Christmas Whirlwind

We headed down south for Christmas this year so all of our normal holiday traditions were jam packed into a short couple of weeks.

This was our 5th Christmas here and we have so many wonderful traditions we like to do every year and lots of new ones we tried out this year as well!

Our town is the home to Santa's house. We go there every year and admire

all the nutcrackers, elves working, and beautiful decorations. His house is complete with an igloo, reindeer, and of course - Santa himself!

Each year we get a picture in his sleigh -

2007

2008

2009 - missing somehow

2010

2011

This year Brooklyn left the list she wrote herself and both girlies climbed right up on his lap! He was sweet, and gentle, and absolutely perfect!

Brooklyn even got to meet Santa at school as well! He comes to her preschool every year and is something we look forward to at this time of year. He reads a story and then meets all the kids, lets them sit on his lap, chats about some toys they want, and of course gets a picture. He even sends them home with a yummy little treat!

This year we were quite ghetto and had some pumpkins we hadn't carved STILL sitting on our porch from Halloween. So after seeing this idea on a friend's blog we took them both and went to town making Frosty and his wife. I think they look a little more appropriate on our porch now!

(Except there's still no snow here!!! And yes, the girls were obsessed with wearing these new dresses like everyday for about a week!!!)

Our December was rounded out with gingerbread house decorating with friends, making & eating lots of yummy treats, and looking at Christmas light shows.

No holiday season is complete without some parties. The best one yet was a first time for us - a holiday sweater party! The second I picked out Justin's sweater at Salvation Army I knew it was the best. EVER. If there was going to be a sweater competition - he was bound to win it - and he did!!! After a super yummy dinner we went to a friend's house who created some fabulous Minute-to-Win-it holiday games that were absolutely hilarious, we ate desserts, and didn't leave without some group pictures! When all was said and done Justin and I brought home the grand prize which we will cherish forever!