December 2011

December was a fun and busy month! I decided to do an Activities Advent Calendar and I did a pretty good job of keeping up with it and doing all the activities. Some of them I have pictures of and featured here. We went to visit Santa, wrote letters to Santa, went to see Christmas lights, had special meals, and visited the McWane Center Winter Wonderland. There are a lot of pictures this month, so let's get right to it!

Activities Advent Calendar

Each day was a scratch off with the day’s activity. The only problem was that everything kept falling off the spray-painted red board.

Advent Day #5 – Pictures with Santa

Riding the Train at the Mall – Daniel Ringing the Bell

Riding the Train at the Mall – Colin Riding in the Engine

Boys Watching the Fountain at the Mall

Crawling Around the Fountain

Advent Day #7 - Letter’s to Santa

We made picture letters to Santa. I printed out a bunch of pictures of different toys for each boy and let them glue onto a quarter-sheet of poster board. Daniel used the front AND back!

Daniel’s Letter – Front…

And Back!

Colin’s Letter

Advent Calendar Day #10 – Take a trip to see Christmas Lights and Ride the Jolly Trolley

We went to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia to see the ride-through Christmas lights display. It was pretty neat and the boys had fun. I didn’t get many good pictures of the lights since we were moving, so you just get pics of the boys!

Daniel on the Jolly Trolley

Dad & Colin on the Jolly Trolley

Advent Calendar Day #11 – Snowman Pancakes for Dinner

Daniel Playing in Underwear and a Santa Hat

Daniel Playing Piano and Singing

I had to hide around the corner so he didn’t see me video-taping and stop.

Daniel Playing in Fake Snow at McWane Center

Colin Playing with Block Conveyor Belt at McWane Center

Daniel “Ice Fishing” at McWane Center

Daniel Drew a Monster

Daniel Happy on the Carousel

Colin Playing at IKEA

I have almost this identical picture of Daniel playing at this same spot two years ago!

Boys Playing at the Farm

Christmas 2011

We went to TX for Christmas and spend the holidays with friends and family. Here are some shots from the boys opening presents.

Boys Ready to Open Presents and Mimi & Granddad’s House

Colin Opening a Present

Boys Checking out Colin’s Present

Daniel with his Little Einstein’s Rocket

Colin on his Lightening McQueen Riding Toy

Giving it a Ride

Playing with the New Train Stuff

Boys Checking Out Toys from Santa

In Our Christmas Jammies

Santa Stockings at Grandma & Grandpa’s House

Colin’s Stocking

Colin Loves to Watch the Train

Daniel's Christmas Program

Daniel was very excited about his Mother's Day Out Christmas Program. He had been singing the songs for weeks! I was hoping that he would sing, since in the Spring program last year he just stood there. He didn't sing then because he didn't see us in the audience and thought we weren't there. So this time, I made sure to get good seats and make sure he saw us when he came in. He still didn't sing. :) Enjoy!

Daniel Ready for the Program

On Stage with his Class

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

12 Days of Christmas

Ten Little Angels

Go Tell it on the Mountain

2011 Christmas Cards

Advent Calendar Day #4 was "Take photos for Christmas cards." I knew that this was going to be a challenge, but the boys actually did really well (after we bribed them with candy). We took the pictures on their fort in the backyard. I was originally going to use one larger picture of the two of them and then one smaller close-up picture of each one of them, but decided on a card with just one photo. I'll have to do something else with the other great shots!

Daniel & Colin

Daniel’s Separate Photo

Daniel Being Silly

Dad & Daniel

Happy Colin

The Finished Product

Christmas Trees

So for this year, one of the things I decided to do for December was an Advent calendar of activities. Day #1 was decorating the Christmas Tree. Daniel and Colin both helped put on decorations this year. Daniel was especially devoted to one section of the tree, which had about 3-4 ornaments per branch. I later re-decorated (i.e. spread out the ornaments) after they went to bed.

Day #2 of the Activities Advent Calendar was "Make an edible Christmas tree." I found this idea on Pinterest (duh) and thought it looked fun, cute and easy enough for Colin to participate. Basically you cover an ice cream cone in green icing, then decorate with Christmas M&Ms. Daniel did pretty well with it, but Colin was just interested in eating the cone and smearing the icing everywhere! I'm actually amazed he never rubbed it in his hair! Although it was messy, the boys had fun and it made for some great pictures!

Colin Decorating the Christmas Tree

Daniel Decorating the Christmas Tree

Boys with the Finished Christmas Tree

Where Daniel Decorated – 3-4 ornaments per branch

Colin Eating his Cone

Daniel Decorating his Cone

Better View of Daniel Decorating

Better View of Colin Eating

Messy Boy

And the Inevitable Messy Daniel

Daniel’s Final Product