Chocolate covered cherries

A box of these always makes it into my home at this time of the year.... my Grandma Jensen loved these!  They would be a staple in her home every Christmas season. 
Reyna tried her first chocolate covered cherry yesterday.  I shared with her that my Grandma had introduced these to me.  As her face broke into a smile from the first taste of chocolate, sugar and cherry she asked about my Grandma.  I shared memories and stories about this person my littlest had never met while we both enjoyed chocolate covered cherries.
This simple box of chocolate brings back memories every single time it's opened.

Breakfast with Johnny

They've been counting down the days until the return of our elf...so much excitement and joy as they welcome Johnny back for another season of mischief and fun

Annual Christmas light scavenger hunt

Elementary Christmas program

Tonight was their night to spread some Christmas cheer.... It was a night for new spaces and firsts. Their first program in the new event center. Despite all the changes one thing stayed true... Mrs Bruce in the center of it all guiding those excited, joy filled little ones through the songs of the season, filled with magic and wonder that little ones spill so freely this time of year.  Well done Mrs Bruce this program is one of my favorite traditions.

Sunday school program

Band holiday concert

25 days of RACK'S

Random acts of Christmas kindness ... a few of the racks we have completed this year.  I enjoy watching the kids get excited to do this each year.

Christmas magic

 

This is my favorite picture of these two this year.  I'm guessing it will be my favorite next year and the year after and somewhere down the road when they are no longer so little when I look at this picture  I will smile, my heart will melt and I will still say "this is my favorite picture!"

Thank you Kami for capturing this purely magical picture of these two.  #kamrajoostenphotography  #readingismagical #soischristmas

Chalk fun

...in November

Black Friday shopping

1st stop and last stop.
Apparently this crew has never been after Thanksgiving/black Friday shopping.  Year after year they have been  rather vocal about this tragic situation. Year after year I've ignored their request (I don't shop nor do I willingly do crowds)... until this year when I surprised myself and them when I said why Not?

Christmas books

This book was waiting for them this morning when they searched for their elf.... after reading it tonight and discovering the surprises inside, our family names scattered throughout the book and a snowflake ornament to hang on the tree. . This one fell asleep with the book in her arms.... dreaming of snowflakes I would guess.  #wonderbly  #itsamagicalstory

I handed the star to the oldest early this morning. I had just realized upon seeing it in the same space it had been the day before that I had forgot to move it. The youngest ones know I move the star, unlike the elf who moves through December with a little north pole magic. Where  that elf draws a lot of energy and excitement from these little ones each day  the search for the star is a quieter more focused activity.  The story is from the wisemens view as they followed the star.  So each day they follow the star as it moves throughout our home, they read the bible verse for the day in the book, and the youngest spends some time at the nativity moving the pieces, telling the story to any daycare kids who happen to be near... this morning as the busy day started I heard her say excitedly "there is the star!"  And as I followed her glance and saw where the oldest had put the star i thought what a  perfect a location he had picked.  That smallest standing in the center of the kitchen her head tilted back said "this is what it must have felt like to be a wisemen  looking up at the sky to see the star.
We didn't need to add another activity to our month of December but I'm glad I discovered this one, it brings the perfect balance, the necessary quiet, a needed connection at a time that often can become over scheduled and large in a hurry.

Christmas lights

In Sleepy eye

Elf antics

When this elf came to visit for the first time 9 years ago I didn't give much thought to the length of time this elf would hold their interest, maybe a few years and these small ones would lose interest.   And yet here we are embarqing on yet another season of Johnny the elf. 
I have had moments where I have wished I had simply passed by that book, I have lost count of the number of times I've pulled myself  from a warm bed to move that elf, and the tales I have told when I forgot to move the elf. At times it feels like a burden and I'm ready to just ditch this tradition.
But then I watch as they search each morning, and I hear the giggles and the whispers.  I see the excitement on daycare kids faces when they find Johnny too and I listen to my little ones tell stories of the antics Johnny has done in the past "remember when..... they start" and I laugh because they haven't even been here on earth for a decade and they have remember when stories.  I sense my smallest is on the brink,  of believing but questioning....for this season she leans towards believing not quite ready to let go of the magic. I find myself hoping she never lets go of the magic.
And so I will continue to search Pinterest for ideas, I will continue to forget to move  the elf and I will gather close the laughter and remember when's this elf has delivered season after season.