Merry Merry Christmas Day!

Fawn is at the perfect age to love Christmas. He's still young enough to be captivated by the magic of the season. But, he's old enough to start to understand the significance from a religious perspective. Advent was a special time with him for so many reasons and in so many ways; and that definitely culminated on Christmas morning. He bounded into our room ready to go -- he had seen the presents in the family room and was thrilled to report that Santa had indeed come. Only problem...our night owl Small Fry was still snoozing. We tried to keep Fawn occupied for as long as possible. I got him to help me in the kitchen getting his baked bacon going and we chatted. But finally, though I hate to ever wake a sleeping child, at the late hour of 6:45 I sent Buck to fetch Small Fry. Fawn was actually very patient and was thrilled when his brother came down the stairs and the present opening could begin. Fawn was slightly concerned that Santa had forgotten the stockings because they weren't hung on the stairs, but once he saw them on the couch all was well and the excitement continued. We started with opening stockings and then moved on to their three big Santa presents. Santa also had a few tricks up his sleeve this year and left some presents for the boys to take to the farm.

Waiting patiently.

Discovered the stockings!

Sleepyhead.

Look what I got!

Lego minifigures!

Dynamic duo.

Even more presents waiting.

Loving his new bulldozer.

The year of the fake weapon.

Merry brothers.

The crossbow was a huge hit.

Priceless.

And now not allowed indoors -- it's so powerful he's going to break something!

Only one child wanted to pose with Mama.

And try to shoot Daddy.

We took a break from present opening for a quick breakfast, then it was back to it to exchange family presents. The boys each got four presents from us...A toy you want, a thing you need, a fun surprise, a book to read. They gave each other a present which was so cute to watch. And together they gave Mommy and Daddy a present. It was a super sweet morning -- absolutely magical in just about every way possible. Oh the joy! 

We spent the rest of the morning visiting Mimi and Pops and the Nichols. It was great fun and we made great memories with our extended family. Small Fry and Buck slept the afternoon away while Fawn and I built Legos, built Legos, and built more Legos. Wow! Then we headed to Mema and Abou's to say Merry Christmas to them and the entire Trafton clan on Christmas afternoon. We headed home for a casual supper -- homemade pizza for the kids and southwestern chicken soup for Buck and me. Buck and I capped off the night with a viewing of the 90s classic The Santa Claus. Watching a cute Christmas movie was a fun way to end a fabulous Christmas day.

This guy carried around his puppy guitar from Mommy and Daddy.

Mimi and Pops gave the boys (among other things) duck noise makers. Very funny. Pops says it's the best $2 he's ever spent. 

They also got camo crocs and marshmallow guns.

Merry Christmas from the four of us!

Small Fry got a basketball goal and Fawn got a compound bow and target at Lulu and Doc's house.

It was a Merry Merry day.

Merry Christmas Eve.

What a great Christmas Eve we had this year! Buck's firm had their annual Christmas lunch on the 23rd and he worked pretty late early in the week so he was able to spend all day at home on Christmas Eve. What a treat -- and a great way to start the holiday. It was a nice, relaxing day with family. We started the morning in bed watching the robbery scene from Home Alone. Watching Fawn watch Home Alone is just about the funniest thing. After some morning playing and hanging out at home, we enjoyed our traditional Christmas Eve brunch of breakfast casserole and monkey bread. I threw in fruit skewers this year -- because my kids will eat anything served on sticks. We ate in the dining room and didn't have to cover the chairs with towels this year (moving on up!). The boys really do rise to the occasion when treated like grown-ups. It was a lovely brunch, which we all enjoyed. Small Fry actually napped, which was great since we had a semi-long night ahead of us. We headed to our church's 4:30 candlelight service -- and kept both boys in the sanctuary with us. The flu is absolutely rampant through Birmingham, and we did not want to risk exposing our boys to yucky germs for our holiday and farm week. They actually did great! So much better than last year. The service was just perfect -- fabulous music and a moving message. Fawn was permitted to hold his own candle for the first time and he was very proud. After church we headed home to feed the boys dinner. After they'd eaten, we spread out our reindeer food that the boys had made at the Advent Workshop. There was much discussion of the reindeer and whether Buck could shoot one if he saw them. Fawn decided that as long as it wasn't Rudolph or Dasher, he was totally fine with Daddy taking out a reindeer. Then we set out milk and cookies for Santa. Fawn also wrote Santa a note. We then headed up to the Nichols for a quick visit with Voncille who was visiting from Luverne. The boys were so kind -- indulging her in hugs and kisses and really talking to her. They gave her their present to her and then were so excited to receive money envelopes from her. Fawn actually ended up with Buck's envelope which contained a $50 bill. He was amazed -- it was precious! And sweet Buck just let him keep it because how do you take a $50 bill away from a five year old? We headed home to put on our matching Christmas pjs and get the boys tucked into bed. Buck joked that Fawn willed himself to sleep -- he was just so excited for Christmas morning. Small Fry was longer to bed, and we heard him talking and playing as we enjoyed a delicious steak dinner and red wine.

