Snowman bean bag toss

This was at the school's Christmas party last month. One of the dad's built this bean bag toss snowman game so the kids could play. I thought it turned out super cute. I just love the scarf they added on.

Activity Day 20 - Cookie Party

We had our 4th annual cookie party today. Natalie made mouse shaped cookies and I made pineapple cookies, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, and pecan suprise cookies. I also made 3 different soups for the party - potato soup, french onion soup, and corn chowder. The potato soup went fast. We had 9 participants this year. Small but fun and a great variety of cookies this year. Mommaw Anna won best cookie, Joanna won prettiest cookie, and Jean won most festively dressed.

Activity Day 14 - Christmas Gifts for Cousins

We made felt tic tac toe boards out of felt for all of Natalie's cousins. We have been playing them every night since :). They were very easy and the X and O 's stick to the felt easily.

Activity Day 12 - Birthday Party

Chucky Cheese Birthday Party. Happy 6th Birthday Natalie! You are now 6 years old! Wah!

Advent Day 8 - Letter to Santa

Natalie wrote her letter to Santa today....

From Santa she wants pixos and she wants Mrs. Claus to make her a hat and scarf.

Later she added she wanted a pogo stick too.

Advent Day 6 - Christmas Parade and Sleigh Riding

We went to the Christmas parade on the coldest day of the year. We got smart this year and stayed in the car until exactly noon. Santa was scheduled to come in on a helicopter like every year but he was grounded this year so he rode into the field in a police car. After he came in the parade went quick this year :0 . Natalie still got tons of candy but this girl was so happy it didn't take but 20 minutes this year because the snow was coming down and the wind chill was freezing. We brought hot chocolate too(note to self: do this every year). It snowed enough that we went sleigh riding. This is the first time Natalie has ever went sliegh riding. She had a blast.

Advent Day 3 - 2008 - Hot Chocolate and Book

We read a book and drank hot cocoa by the fire. This is one of my favorite ones. I love hot cocoa :) and there really isn't much organizing to this activity go get a book and flop down by the fire..easy peasy.

Advent Calendar ideas

Every year my daughter Natalie and I countdown to Christmas with an advent calendar. Here are some of the activities we do every year:

Read Book and Drink Hot Cocoa by the fire (my favorite)
Paint Fingernails in Christmas-y colors
Go to Christmas Parade
Go to look at Christmas Lights
Make Cookies
Make Candy
Have dessert at restaurant of her choice on her true Birthday(usually falls during the week)
Decorate Gingerbread House
Make christmas ornaments
Go Christmas Shopping
Wrap Presents
Write Letter to Santa
Mail Christmas Cards
Color Christmas Pictures
Deliver Christmas Cookies to Neighbors
Go to Christmas Party at work
Watch Christmas Movie
Sing Christmas Carols, Dance with Santa Claus, Ice Skate with Elves
Go Ice Skating or Bowling
Make Teacher Gifts
Wear Red and Green
Take Christmas Pictures
Wear Christmas Socks and Christmas clothes and jewelry
Donate Food
Visit Live Nativity
Donate Toys
Christmas Eve - Read Night before Christmas and open 1 present

Christmas Activity Idea #14

Put some santa dresses on the kids and ask your brother to bring over his little girl for a pre-Christmas photo shoot. Always get better pictures when there is less distraction and commotion over presents and so many people. Here is Natalie and my precious little niece Emmy.

Christmas Activity Idea #11

Visit Santa. Natalie has never liked sitting on Santa's lap or getting near him but this particular Santa was giving out gifts and she wanted one so she braved the line and stood beside him to get a gift. Bribery...who knew.

Christmas Activity Idea #8

Go see a movie during Christmas break. This year it was ALVIN and the CHIPMUNKS. Natalie kept saying Boom Chicka WOW WOW...She so funny.

Christmas Activity Idea #3

On Dec 3rd we read a book and drank hot chocolate by the fire. This year we read The Mouse before Christmas. It was a really cute story and we enjoyed it. I had peppermint hot chocolate and Natalie had regular hot chocolate. Daddy turned on the fire for us to get warm and cozy. This is my favorite activity out of all the ones we do every year.

Christmas Activity Idea #1

We do an activity everyday of the month in December. On Dec 1st we went to the South Charleston Christmas parade. It's pretty cool. Santa flies in from the North Pole via Helicopter and then the parade begins. Lots of waving means lots of candy. Natalie did a lot of waving this year :)!