We started getting into the Christmas spirit this year as soon as we returned from Richmond after Thanksgiving. Trees (two!) were picked out and the entire house decorated in time for the Bricks 4 Kidz Christmas party at our house on December 7th. After all was complete, we had the rest of the month to just enjoy being together...
It was a busy December so we didn't even bake Christmas cookies until Christmas Even. We had to do it then so that we would have yummy cookies to leave out for Santa. Ellie and her American Girl donned their aprons and we made cute Christmas tree sugar cookies inspired by Martha Stewart.
They turned out really cute!
Ellie and Ga decorated the cutest little gingerbread houses together and we had a small village once they were placed with the one that Ellie had made earlier in the month.
On Christmas Eve we attended church and then went for a ride on the Holly Jolly Trolley. It's a trolley ride through downtown St. Augustine to see the 2.5 million lights but they provide these neat glasses that make all of the lights look like stars. Afterwards, the kids came home and opened their Christmas jammies from Ga and were ready to read Twas the Night Before Christmas to us along with a little help from Owen and Piper.
Before heading off to bed, Ellie set out her cookies for Santa and two carrots for each reindeer this year.
On Christmas morning Ellie was up early to wake everyone and they were both happy to see that they had stayed on the Nice List and Santa came to visit over night.
There were even presents under the tree for Owen and Piper. They love opening gift bags and think that every bag must be for them!
After breakfast, Emory went outside to try out his new electric scooter.
Ellie stayed inside to play some music on her new electric keyboard that Santa brough her...
...with her Furby. These little guys are cuter than ever and now have an app to go with them that Ellie downloaded on her iphone that he interacts with. Furby is very talkative!
We continued the tradition and spent New Year's Eve at the St. Augustine Beach fireworks with Gee and Pa again this year. The weather was mild and it was a great evening all around. Emory and Ellie tried out these big inflatable balls that you climb into and then can run across the sand.
Just as they got out of the balls, the fireworks started...
