Countdown to Christmas

In the days before Christmas we tried to squeeze in as much festivities as we could.

Making gingerbread cookies are a must of course.

Lila added just a touch of sprinkles.

Get it Ruby!

The last week before Christmas Jett had to go to school during the AM time.  It was BRUTAL.  It honestly was horrid for us all.  I so so so love PM school.  I wish all grades were PM. I wonder if I can petition my legislators or something about this...

Anywho, it was much more bearable once we stopped off at Starbucks to get a jump start on the morning!

The mall has a night where they play music and turn on snow machines.  This was a highlight for them!

Photobomb by Luke and Drew!!

Snowing in Temecula!!

This is as close as we could get of a group shot.  I think it was actually bubbles or something, but these kids believed it was the read deal.

And you know it's not the Christmas season if you don't hear the ringing bells of the Salvation Army!  Papa somehow was scheduled to ring (???) so he recruited some tiny helpers.

In the last fifteen minutes of the shift, Papa told Jett and Drew that if they got 10 donations, Drew got to spend the night at yours truly.  I hold my titles as the funnest Auntie very seriously, so naturally, Drew really wanted that sleepover.  I didn't witness this, but apparently Jett and Drew got in peoples faces pretty intensely with that bell and reached their goal!  Yay- sleepover at the Bunch house!!!  Oh and more money for the Salvation Army.  Everybody wins!!

So we wrapped up the night with a fun sleepover which of course- at Auntie Rin Rin's house, that means brownies for dinner :)

Getting Ready

The girls are both pretty fascinated with make up.  Most days I can shoo them away while I get ready but some times they finagle their way into the bathroom and steal my loot.

Lila actually has decent technique here...not bad! Ruby is looking on but clearly not learning a thing....

Because she seemed to think this looked amazing.

The Elf On the Shelf

We joined the Elf on the Shelf craze this year and boy was it the best idea ever!  Fighting kids?  Elf is watching, kiddo's.  Make your moves wisely.  I've never had such well behaved kids when reminded of this little helper!  They decided to name him Fred Tart the Watching Elf.

And watch he did.  Fred pretty much rules.

For those that don't have this amazing behavior elf, the jist of it is; he goes back to the North Pole each night to report to Santa on the kids' behavior.  He also tells Santa what they want- so they can tell the elf.  Then, each morning, he reappears when they wake up...usually he is up to some mischief while they sleep.  You can't ever touch the elf, however, or else he will lose his magic.

I forgot to take pictures of all the days but here are some of them...most of which I will fully admit were stolen from Pinterest.

The rumor is Elves love sugar.  Fred drank up most of our syrup one day...

Captured by some Marines.

This one was a favorite of the kids...he switched out the stockings with the kids' chonies.  And he left some Christmas Tree Cakes too!

Roasting marshmallows.

Taking a dive into the Hershey's Kisses.

One morning Fred was nice enough to whip up some tiny pancakes.

Playing Candyland with Santa.

Toilet papering the Christmas Tree.

Zip lining!

Gaming with Woody.

Snowball/Marshmallow fight.

Drawing faces on the family.

This one was when it was Sean's turn to help out.  Lounge singing to some dolls.  LOL

On Christmas Eve it was time to say goodbye to Fred.  The kids were super sad as they really looked forward to waking up and seeing what Fred had been up to.  Legend has it that on Christmas Eve the Elf doesn't need as much magic to get home since he will be hitching a ride in Santa's sleigh.  So, for that reason, you can give him one small hug goodbye.   

Ruby and Jett gave him a big hug but Lila never trusted that shifty little Elf so she passed on the goodbye hug.

Bronco's for Life

The football season sadly came to an end which means our Friday nights will be a little emptier....well that is until FNL starts up and our boys will actually be playing.  The kids love these games and have so much fun each week.  Kinda sad we have to wait a whole more year for them!

 The crew.  I seriously never see these boys the entire game.  I think they play a few rounds of football themselves for most of it.  They just disappear for the entirety.  Once, we found Drew participating  in the homecoming parade...no clue how he finagled that one!

One game we were so lucky to have some good friends of the family come down from Washington to visit.  Lila, of course made fast friends with Sally :)

Jett and his buddy Seth.

And his Bfffffff Drew.

 Practicing in hopes of making the VMHS cheer squad of 2025.

Visiting with the firefighters....that's my girl, Lila!!!

Getting their patriotism on with the national anthem.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas..

Christmas is seriously a bajillion times more fun with kids.  They love everything about the decorating, waiting for Santa, baking, etc.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we did all the usual fun stuff such as...

Tree decorating!  We have to hot glue about 20 ornaments each year because apparently, they double as toys.  Looks like Santa never recovered his hat last year on this one.  Hmmm.  Oh well!

Put your hands in the air for presents!!!

Ok this little gem is a favorite with the kids.  Jett has been asking since about Halloween when we could pull out Jesus and the hay cradle.  FINALLY the moment arrived and he was super pleased.  It did prompt some really good questions though.  After playing for a while, Jett wanted to know how come Jesus has two dads?  And why is God never in any of his playlets?  Deep thoughts here.

This hat was literally worn almost daily in the month of Dec.  Major holiday spirit here!!!

And of course Christmas isn't Christmas without lots of crafts.

Anyone who knows us, knows that the bunch kids love their costumes.  Since we didn't have a rudolph costume handy, we figured a way to whip one up quickly.  

Then Jett tied a laundry basket to himself and pulled his sisters around the house.  Giddy up Rudolph!

And more and more and more crafts.

It's almost becoming a ritual for dad to bring home cookies for the kids when he's at work.  To keep with the theme, it was Christmas cookies this week.

My personal favorite- baking.  

Decorating cookies at Ree Ree's house.  This was a pretty strategic move on Sarah's part.  She brought all the supplies up to Ree Ree's and let the kids go at it.  HUGE mess.  Enormous.  Such a good call Sarah to take that disaster to someone else's house!!  Sorry Ree Ree!!!

Um, sharing?