We Three Kings . . . Are Lost (Part 2)

Another week (or so) of fun has transpired here at the Melin house.  Benaiah has started telling me where to hide the wise men and then telling his brothers - the little cheater pants!

Day 13 - Jonah was in his very first Christmas program.  It was such an eye-opening experience for me.  At our house he is the big kid and very confident.  With all the chapel kids he was the youngest and looked pretty out of his comfort zone.  He is all about sports, but singing and hand motions . . . not his thing.

Day 14 - Christmas on the Cumberland - This light display was so much fun.  It contains over a million light on a walking path.  It was short enough that we didn't need strollers and didn't freeze.  A great way to get out the last of the daily wiggles!

Hair after a beanie!

We also made ornaments by taking plastic ornaments, squirting paint inside, and shaking like crazy!  Great fun seeing who had the best dance moves.  :)

Day 15 - We were pretty busy this day because the play set arrived!  Unfortunately, it comes in a thousand and one pieces.  To keep the boys out of the construction I had them making gingerbread houses out of paper bags.  They did a wonderful job, but I am pretty sure they really wanted to be swinging hammers and running the drill. :)

Day 16 - While Jonah was away we worked on symmetry trees!  Glitter was everywhere :)

After he returned, over to the nursing home we went to carol and hand out Christmas cards.  Then we cuddled down to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas with bowls and popcorn.  I love that movie!

Day 17 - My favorite day!  We made Christmas cookies from scratch.  I had never attempted this feat.  I mean, I have made cookies but not the kind you cut out in the shapes of gingerbread men and stars and ice.  So why not try it for the first time with eight helping hands?  Success!  The boys helped mix, roll, cut out, make icing, ice, and decorate.  It took the better part of the day, but it was all smiles and sugar in our kitchen!

That evening we went to a free Christmas concert at the library.  So jazzy!  Jonah liked the drums, Huck the saxophone, and Eli and Benaiah were impressed with the tuba.  Juliet liked dancing to the music.

Day 18 - This morning we had snowman pancakes.  I learned my lesson last year and kept the powdered sugar in the pantry.  They liked building the little faces.  The rest of the day was spend counting down the minutes until we could leave for Georgia!

Day 19 - We helped Mamzie with some cooking and then took off caroling to some friends and neighbors.  Then we celebrated Christmas at Maw's house.  Eli sang a solo of Silent Night with his own lyrics, "Round yon virgincy."  Is that a virgin having an emergency?  I would say so!

The carolers!

My cutie nephew!

Cousin love!

Day 20 - We spent this day celebrating Christmas at the Melin's.  Juliet got to meet Uncle Ronnie for the first time!  We had our own church service and then enjoyed meals and gifts together!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Day 21 - Christmas at Mamzie and Papa's house was a ball!  The boys are always showered with gifts and we have so many goodies to eat.  I love getting to share with my children what Christmas was like for me when I grew up!

Day 22 - Waffle House - Okay, so this is not very Christmasy, but we were on the road and needed something to soften the blow of having to leave Georgia.  They give out candy canes . . . does that help my case?  We finally finished up those snowmen, too!

Day 23 - We planned, shopped for, and prepared a red and green meal.  The boys loved this!  We brainstormed some ideas at home and then headed to the store.  The shopping was a bit overwhelming because they all wanted to take off and get their items.  Once they were reigned in we were golden.  We ended up having fruit salad (a BIG hit!) with kiwi, green pears, strawberries, cherries, and green grapes; salad with spinach, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers; and meatballs with green veggie noodles.  The best part?  The boys helped with every step!

Tomorrow we are going to a Candle light service and then it will be Christmas!  It all goes by too fast.  Better soak in every minute!

We Three Kings . . . Are Lost (Part 1)

These are our wise men . . . except ours are not so wise.  They are on their way to see baby Jesus but they get lost every night!  Can you believe it?  Well, my boys informed me that they know I hide them, but it is so funny to watch those sleepy boys emerge from their room and wander the house looking for the little men while half awake.  When they find the three lost wise men they also find a message saying what fun activity awaits us that day.  The boys look forward to the fun and I get to make so many fun memories with my sweet kiddos!  

Here are some of the activities we have done so far.  I'll update more later in the month.  Maybe you can try one out and have some Christmas Fun!  

Day 1 - Christmas Slime!  Same borax and water, but if you use glitter glue it is so much more exciting!  Benaiah didn't get to make this last year because he was still putting everything in his mouth.  This year he got to join in the fun.  He played with his slime for two hours before we had to make dinner.  Cutting it with scissors is a win!

Day 2 - Indoor Snowball Fight!  Using stuffed snowballs and styrofoam balls we enjoyed our snowless fight in the warm indoors.  I put this activity early in the month so they could have it out to play whenever they wanted.  

The littles also painted with cotton balls and made a snow globe while Jonah was away.  Eli wasn't interested in a picture.  He was stringing beads on pipe cleaners to make an ornament. 

We also added our hand prints to the tree skirt!  Stop growing, little ones!

Day 3 - Send a Paper Hug to Someone You Love!  Huck is the master accordion folder!  We also ate reindeer sandwiches!  Some days we cut them into snowmen or gingerbread men to decorate with raisins and craisins.  Have to mix up the pb&j every now and then!

Day 4 - Christmas Party!  We had Danny's unit Christmas Party.  Benaiah found Santa and claimed him as his own.  He held right onto his leg and lounged in his lap.  Juliet was not as thrilled.  They spent the night decorating cookies and running around with lots of friends.

Day 5 - Snowman Pizza and the Clarksville Lighted Parade!  This was the best parade I have ever seen!  The boys loved the Storm Troopers and garbage truck.  

Day 6 - Go to the drive through live nativity!  A near-by church put this on for free for the community.  The boys were able to listen to the Christmas story on CD while driving past each scene (complete with camels).  Then we danced to the choir singing at the end and enjoyed hot cocoa and cookies!

Day 7 - Leave treats for the mailman!  My boys love the mailman.  It might have something to do with the fact that they think he gets to decide who gets packages and mail.  It has nothing to do with Amazon or mommy ordering - nah.  So, we made chocolate covered pretzel sticks with sprinkles - lots of sprinkles!  They watched all day for him to come get them.

Day 8 - Candy cane bomb the library!  We gave out candy canes to patrons and the librarians.  Benaiah was the bravest of them all!

Day 9 - Christmas tree quesadillas and sculpting snowmen.  While the quesadillas are long gone the snowmen are still drying and waiting for the final touches with markers.  :)

Day 10 - Grow snowflakes!  More borax and water and we grew some fun crystals!  This one was a little difficult for the boys because the water has to be boiled and they couldn't quite get the shapes they wanted without help.  They were happy with the results!

Day 11 - Painting Christmas scenes and MANS NIGHT!  I handled the painting, but after Juliet and I left . . . they went riding to see Christmas lights and ate popcorn while watching old Christmas cartoons.  Fun manly activities :)

Day 12 - Build a gingerbread house! The boys had a ball with this one!  Each boy got his own side of the house to decorate.  Benaiah liked eating the materials - who could blame him?  I think it turned out so well.  We had to get a picture of each boy with his side.  

Where is Juliet you ask?  Well, here she is just being cute all December!  

I might love her a little ;)  

Where will we find those wise men tomorrow???