Christmas Countdown 1-5

 This year I decided to copy my sister Kelsie, and do a fun Christmas advent activity each day in December, leading up to Christmas.  I've looked for the last few years for a cute advent with drawers, but haven't found one.  So I decided to just get a cheap little stocking and put the note in it each night explaining the activity for the day.  So far it has been good, and has forced me to do things I would put off and we have had a lot of fun already.

December 1st:

Attend the Samuelson's Family Christmas Party at BYU

This is an annual activity for us, and it is always crazy busy, but for whatever reason we seem to go every year.  This year we all slept in and just went for the last hour. Which was plenty.

As we walked in Cosmo was walking out.  So he stopped to take a picture with Hallie.  It was very cute!  Hallie calls Cosmo her "Big Furry Buddy," so she was thrilled to see him.

 We tried going over to the Garden Room to make a craft, but they were just cleaning everything up.  So we took a few pictures instead.

 This year we were not going to wait in line for hours to see Santa.  We waved from a distance though.

 Instead we headed over to the Terrace to play a few games. Hallie's favorite every year is the fishing.  But this year they had a pinata, a reindeer ring toss, pin the nose of Rudolf, those types of games.

 Paige was oh so good.  She just relaxed with her feet up in the stroller.

 To end we found the coloring table.  Perfect for our little artist.

 We decided to just grab lunch at the CougarEat where Hallie downed a bottle of chocolate milk.  It was quite impressive actually. :)

December 2nd:

Watch The First Presidency Christmas Devotional

December 3rd:

Listen to Christmas Music

I had plans to do something more fun, but I ended up having a huge order come in, and had to work on it all day.  So this was a simple activity that filled our day. Hallie danced, and was very excited and song she semi-knew, or had heard came on.  She would yell, "we know this one!". It was very cute.

December 4th:

Make Christmas Puppets

I found a foam sticker puppet kit at the craft store, and figured that would be a fun and easy craft to do.  Hallie loved it! 

 The penguin was her favorite

 Yep.  They work!

December 5th:

Do something nice for someone at school

I should have taken a picture of Hallie with her backpack on but I spaced it.  They are doing a food drive at preschool and she has been so interested it, and kept asking questions and talking about people who don't have food.  She reminded me last night that she wanted to take food to put under the Christmas tree.  She stood on the counter and picked out some canned food to take, and some baby cereal. Then she packed it up in her backpack to take to school today.  We had a good talk about service and people not having food and not having the money to buy it, especially when I told her to pick a box of baby cereal.  She was surprised that some people don't even have enough to feed their babies.  But it was a great learning experience on both ends.  Her, realizing that others aren't as blessed as we are, and myself, watching her child like love and desire to help in anyway she could.  What would life be like if we all had that attitude?

In addition, I asked Hallie to keep an eye out at school for an opportunity to do something nice for one of her friends at school.  She was a bit hesitant at first and didn't want to do it.  Once we explained that it could be playing with someone, or complimenting someone, or helping in some small way, she was excited.  When I picked her up from school she told me all about it.  She had colored with Bria, and played dolls with Braylee.  Which is a step for her.  I have been surprised with how shy she has been at school, and often tells us that she just played by herself.  So we have been trying to help her to overcome that a bit.