Handsome boys before church.

Who needs presents when you get these two? Not me!

This guy was all about the treats -- he (and his older brother) loved our homemade marshmallow pops.

Writing a letter to Santa.

Could not contain the excitement.

Small Fry's plate for Santa.

Fawn's plate for Santa.

Instructions.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Christmas Happenings.

Subtitle: Some things change and some stay the same. We enjoyed old traditions and threw in some new twists this year to celebrate Advent.

There was the tree -- a beautiful Whole Foods fir that was so full and held up remarkably well. Buck was kind enough to take the boys to purchase it the Wednesday before Thanksgiving so it was set up and ready for the boys and me to decorate as soon as we returned from our Thanksgiving farm trip. It turned out so pretty, we only broke one ornament, and the boys pretty much admired from afar while taking turns doing Christmas light duty.

The Magic Elf was back to enjoy Advent with us. He brought some Christmas goodies -- treats, pajamas, music, stickers, chocolate Advent calendars -- just little happies to help spread joy. Small Fry was the ultimate Magic Elf spotter -- that boy's got some good eyes on him! Thankfully the Magic Elf didn't do anything obscene this year. But he was a good hider! The favorite hiding spot was on top of a ceiling fan because watching the elf fly off a moving fan insights such laughter. He also played candy cane hide and seek with the boys one morning after they did a great job of cleaning out their playroom and getting rid of old toys. 

There was the counting down to Christmas. We didn't set up our sock Advent calendar this year. In year's past we have included a different Christmas activity to do each day, but with Fawn in big school I decided that was just too much to plan. Looking back over the month we really did do something Christmas-y about every day but it would have been too difficult to plan in advance. The Magic Elf brought chocolate Advent calendars which were a great addition to our bedtime routine. I also wrapped twenty four Christmas books and put them under the Christmas tree on December 1. The boys opened a book each morning and we read it -- and kept reading it throughout the month. It was a good visual to see the books dwindle and it was also nice to have something wrapped under the tree throughout the month. It was such a fun addition to our Christmas routine that I can't wait to do again. We also used our Christmas Bible verse cards. We would read the Christmas story -- mostly from Luke, but also from the rest of the bible -- at breakfast or dinner time. It has been a nice way to stay focused on the coming of Christ. We also added an Advent candle display in our kitchen this year. The boys were so quick to know the meaning of the different candles -- it was another great addition.

There was special time with grandparents -- the IPC Advent Workshop with Mimi and Pops and gingerbread house building at the club with Lulu. Mimi also went to Zoolight Safari with Jack and me for our second trip while our big guys were hunting.

There were fun events. In addition to Zoolight Safari, we also went to a couple Christmas plays. First, we went to Birmingham Children's Theater Babes in Toyland. It was a BABC event that was so well done, though the play was a bit over the boys' heads. Second, we went to a traveling theater company's production of The Elves and The Shoemaker at the library. It was so cute and the boys were captivated. We went to the library as much as we could as they had their own elf that hid in a new spot every day and if you found him you got a treat. Small Fry also got to go to a special Christmas story time at the library and visit with Mrs. Claus. Buck and I also got to attend the annual Hare Wynn Christmas party -- what a fun night with my number one guy. And the four of us attended our church's Christmas music concert.

There was fun at school. Small Fry had a special Christmas chapel and a Christmas party in his class. He came home on his last day of school dressed as Rudolph and wore the get up all day. Fawn had his first elementary school program -- a holiday program. His class sang a Christian song, a Jewish song, and a secular song. It was cute! He also had a class "holiday" party that I was in charge of. I loved getting to be there with him to celebrate with his precious teacher and classmates. 

