In the Spirit

Nothing says "Happy Holidays" like a turkey hat, right? We've had fun this weekend decorating and generally making things festive around here. In the States, there are plenty of decorations in stores and malls and on the streets starting some time in October (September, even?) to remind us that Christmas is coming. But in this part of the world, we have to do a little more inside our house. Lee Anna and Sawyer loved wearing their Santa hats. Sarah Claire wasn't quite so sure.
We get chastised frequently for not having enough clothes on our kids. But it's really really hard to convince Sawyer that he needs jeans and long sleeves when it's 85 degrees outside on Farenheit's thermometer.
Lee Anna is reading the story. She'll be able to read it all to us this year.

Sarah Claire was so very helpful in the decorating process, as evidenced below. First, she helped make sure all the strings of beads were securely in place so no little babies would be able to pull them down.

Then she taste-tested the shepherds and some other nativity characters to make sure they tasted authentic.

And Sawyer helped his puppy Jesse get into the Christmas spirit with the hat and scarf that his Mimi made for him.

Christmas away from home is certainly different, but we're going to enjoy it! It won't be a white Christmas, for sure, but it'll be fun. We're helping our kids develop some traditions of their own.