Nativities Galore

Advent is upon us and I LOVE advent season! Unfortunately, this year, I am not fully enjoying it all as I should or as I want to. I am so behind on the Christmas preparation that I haven't taken the time to relax and reflect on the true meaning of this season. Last year we really built it all up for the boys and were purposeful to read the Christmas books daily. We're behind the curve this year and need to get with the program. I could list all our excuses (new baby, no sleep, Alan's ridiculous midnight work hours, work travels, too much on the calendar...) but really, we need to get our acts together no matter what. Jesus' birthday only happens once a year and I don't want to miss another day of the build-up!

We have some decorations up, but not as much as I had hoped. Alan's work schedule is so awful that no outside decorating is happening this year, which is fine cause not only does he not have time to put it up, he wouldn't have time to take it down. It's kind of a bummer, though. We have put up the tree in our house, but we've decorated it only minimally since we're going to take it down in just one week to take it over to the beach house for Christmas.

The one thing that we have gotten out and gotten on the ball with: Nativities. We have not one, not two, but SIX nativities out. Two for decoration and four for the boys to play with. I love nativities and the boys are enjoying playing with them.

Note the clusters of candy canes...they're only on the bottom of the tree and my type-A personality has fought off the urge to spread them out and put some up higher. How many years will my tree be decorated by toddlers? I may as well embrace it.

Playing with some of the nativity setsThe "What God Wants for Christmas" set. You can see how behind we are since all the boys have opened are Gabriel, Mary and Joseph.

The boys are enjoying the Christmas season, though. They love to see lights on houses and listen to Christmas music in the car. They call it, "Jesus' birthday music." And they are very excited for my family to arrive and to go to the "Blue House" for Christmas! We all are!