Round 2

Christmas... Bburg style. Our Christmas here in town was really sweet this year. Well, sweet considering I did basically no crafts/activities with the girls because I was being a lazy, sick, pregnant blob... but we did just enough to hopefully make things super special for the girls.

Each year the girls make ornaments and handmade gifts for all the grandparents. We have to work on 3 different sets, so it seriously takes us 12 years to get them all done. This year's ornament was this adorable button tree. Each girl made one of their own to attach to their individual gifts.Reese painted and decorated these picture frames from Michael's for her preschool picture. :)
And Emma Grace painted on canvas for her gifts. The white letters are actually empty spaces from letter stickers... from Pinterest.Christmas Eve Eve. :) Bryan's mom gave us a series of star cookie cutters in order to make a sugar cookie Christmas tree... it turned out super cute. We didn't eat it... wouldn't dare... Bryan wanted to shellac it and keep it for future generations. I threw it away yesterday. :)
We also made ginger bread houses for the first time this year. SO CUTE, and the girls were super into it. Next year I think we'll hoard Halloween candy to jazz them up a bit.Our happy little Christmas village. :)
Christmas Eve. Now this first photo has nothing to do with any type of Christmas festivities. I felt it needed to be included because if you notice, Emma Grace has perfected the art of costume change. (Look at the next 3 photos.) I literally wash more of her dress up each week than I do actual street clothes.There were Christmas Eve crafts.Santa's cookies preparation.
Then... after opening the Christmas Eve goods of Hallmark ornaments and jammies...... we went to look at a local house that was in the paper for their amazing Christmas decor. :)And then it was home for "Twas the Night Before Christmas,"the placing of Rudolph's carrot, and the setting up of Santa's midnight snack.
(MOMMY'S NOTE: We had a near disaster. At around 9:30, after not hearing anything over the girls' monitor for some time, we decided to start helping Santa set up. Shortly after say 10:30, I hear "Mommy!?" I race to the top of the stairs, Reese exclaims that she has to go potty, I push her kindly into the bathroom to do her business... I am panicking... everything is set up and out... what did she see? While doing the deed, "Mommy! Was that my makeup from Santa? I saw my makeup from Santa! Did Santa already come? Oooooooh... can you please go check for me?" "Reese, I didn't see anything... Santa doesn't come until you're asleep. He hasn't come. Nope. No Santa here. Hurry and go to sleep now." SHIT. Bryan and I were in a panic. After sitting for what seemed like hours coming up with some sort of magical lie in case she asked us in the morning, she came downstairs as if nothing happened! "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAh! My makeup from Santa!" Thank god we didn't ruin the magic of Christmas for our 4 year old. Moral of the story... wait until after midnight for operation Santa assistance.)

The man in the red suit didn't disappoint!A Rapunzel vanity with ridiculous makeup for Reese...
... and a shrine to Tiana for Emma Grace!Bryan and I don't get one another Christmas gifts. We'd rather use that extra money for the girls. In turn we allow the girls to each choose a gift to get for Bryan, and a gift for me. Last year they got Bryan a remote control car... which is what Reese asked Santa for for herself. :) This year she was very serious and very explicit. She wanted to get Bryan a dancing and singing Santa. We found it, and no lie she said "oh Mommy, it's perfect for Daddy!" Emma Grace's response to what she wanted to get Daddy... "some presents." Reese chimed in and said "he wants a Santa Claus movie." This translated to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and "Frosty the Snowman." Both girls were thrilled... Bryan secretly was too. :)I got a really cute VT beer bucket from Reese, and Emma Grace got me Panera. Bryan, "What do you want to get Mommy for Christmas?" EG, "Panera... soup!" I got broccoli and cheddar soup and a bread bowl with a french baguette... hilariously perfect. :)Rudolph enjoyed his carrot for sure. Next year though... we're going the "reindeer food" route. :)Christmas can take a lot out of a princess and her baby Cinderella. :)