Christmas Cheer

I sure hope you are having a Merry Christmastime. We have really been enjoying the anticipation of Christmas this year and talking up Jesus's arrival! It's so nice to be able to talk about it every day and Owen is ALL into the season. When he sees anything Christmas related (lights, Santa, wise men), he'll just shout, "Mommy, It's Christmas!!". I love the sheer joy of it.

To catch you up on the happenings of the Dunhams (since that's the name of the blog and all), we have been having fun! Thursday night we went to eat dinner with our old friends (they are not old- they are our age- but our friendship is old- you knew that- come on) who moved to town a few months ago. Sarah and Greer have moved a LOT with his job, so they are apparently experts at it. Their new house is beautiful and immaculate! I was expecting boxes and such, but it is all set up- for Christmas even- and perfect! They have twin 2 year olds and a newborn. And Sarah cooked an amazing dinner for us. I know. A Christmas miracle! I don't know how she does it. The kids had Christmas spaghetti


And played really well together! They did have one toy that caused some distress. It was a strainer and a tennis ball. We don't know where they even got the strainer, but Sarah had to get another one to appease the crowd of children under 3.

This is a faux hug and veiled attempt to get the strainer/ tennis ball by Owen. Not a bad move, if I do say so.

Last time Sarah made an appearance on our blog, she was just moving up here and about 8 months pregnant, so that means that their newest little gal, Abby, was able to join us for this party!

She wasn't quite in a partying mood- being just 3 months old, you know- but she sure is awful cute and a sweet baby!

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Friday night, we went to our annual Sunday School Christmas party and had a BLAST, as usual. No blackmail pictures there- there was too much food being eaten, goofy presents being opened (I got 3 rolls of different neon colored duck- or duct?- tape) and dancing going on. We always have SO much fun.

Tonight, I took my boys to Horshoe Bend to see the Christmas lights. We'd taken Owen last year, but I knew he would really get into it this year. Oh, how I was right. They both loved it! This is a neighborhood across the street from us that has a lot of really tacky well lit houses and people drive through it constantly. They even have a closed circuit radio station that the lights dance to (this is just at the first house) like you've probably seen on you tube. This is the house mid dance, so it doesn't really show all the lights. It's pretty impressive to see in action. At the same first house, they have a life sized Santa, sleigh and reindeer. You can't really see them from this shot below, but you can see the outline. Owen has been obsessed with reindeer lately and even asked, oh, maybe a dozen times today if he could see reindeer. So, after our 3rd trip around this loop, I stopped the car and got out with him to go see the (large and kind of scary looking plastic) reindeer. He petted them, talked to them, waved at Santa (whose hand was magically waving to us like a metronome) and started to walk away. Then he asked if he could go back for one more hug. It was so sweet.

We are going to Santa's Village on Friday night with some friends and they have live deer there that you can pet and feed, so I know he is going to get excited about that.

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My Christmas shopping is almost done. As I was cleaning the toy room today, I was short an "N" in this train, but it somehow rang familiar with the thought of Christmas shopping and this time of year.

Now, we have (or had) a budget (smudget), but it somehow always gets blown to smitherines. I wrapped for about 2 hours today while the kids were napping and I really do forget what all I've bought! And I DO have a list. Please don't suggest such if you are the super duper planner/ organizer who doesn't go over their Christmas budget. Maybe next year. Anybody feel my pain?

I hope you are getting into the Christmas spirit! It's hard not to with little ones around. I thought when we had Owen that Christmas would be super fun and I didn't realize that it wouldn't be until his FOURTH Christmas that we could all really be fascinated and see it through his eyes. I'm trying to enjoy every minute of it.