Getting Ready For Christmas

The first couple weeks of December we spent getting into the Christmas spirit!

We worked hard on the new decorations both inside....

 And outside...

The girls thought it would be fun to make gingerbread houses, too.

We found a kit that would help us out.

Avery's was a village.....

Annalise chose the house....

They really took their time!!

And they turned out great!!

The next day we had just enough time after a birthday party to make it to the Olde Fashioned Christmas.  I think this was our quickest trip yet (about 40 minutes), but luckily we knew which buildings were our favorites and HAD to stop for.

First the school house to write a letter to Santa....

A quick stop at the Post Office to mail them and then on to the Jenny House.

The girls got their cookies baking....

Then we explored the house.

These reindeer were having a party in the dining room....

We went upstairs for some dancing then came back down to get the fresh baked cookies!

It was too cold for the horse drawn carriage rides this year, 

but we still got to visit the big draft horses in the barn.

Next it was off to make some applesauce and see Santa!!

Annalise was READY for Santa!

She had clipped a picture out of a catalog of the doll wheelchair and crutches set she was asking him for.  That way there was NO confusion on his part!

Avery was quick and to the point.

Didn't want to have to sit there for long....

 

It's all so festive....love that Christmas-y feeling!!

We were off to the church for some caroling.

And finally....

cookies and hot cocoa.

Yes!  We did it all just in time before they were shutting down for the year.  Phew!

Can't imagine getting ready for Christmas without having been to the Olde Fashioned Christmas!