Ok- I REALLY want one of these....

So one of my favorite blogs, Brown Paper Packages, is offering a giveaway for a Silhouette. I have never entered a blog giveaway but there is nothing on this earth I want more than a Silhouette- oh the possibilities!! Follow the link and check it out, and look around the blog for awhile- pure genius!!

http://brownpaper--packages.blogspot.com/2010/12/silhouette-machine-giveaway.html

25 Days of Christmas- Days 1-5

In an attempt to squeeze every last moment

of Christmas fun out of this December, I created 25 Days of Christmas. Start with one advent calendar, add some candy, mix in 25 Christmas activities and TA DA- a month full of fun! Here are the highlights so far...

Day 1- Take a Santa lunch to Daddy at work

The kids were super excited to surprise Nate at work with Einsteins Bagel sandwiches (I craved these in California where nobody can make a decent bagel). No pictures due to the fact that Nate would have killed me if I had whipped out the camera in front of the entire cafeteria at his building but we had a good time.

Day 2- Sugar Cookies

We had to bring 4 dozen sugar cookies to the Ward party so Linc and I strapped on our aprons and made a giant mess in the kitchen. The cookies were baked and cooled by the time Grandma and Grandpa got home so we frosted and sprinkled for the rest of the night. Martha Stewart may not have approved of the decorating but they did taste good!

Day 3- BG1 Ward Christmas Party

We took the family to the Christmas party at the church building and we all had a good time- the kids mostly enjoyed the cookies and rolls! Linc found some new friends to run around with and we enjoyed catching up with old friends.

Day 4- Decorate the Christmas tree

In our house growing up this was always done the day after Thanksgiving but thanks to mom and dad's new windows being installed, decorating got pushed back into December- which was perfect for us! Reagan wanted to eat the ornaments and actually broke a large glass one (there was only temporary panic :) and Linc wanted to put every single ornament on the same branch. We had to do some adjusting afterwards. Nate helped Linc put the angel on the top of the tree (but not before Nate reminded me, once again, that angels do not have wings!) Now the tree is up and gorgeous and Reagan wants to walk in the room and touch it at least five times a day!

Day 5-Write our Letter to Santa

I found this cute Santa letter design on one of my favorite Blogs and did my best to replicate it with my own humble computer and printer. I thought it turned out cute but I was definitely more excited about it than Linc was. I had to practically staple him to the floor so he would sit still long enough to tell me what he wanted to write to Santa. Although he has no problem telling me every day what he wants (a hippopotamus and a bike) he just didn't want to bother writing it to Santa- maybe next year :)