knew it was Christmas Week when the radio blared out Silver Bells in the kitchen.

We have survived all three kids having the stomach flu and a very stiff neck (me) this holiday season. And, two 'pinkalicious' eyes as Averie would say. We are crossing our fingers that this week is a healthier one... because we have to do really important things like baking cookies for Santa.

Averie at the Christmas tree farm

Keaton had his kindergraten Christmas program last Friday and this Christmas Eve we are looking forward to seeing him act out the part of a sheep at the Christmas Eve church service while his cousin, Ciara, plays the role of Mary. There no doubt will be video cameras rolling for that one. After all, Christmas Eve is the most wonderful night of the year.

Until then we are going to pack in (to make up for some lost time while we were under the weather) some ornament making, a cookie party with cousins-Carissa & Ciara, a trip to see Santa, some wrapping, and more listening to 'The Night Before Christmas,' which was mailed by cousin Jaimee in Colorado with her voice telling the story. The kids are so excited just to hear her voice and they will actually sit there and listen.

Even the littlest one gets in on the action.

Other Stories from the past week:

Number of The Grinch who Stole Christmas Viewings: 10+? Too many to count.

A family Christmas party where we discovered that white chocolate covered popcorn
might just be the best thing on earth.

A sleepover with cousins.

Last minute Christmas shopping (with three year old Averie) who lasted 3+ hours without complaint.

Keaton playing in the one inch of snow that we finally recieved for 3+ hours. How he can stay entertained out there is something we will never know.

And where are the pictures from Keaton's Christmas Program? Well, just my luck as the camera was used so much that the battery ran out. We will do better on Christmas Eve.

Hope you are enjoying Christmas Week and that you take the chance to rock around your tree.

2011 Christmas Tree

Dena