Christmas Festivities

We packed a lot of "Christmas" into this last week. Thursday night Joe went with Quint and Sheila to see a play that his parents are in, "White Christmas" with the Millbrook Community Players. Friday we had Joel's 2 month appointment. He weighed 13 pounds 3 oz and was 24.5 inches long. He has thrush, cradle cap, a umblicial hernia, and a cold, but you would never know it by his mood. He has still been his normal happy self.

The umblical hernia is very small and should go away on its own by the time he is 2. My poor baby had to have 4 shots :( After Joel's appointment we got the girls, ate dinner, and headed to the zoo to see the lights, BUT when we go there at 7:50 they had already closed the ticket booths. We had the girls all bundled up to see some lights, so we ended up going to the Millbrook Park where the whole park is filled with lights. We took a stroll around the park and headed home to watch Toy Story 3. Saturday morning we got the tree in the house, finally. We had left it outside to settle and then it kept raining so then we had to let it dry out some. Later that morning we went back to the Millbrook Park for its Christmas festivities. Quint and Sheila met us there and so after looking at all the vendors and the kids playing on the playground we went and ate lunch and then went back for the parade. It was perfect weather because all the kids needed were light jackets. The girls had on hoodies and they shoved the pockets of them full with all the candy they were passing out at the parade. After the parade we went home and got all our heavy coats and headed back to the zoo. I thought we could walk around and see the animals before they put them up and turned on the lights. Wrong. We got there just as they were kicking everyone out. They close for about an hour ~ hour and a half to get the lights turned on and the animals put up. The bad thing was that we had bundled up the kids, got Joel into the stroller and was walking to the entrance before someone told us this. Soo we got back in the van, found somewhere to eat, and then headed back to the zoo. It was a perfect night. It wasn't too hot and it wasn't too cold. We only had to wait for one group of people to ride the train and waited in line maybe 5 minutes to see Santa and that was only because as we walked up he decided he needed a potty break.

Sunday morning at church it was the girls' Sunday School class' turn to light the advent wreath and do the reading. The girls did a good job of standing up front although I was a little scared that Lollie was going to knock over the advent wreath because she was so close: After church I went to the Burdick's play and then did some grocery shopping. Last night we finally got the lights and ornaments on the tree. The girls absolutely loved looking at all the ornaments and trying to find the ones that were theirs. This weekend is Christmas on the Coosa which we always look forward to. This Christmas so far has been so much fun. The girls are really starting to understand things. We have a "Little People" navity set that we set out for them to play with and we have been working with them that Mary was Jesus' mother, Joseph was his dad and was God, that the wisemen brought him gifts, that the sheperds were the first to be told. In today's time it can be really hard to let Christmas be all about Santa for kids, but we are doing our best to teach the girls that we are really celebrating Jesus' birthday. Last night Lol and I were putting up the navity set on the shelf it goes on and she says "Where's baby Jesus," to which I replied, "I don't know did you lose him," to which she responds, "Ohh, Mary's going to be mad." How Cute!! It is also cute because this year Josie is being very specific in what she wants. Jolie is still easy, dress-up clothes, dolls, coloring things, and Joel even easier, formula, diapers, wipes, etc. Also I am so incredibly proud of my girls and the Millbrook Child Develop Program (the school that they attend). During the month of November they had a can food drive for the Elmore County Food Pantry. This was an awesome opportunity to teach the girls that you give to others and you take care of those less fortunate that yourself. The girls were so proud each day as they took in their cans. The Wetumpka Herald interviewed Ms. Jessie, Josie's teacher, about the drive. At the beginning of the video they scan over the children and all the food. Jolie is on the far left standing up in a pink dress. Josie is about dead center standing up on the last row in a red dress.



Well I hope everyone is enjoying this Christmas season and remember, Jesus is the reason we are celebrating this season!!