countdown to christmas

More Christmas Advent fun.....

Polar Express

After watching the Polar Express, we told Hazel it was time for bed and that we didn't have time to read books that night. She was really sad, but went in her room where she found a golden ticket laying on her pillow. We told her it was a Polar Express ticket and she was so excited..... until she found out the Polar Express was only our car. She kept asking when we were going to the train, haha. We drank hot chocolate, sang carols, and drove to the best decorated street in town to walk around. She even got a candy cane from Santa himself!

she just kept looking at the ticket and held onto it all night

 

Perform in the ward Christmas Party

I forgot my 'real' camera and was so bummed. Hazel was a part of the program at our ward Christmas party. They were talking about traditions, and they asked Hazel what her favorite Christmas tradition was. Hazel said, "I love ornaments on the tree." Then she was asked what kind of ornaments are your favorite, and she said, "Ones with snowflakes on them." She totally nailed it, and we hadn't even practiced! In fact, we didn't even tell her she was in the program until that night. People kept telling her she was the star of the show- with her cute responses and her wiggling around the stage, trying to sit still during the rest of the program. She keeps telling me, "I want to be a star again!" 

Ice cream for lunch 

this was after Hazel had her blood drawn, and was so brave about it. I certainly cried more than she did! 

Open a Christmas book every night

every night before bed Hazel opened a "new" Christmas book. Some were actually new, some old, and some library books, which Isaac thought was hilarious that I wrapped library books. Being frugal, my dear! This picture is obviously blurry but this was Hazel's favorite book, and she is wearing her favorite eye covers from daddy's trip to Spain. 

Spend the day at the park 

Learn about Jesus

Go out to dinner

And a few misc pictures to round out the first half of the month: 

Arlianne sent us this beautiful wreath for Christmas

and Hazel spent the next two days playing with the box

baby cheetah hugging daddy cheetah goodbye

i woke up early to work on earmuffs...

and was soon joined by the cutest little helper in the world

isaac asked Hazel to get him a "home shirt" from his dresser, and she pulled out all three drawers and the dresser fell over on her. I was in the other room but came when I heard the crash and yell. The dresser hit the bed and didn't fall over all the way, thank heavens. The drawers all fell out, the vase of shells broke, and all the christmas presents that i had been storing on top of the dresser came tumbling down. But little Hazel wasn't hurt at all, not a scratch. Oh, thank heavens!!

a few of our many trips to the post office. if we do this again next year, we will certainly ship them a different way!

hazel's 'tape ghost'. she would not let me throw this away, she loves it so much. 

Up next... more and more and more Christmas!