Christmas decorations and Advent Traditions

When Matt was testing out the lights Kallie would got up to the lights and blow trying to blow them out, so we gave her a bunch and told her to blow so we could get a picture.

Kallie likes the tree!

Checking out the ornaments before bed time.

Davis helped a little more this year with decorating.

We let Maddie stay up later because she really was helping and stuck with hanging the ornaments on the tree. This is the kids' favorite this year - a frog whose legs would jump when you pulled the string. I got it from Uncle Adam back when I was dating Matt.

For some reason one night the kids decided to be silly and switch jammies for a little while - Maddie in dinosaurs and Davis in purple cats.

Our mantel with stockings that my mom made for us over the years adding to them with each addition. And our favorite - the Fisher Price Little People nativity set - stable, inn and wise men tents.

Each day the kids took turns doing one of three things - tearing a piece of the chain off - each piece had a "verse" from a Christmas poem about the birth of Jesus

Hanging an ornament on an advent tree quilt my mom made.

or opening an advent box that Mimi put together for the kids. She did this when my brother and I were little as well.

Each box had a piece of paper that told them what they would be getting - things like candy, Christmas books or puzzles, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.

This particular day they got Christmas puzzles

Maddie kept us straight as to who did what on what day.