Pre-Christmas festivities.

The whole month of December was pretty Christmassy around here with the addition of our advent garland to our Christmas décor.  Somehow I didn’t even get a picture of Elna getting her advent surprise out each day, but she loved it so much.  I did get pictures of some of the activities she pulled out of the advent.  Once Elna figured out how fun the advent calendar was she asked each morning for the “advent" which was pretty cute.

In no particular order (because I don’t really remember which day we did which), here are some of our advent days:

Setting up the girls’ felt Christmas tree.  Elna loved it, but didn’t like Harriet playing with it very much because she was always taking down what Elna put up.

On one day, Barbara, my saint of a mother-in-law, took both girls for a good portion of the day while I threw up for hours and hours.  It was a miserable day for me, but a fun and memorable one for the girls because they made gingerbread houses with Grandma.  I really, really love my mother-in-law!  And so do my girls!  I love that will grow up being so close to their Grandma and Papa.

Elna, Grandma Fae and their gingerbread house.

On one evening we had a fun family night downtown in Portland, starting off with our favorite Veggie Grill for dinner, then to see the giant Christmas Tree at Pioneer Square, and ending with donuts (vegan!) at Voodoo Donuts.  The girls had a ton of fun and we so great!  It was the first time in a long time (ever?) that we got done with an activity for our girls and thought they behaved well enough to want to do it again.

Me and Elna in polka dots.  We love polka dots at this house!  These were taken before heading out for festivities at the Catholic Grotto.

Brian’s brother, Chris, was singing in a choir as part of a Christmas experience they put together at the Catholic Grotto in Portland.

The choir music was beautiful and lasted almost an hour.  The girls were surprisingly good during the concert.

Family picture in front of some of the lights.  The lights were so beautiful!

All bundled—it was freezing!!

They had a petting zoo and Elna loved petting the sheep and goats.  It was so fun for her!

Look how cold everyone looks.  Elna was miserable by this point.  She had to wash her hands with antibacterial handwash after touching the animals and it made for instantly freezing hands.  She was so cold and we felt so bad for her.  I wish I had bundled her better.

The whole group: David, DeWin, Elna, Barbara, Chris, Hattie, Brian, Lucy

This picture shows pretty well how miserable Elna was.

Our girls don’t fall asleep very often in their car seats, but they were both exhausted and Harriet fell asleep on the way home.

Our ward had a Christmas party and we square danced!  A man in our ward is a professional square dance caller—awesome, right?

When I think of square dancing I think of doing it in elementary school p.e. class and I  think of my grandparents, who square danced recreationally with a community group.  I went to one of their performances when I was younger and it was so fun to watch them in their great square dancing outfits dancing. 

It was such a fun ward activity and I really want them to do it again so that I can participate.  I was holding Hattie.  Brian and Elna did a little do si do though.  Brian is such a great dad!

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again—is there anything cuter than these two?

This was a fun painting project we did together—we both made Christmas trees.  Elna loved painting!

While we painted, Harriet played with toys in her high chair and was darling as she did it!

Proud little painter, done with her Christmas tree.

One of my favorite days was doing this fun project. 

My three favorite people at Zoo Lights at the Oregon Zoo.  The zoo puts up so many beautiful lights—such a fun night!

And a few of my new decorations this year:

Harriet’s stocking—family of FOUR!  I also made the pom pom garland which I really love.  I am still in love with the Brian Kershisnik painting of the Nativity that my parents gave us.  I leave it up all year long and love it every day.

My mom made ones just like these and hung them every year.  I found these at the Salvation Army and snatched them right up.  I love them!

This was the Sunday before Chirstmas during church (we can pretend it was before Sacrament meeting started, rather than in the middle of a talk or song).  Elna and Harriet wore cute matching dresses and bows.

Elna and our cute friends eating pistachios from a jar during Sacrament meeting.  Maybe we need to start reading that book in the picture and taking it to heart?  “I’m reverent when…I’m shelling pistachios and taking pictures on my phone”

Driving around to see Christmas lights.  There are some really fun ones in the area that we love to go to.  I don’t personally love to do crazy lights on our house or blowup santas on blowup airplanes on our front lawn, but man, Elna sure loves them, so I’m so glad that other people do it for her!