Christmas All Around Town

Yesterday we went to the "Cookies with Santa" event at the kids' school. This is a fun event the school puts on and the kids loved it when we went during Tanner's kindergarten year. 

There are stations set up all over the cafeteria for different activities and you just pick and choose what you want to do. 

The kids wanted to write their letters to Santa first so we went to that station right away. 

Then they each made a bag of hot cocoa mix. 

Then they called our number to visit with Santa.
This year, they were moving kids through so fast that they kids didn't really get to talk to him. I didn't even have time to get my camera out before they were pushing us out the door. But the school sent this one home with the kids- Sadly the photographer cut off half of Bailey's face. Oh well- it's still a cute picture. 

And Benson was obsessed with Santa's beard. He kept trying to pull on it. We were all cracking up. 

After visiting Santa, we made some  reindeer food. Benson just chilled happily in his car seat. He's such a good kid. 

Here are the older three making their reindeer food. Bailey made sure to add extra glitter so Santa would be able to see the sparkles  and stop at our house. 

Then we decorated sugar cookies and the kids promptly devoured them. 

We also had snowball fights and listened to the vice principal read Christmas stories in the library.
We were worn out after wards, but we had a great time. The kids were all so good and I'm grateful that it's getting easier to take all four kids out by myself. 

Then today we got to go to Daddy's office and see Santa. This is our favorite Santa interaction each year. At Sam's Corp, Santa really talks to the kids. He calls them by name and asks them about our elves, Buddy and Sparkle. He asks the kids about the toys he brought on the previous Christmas and if they liked them. It's really such a cute interaction. I LOVE IT!

I love this shot of Bailey trying to think of all the things she wants for Christmas.
She asked for a "diary, a secret songbird, a hatchimal and American girl doll furniture."
I hope Santa can make one of those wishes come true. 

Tanner believes in Santa with his whole heart and he loved that Santa asked him about the transformer he brought him last year.
This year Tanner asked for a "Star Wars comic book".
That's a pretty easy request. 

I was worried Tuck wouldn't want to sit on Santa's lap, but Santa quickly won Tucker over and had him smiling in no time. 

This year Tucker asked Santa for a "rainbow pen".
I'm not really sure what that is, so I hope Santa can figure it out. 

And true to form again, Benson loved Santa's beard. It was cracking us up.
He was so happy and just smiled non-stop at Santa. 

According to Santa, these little imps are all on the "NICE" list still, let's hope they can hold out until Christmas. 

After seeing Santa, we drove downtown to mail our Santa letters.
The kids wanted to make sure we got them mailed after talking to him. They didn't want him to forget what they told him they wanted. 

So we once again mailed our letters at the "North Pole Express".
And we should get letters back from Santa in a couple weeks. 

Oh and we stopped by the square to see Santa's sleigh. This is another favorite of ours. Something about this sleigh is so magical. Next year we want to visit Santa, while he's at this sleigh. We didn't have time this year. 

Christmas time is in full swing around here and we are loving it. We are loving our "Light the World" challenges and getting to spend lots of time together!

Mtn. Home Christmas Fun

After Silver Dollar City we drove straight to Mtn. Home. We got in really late and the kids didn't sleep in at all on Saturday. Those wild things were up at the crack of dawn. Chris had drill this weekend so it was just me and the kids and then Joseph and his kids came over too after SDC.

Saturday morning Nanny and I loaded up all the kids in the "Nanny-mobile" and went to the "Dollar Tree." Nanny gave each of the kids $3 to spend and they had the best time. 

Here is Nanny with all the kids and their amazing purchases. They had the best time picking out their three special items. It was so funny. 

After the "Dollar Tree" we took the kids over to the library to let them play and read books.
The library in Mtn. Home is amazing and the kids had a great time. 

On the way home we grabbed sandwiches from "Jimmy John's" and ate them back at Nanny's house.
Benson very much enjoyed the pickles that came with the sandwiches. It was cracking us up. They were seriously sour pickles and yet Benson LOVED them! 

Eventually, after his pickle eating afternoon, Benson got tired and him and Uncle Joseph took a nap together. They bonded on this trip.  

Then on Sunday we helped Nanny and Papa put up their Christmas decorations after church.
As Nanny brought out each piece of her nativity, she told the kids the story of Christ's birth. It was so sweet to listen and watch as the kids helped her put out her nativity from Israel. 

I grew up with this nativity and I remember spending many hours staring at the different pieces. It was sweet to catch Bailey doing the same thing. 

Then we helped Nanny and Papa decorate their tree. 

I loved this. This was the ornament we gave Nanny and Papa for Christmas on Tanner's first Christmas 9 years ago. So crazy. Look at that sweet baby in the ornament!

Benson and Nanny got in some good snuggles and quality time too. 

Here are the kids in front of the finished product. The tree turned out beautifully and we will get to open presents around it on Christmas morning this year. We are going to be coming back from Christmas and the kids are so excited!

We had a great visit with Nanny and Papa and spent some quality time with the Drake cousins as well. It was an exhausting weekend but worth every minute!

Silver Dollar City Christmas Fun

Today we checked the kids out of school a little early and drove up to Branson to go to Silver Dollar City. We met Uncle Joseph and his family there and gave them our buddy passes so we could all be there together. It was so fun. The weather wasn't too cold and it wasn't too crowded. 

This year they added even more lights to the park and they called it "Christmas at Midtown". It was gorgeous and we had so much fun seeing all the lights and riding rides. 

These kids played so hard. We rode rides, played in the rope tree house, ate yummy food and saw a play. 

These kids loved the carousel with their cousins. I was surprised that Tanner and Clark wanted to ride. Tanner would have told me he was "too big" and cool usually but with Clark there he didn't seem to mind. 

Bailey and Tanner love these rides that rise and fall. We always have to ride this one.
Their faces were cracking me up though. They had so much fun together. 

Oh and Tuck had to ride the toddler swings too. These swings go soooo slow, but he loved it and grinned so big the whole time. 

After riding the rides, we grabbed a treat and then watched a short play. 

It was cheesy, but the kids got to be involved and they loved it. 

We had a great time. We finally left around 9 pm. The second we got the kids changed into pj's and loaded into the car, they all four passed out. Chris and I had a nice quiet drive to Mtn. Home.

I love going to SDC each Christmas. I love the lights, the rides, the parade and the mood. It's one of my favorite traditions. 

Lighting the World with Elf on the Shelf

Today we welcomed our elves back with a hot cocoa bar and donuts.

This year our elves are going to help us "Light the World" as we spread the love and light of Christ all around us. Their sign said "Hot Cocoa Bar. Warm up here & Get Ready to Light the World"

We had three different kinds of donuts and lots of yummy hot cocoa. 

Our little reindeer made it back this year too!

The kids were thrilled to see Buddy and Sparkle this morning and it was a great way to kick off our "Light the World" Campaign.

After our breakfast with the elves, Tanner and Bailey went to school and they couldn't wait to get home and snuggle the reindeer.

Tuck enjoyed taking bites out of every single donut he could get his hands on. He really loved the raspberry filled ones. 

So each day our elves are going to bring us that day's "Light the World" challenge and an ornament to hang on our tree once we have completed the challenge. 

We are really excited to light the world this holiday season.