25 Days of Christmas: Day 25

How is it that we only have a few hours left of Christmas day? 😭 It always makes me sad that there's so much build up leading in to Christmas (hello, Hallmark Channel started playing Christmas movies BEFORE HALLOWEEN, which I had no problem with at all!), but then December 26th, it's like Christmas never happened.  Everyone's moved on.  Except me, and several other people I know who will keep on embracing Christmas through the 12 Days 😀

I can't believe these 25 books have come and gone. WHERE did the time go? It seems like we just started this year's 25 Days posts, and now, this is the last one. I love that we were able to do it this year, even when we had to double or triple up books for one night. Now, time to brainstorm themes for next year's posts! (Suggestions are welcome, if you have any fun ideas!)

Book #25: Mater Saves Christmas

Apparently, Christmas was exhausting for this one...

I think Maple's going to miss these fun nights, too.  Okay, probs not.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

25 Days of Christmas: Day 24

To be totally honest, I didn't think tonight's book was going to happen either.  Marshall was so tired after an evening full of fun Christmas traditions and it was his past bedtime.  Luckily, he did settle down just long enough to read!

Book #24: Twas the Night Before Christmas (of course!)

Photo bombed by Santa Maple. That's her new Christmas sweater and she loves it! :)

25 Days of Christmas: Days 21-23

The past couple nights, Marshall hasn't been "feeling" reading. On the 21st, when he first started this, I thought, "okay, no big deal, we'll just double up tomorrow." But then, it kept happening. haha. The 22nd and the 23rd were no different.  He'd sit still for MAYBE 10 seconds, and that was the end of that.  A couple of the books, I did actually finish, but I know good and well he wasn't paying a lick of attention. haha.

Last night, after the 3rd night in a row of Marshall not wanting to read, I realized we were running out of days in the 25 Days of Christmas, and I'm just going to need to do a blog post now, before Days 24 and 25 are ready to be written.

So, here are the books we attempted reading the past couple days:

Book #21: The Snowbelly Family of Chillyville Inn

Book #22: Christmas Joy

Book #23: Lady and the Tramp: Lady's Christmas Surprise

25 Days of Christmas: Days 19 and 20

Tonight's one of those nights where I'm just sitting here staring at this blog post--all the pictures and links are good to go--but I have no idea what to write.  I keep clicking other tabs, then coming back, thinking something will come to me.  It doesn't, so I do it all again.  So, let's just cut to the chase!

Book #19: The Pups Save Christmas

Book #20: Santa's Toy Shop

25 Days of Christmas: Day 18

I know yesterday's post was posted within the past couple hours, but here's tonight's! Matt read Marshall his Christmas book tonight, and of course, Maple had to be right there with them. (But I'm thinking Marshall's food may have had something to do with that...)

Book #18: Santa's Sleigh is on its way to Virginia

I love how this book mentions lots of famous landmarks and cities in the state.

Apparently Marshall's drink was so good, he could only focus on that 😂

25 Days of Christmas: Day 17

Y'all, I was all set last night.  We read our book, the pictures (and videos, in this case) had been taken, and I was ready to get this blog post up.  Then what happened? OUR INTERNET WENT OUT.  I was so upset, because I was really looking forward to getting this one posted. But, as I've come to accept, it's okay if this gets posted later than planned, right? Right.

Book #17 was actually read by someone extra special.  This book was given to Marshall from my dad, Marshall's Poppy, on Marshall's first Christmas  Dad had his dad, my Papa, and Marshall's great-Papa, record himself reading this book, so Marshall would always have it.  Sadly, Papa passed away just a couple months after this Christmas, so we really cherish this book!

Book #17: A Charlie Brown Christmas

I can't get this video to turn the correct way, sorry!

25 Days of Christmas: Days 15 and 16

I love how much Marshall loves books now, which makes doing these 25 Days of Christmas books so much more fun!  Sure, there are some nights where he's such a wiggle worm, but then there's nights where he'll sit studying each picture.  Or maybe he'll start knocking on the pages when I say, "Joseph knock, knock, knocks on every door...", much like he did tonight. haha.

Book #15: The Itsy Bitsy Reindeer

Book #16: One Small Donkey

I just love this first picture! I read The Itsy Bitsy Reindeer to the tune of The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Marshall did the motions of the spider version as I read! It was so funny. And he probably thinks I'm nuts for singing a really wrong version of the spider song he knows. haha

"Dad, why do you take pictures of us reading every night?"

"Mom, read faster!" He started turning the pages way too soon 😂

25 Days of Christmas: Day 10

I feel like weekends fly by way too quickly!! Wasn't it just Friday afternoon and I was driving home from work, IN THE SNOW, ready for a nice weekend?  Thankfully, this is our last week of school before a much needed two week break! While I'm ready for this Friday afternoon to be here, I'm looking forward to fun and festive things going on at work, and exchanging a few gifts!

Today at church, we had our annual Christmas Cantata and Children's program.  I love how they incorporated both groups into the same program this year.  All of the music was awesome!!! And of course the kids are adorable to watch :)  Marshall was still too young to participate this year, but maybe next year!  Wonder if we can find my old sheep costume at church from the Christmas play about 24 years ago for him to wear? 😂  Haha, I'm sure it's been cleaned out by now!

So, tonight's book was a great way to end the day, following the Christmas program at church.

Book #10: The Best Christmas Gift Ever (Veggies Tales!)

Maple couldn't get herself situated for story time. haha

While I was reading to Marshall, he was looking up at the tree, just staring.  Matt took him over to the tree and he was pointing at each ornament and saying what it was, specifically "car"--we have a Mater Christmas ornament (from the movie cars), and Marshall recognized it from the Mater Christmas blow-up we have outside by the porch.

Marshall also got a bonus book tonight after our Christmas book.  He went and grabbed his most favorite book ever and brought it to Matt to read.

25 Days of Christmas: Days 7 and 8

I like to think I've learned how to "go with the flow" more, but it doesn't always work out that way. ha!

I soooo wanted to get a blog post up last night, but someone was all hyped up and crazy for some reason, so there was no sitting still to read. 😳

As this crazy week comes to an end (WITH SNOW!), I'm just going to cut to the chase, so Matt and I can catch up on Arrow on Netflix! Is anyone else as addicted to the show as I am now??

Book #7: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph Helps Out

Book #8: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: A Very Merry Christmas This book has three buttons on the side that plays music...I so wish technology would've cooperated with me tonight and let me upload a video of Marshall dancing...it was hilarious!

*The Mickey book Marshall is *reading* is one of our books from the other night...he was flipping through the pages as I was reading.*

Here's to a fun, snowy weekend! Happy Friday!

25 Days of Christmas: Day 21

Ever since Matt and I started dating, I've been invited over to their Christmas Eve Brunch.  It's grown a bit over the years!  Just as the name sounds, we would either be at Matt's house or someone else's house on Christmas Eve morning for a yummy brunch.  Since all the kids have gotten older and aren't all on Christmas break any more, it's had to be moved from Christmas Eve to most likely a weekend.  And, to work around everyone schedules, like this year, it wasn't brunch, but Christmas Eve dinner, four days early!

You're most likely always around family for the holidays, so it's fun to make sure you have time with friends, too!  It's very nice that we have had a lot of the same family friends since we were in elementary school, so everyone's like family anyway!

This year, Christmas Eve "Brunch" was held at Matt's parent's house, so we headed over this evening..

Love their tree and the way the mantle is decorating with the garland, snow and village houses!

yummy food!

 

tasting some desserts :)

 

Oh, also! Happy First Day of Winter!!

Now, where's the snow?!