May the festivities begin...

The real deal...

and the master architects.

She did most of the decorating herself!

MR made the cottage from a kit...so much more enjoyable!

This time a year ago we were celebrating in preparation for a trip to China--I am so glad this precious girl is with us this year for Christmas!

We start Christmas before December even begins. I figure with all the work that goes into it...let's enjoy it as long as possible. And sometimes I think I need all the time I can get to deprogram my kids from the "World's" idea of Christmas and re teach them about the real deal...Jesus. We are definitley taking the focus OFF of Santa...oh- he'll come but that is not the main idea here.

So- we begin by making gingerbread houses (Victorian mansions in RC's case), writing letters to Santa (NOT to ask for gifts but to check on him and ask for an elf to spend the holidays with us), and choosing a Christmas tree. It took us several days to decorate our tree this year and we have spent a lot of time saying "Don't touch that--no!" to LE but I think she's starting to get it. She has her own tree to undecorate and a nativity set to play with and a box FULL of books to tote around the house begging someone to read to her.

RC insisted ( I swore I would NEVER be this Martha Stewart-y) on making a gingerbread house from scratch. So we did. I hope he's gotten it out of his system, now. It turned out beautifully and smells wonderful but now I can say I've done that and I don't want to do it again. nuf said.

So- we are now fully ready for the season...oh- gotta make some homemade chez mix today...