Advent-ageous

Well, it was a crazy, busy holiday season. In addition to all of the usual Christmas preparations, I was working on a quilt/pattern that is going to be in a book (it was due to the publisher Dec. 16), and I spent most of the week before Christmas in Michigan—which meant all my Christmas prep had to be done a week early. Whew!

But in the midst of all that, we did still do our advent calendar activities (well, most days we did them, anyway). Here are some highlights:

Checking out the stockings on the morning of Dec. 6, St. Nick's Day.

Claire got a My Little Pony.

Elsa's big prize was this Smurfs DVD. She is obsessed with the Smurfs right now. Should've kept that Smurfs lunchbox from second grade.

Decorating this year's gingerbread concoction (a Christmas tree).

Just stack the star cookies and add frosting and candy. Nice and easy. I like it.

We went to Soda with Santa at Sprecher Brewery for the third year in a row. Claire was much more agreeable about sitting on Santa's lap this year.

As far as visiting Santa goes, I still think the Sprecher gig can't be beat. Where else can you drink beer while your kids go see Santa? Acceptably drink beer, I mean. : )

Elsa gets creative with her soda drinking.

Hanging out in Santa's big arm chair after he left to go back to the North Pole.

But I think my favorite advent activities this year were the little ones (that I don't even have pictures of), like reading a Christmas story by the fireplace or having hot chocolate with marshmallows. During those activities, I think I may even have relaxed a little. What a concept! : )