There were treats! Wow the sugar consumption! We didn't make tons of goodies this year -- party mix a couple times, sugar cookies for Santa (and us!), and candy covered marshmallow pops. It was enough activity to be fun but not overwhelming.

There were crafts -- letters to Santa, pictures, fake snow (never again! oh the mess!), and even homemade snowmen. We honestly did much fewer crafts than we've done the past two years. I think the boys are at an in between stage...Fawn is a bit too old for some of my tried and true holiday crafts (sob!) and Small Fry is a bit too young. But we did get a bit crafty and had lots of fun.

There were lots of snuggles and Christmas program watching. In addition to the Christmas classics, Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, not to mention the classics to our kids...Mickey Saves Santa, Mickey Mouse Choo Choo Express, and Curious George Christmas, we added a couple new feature films this year...Home Alone and Jim Carey's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. While they were both a hit, Fawn absolutely loved Home Alone. He's been quoting the movie back to us ever since!

Zoolight Safari.

Buck went duck hunting in Arkansas this weekend with lawyer buddies. We were sad to have him gone but excited to check some fun Christmas activities off the Christmas bucket list. One of those was Zoolight Safari. We took Buck with us last year and it wasn't his favorite, so I was happy to brave the night solo. The boys were so excited and were on such good behavior. It was a fun, special Mommy/Sons night.

Sweet, excited brothers.

Being the sucker that I am, we went all out and bought the wristbands for unlimited fun. We started at the Yuletide Slide. Poor Small Fry, being the short little buddy he is, is still not quite tall enough to enjoy the fun. But he was such a good sport cheering on Fawn for his multiple rides down the hill. When I asked him what his favorite part of the night was, Small Fry replied that it was watching Bubby go fast down the slide. So sweet! I am so glad we went to the slide first because later in the evening the line was out of control! After the slide we went on the train -- the boys chose the last row so we rode backwards. It was different and fun. Being on the back of the train gave us a longer, special encounter with Santa -- and he gave the boys a big jingle bell to share. The treasured it (and fought over it!) throughout December.

Train selfie.

After the train ride, the boys had worked up an appetite and we demolished a box of popcorn. We then strolled through the light displays as we headed to the children's zoo and the rest of the Zoolight fun. The lights were so pretty and the boys were in awe. In the children's zoo, we rode the rollers, went on a Christmas hayride, and rode the carousel. At that point we were pretty frozen and despite the popcorn snack we were starving! So we headed to a Newk's dinner date. We got sidetracked while exiting the zoo by the awesome snow machine, but after a few minutes of fun called it a night for the second time. The boys continued their angelic behavior and Fawn even told Small Fry that the most important thing about Christmas was that it was Jesus's birthday. And despite my best efforts at being a total klutz and falling on my face, I somehow avoided a massive spill out of the booth to end the evening. All in all, a huge success!

Crazy.

We are in the middle of a tongue sticking out phase.

We copy big brother at every opportunity.

Santa.

We went to visit Santa Claus at Bass Pro Shops (of course!) the first week in December. It was hard to figure out when we were going to squeeze in a Santa visit between afternoon basketball for Fawn, school schedules and farm weekends. Plus, to visit the best Santa -- the BPS Santa -- earlier is definitely better as that place gets insane. Buck knew he was going to be able to slip away from work a bit early and join us on the Santa outing. What a treat for the boys!

Going early was a great decision -- we barely waited at all, really just for Santa's break to end. The boys were so excited! And Fawn was just the best big brother -- he has really stepped up to the plate lately. He told Small Fry just what to do and held his hand waiting for Santa. Oh my heart!

The boys went right up to Santa and hopped on his lap. Fawn did most of the talking, but Small Fry was much less shy and spoke his requests too. Fawn asked for a Nerf or Nothing cross bow, a small air gun and target set (that he picked out at Bass Pro before we saw Santa!!! what?), and the Lego Batman bat cave. Small Fry asked for the Lego Duplo Batman bat cave, a Ninja Turtles toy, and a bulldozer. After they finished their requests and smiled for the camera, we were off to play the BPS games and ride the carousel. What a fun way to celebrate the Christmas season!

All smiles.

Explaining his requests. There was much angst later that evening that perhaps Fawn had not specified the Nerf or Nothing crossbow and had just said crossbow. He was very concerned he would not receive the correct one. So we wrote a letter to Santa clarifying his request and mailed it in one of the Santa mailboxes in Mountain Brook village. 

Carousel.

Love.

Thanksgiving Through Fawn's Camera.