Preparing for Christmas

December is one of our favorite months even with all the busyness. We try and minimize all the activities but there's just too many people we love out there! I'm so thankful to have the kids home for 2 weeks to connect and prepare our hearts for Christmas. Frazier's been enjoying sleeping in his sisters' room every night, which leads to lots of wrestling and late night whispers. Here's a few pictures of what we've been up to. 

My little elf. 

Preparing homeless bags for our annual hot pizza delivery around the city to our friends without a home. Thank you, mom, for all the donations!

Leila performed in her first piano recital at a local church with other students of her teacher. She played "Away in a Manger" and "School Bells are Ringing", and she did very well despite her nerves!

We enjoyed making gingerbread houses with Mary-Michael's class. Leila's school closed 2 days earlier, so she was able to enjoy some of the festivities at Frazier and Mary-Michael's school. 

School party, Polar Express Day and Pajama Day for this sweet kindergartner. I enjoyed working the reindeer food station, reading The Night Before Christmas and setting up for the party. He has a really sweet class and a great teacher. 

Decorating Christmas trees (using upside down sugar cones). Leila was recovering from dental surgery, but she still participated. 

We enjoyed picking out and decorating a very big tree this year. 

Silly faces around the tree!

This is our 3rd year working through this beautiful Advent book by Ann Voskamp. 

May your hearts and minds be readying for Christmas as we celebrate the birth of the One who rescued us. He's changed me, renewed my mind so that I’d like myself and see the good in others and given me the ability to forgive and love those that are hard to love. He is the one I put my hope in even when much of the world arund me finds that crazy. If you're a skeptic of this Jesus, read about Him and get to know Him yourself. God will reveal Himself to you and is ready to hear your questions and doubts. His love for you is so great!!!