Advent Day 22-25

The 25 Days of Christmas 

Day 22

Driving around Concord to see all the pretty Christmas lights.

The 25 Days of Christmas 

Day 23

Visiting Grammy and Grandaddy and Aunt Emily for Christmas in Elkin.

The 25 Days of Christmas 

Day 24

 Christmas morning (December 24th in Elkin)

The 25 Days of Christmas

Day 25

Christmas at our house

 Christmas at Pa and Luvie's house

 Christmas at Granny Linker's house

 And back home again! 

Is it just me or does he look like he is about 4 years old in this picture?

Advent Day 21

The 25 Days of Christmas

Day 21

(No a Photo Story)

So it is ironic that today the shortest day of the year (daylight hours) actually felt like by far the longest day leading up to Christmas.  I guess Anderson woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or his teeth are hurting him (I think his back molars are slowly trying to come in), or maybe he is starting to get sick.  I don't know, and he is 21 months old and can't tell me.  But for whatever reason, he was very out of sorts today.  He was throwing temper tantrums like a crazy man, he went to sleep for his nap at 11am and only slept an hour, and he took another nap at 5:45 while on the way to dinner with Pa and Luvie.  In addition to that, I accidentally dropped his little Lighting McQueen car into a pool of hot wax (my "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" Yankee Candle).  And then he slipped and bumped his head on the tub while in the shower (he is fine).  Thank goodness this was Andy's last day before Christmas Break or else the name of it would need to be changed to Kate's Christmas Breakdown. ;)  So I am sorry to say, but we never actually opened an Advent Envelop today.  But Anderson and I did watch a new Christmas classic "Elf" while we waited for the last hour to pass before daddy came home from work.  I don't have any photographic evidence.  You just have to trust that I did something "Christmas-y" with my little man today!

Advent Day 19

The 25 Days of Christmas

Day 19

(A Photo Story)

If you had told me before getting a 16 month old (now a 21 month old) that I would spend about 1 day every 2 weeks in Concord Mills (specifically Bass Pro Shop) with him, I would have told you that you are nuts and that you don't know me at all.  But I would have been wrong.  Because as a stay-at-home mom on a tight budget we LOVE Bass Pro.  Especially on rainy days and Especially Squared at Christmas!  Because they have FREE...

Santa pictures, electric trains, remote control monster trucks, and

remote controlled race cars (Anderson's favorite free Christmas station)

 Showing Aunt Beth how it works!

 

 There was someone using the remote control racecars when we got there, so we did our Advent Event for the day- Color a Christmas Coloring page while we waited.

While Anderson has really enjoyed the special Christmas display, his favorite part of Bass Pro is still the aquarium.  I really believe he would watch the fish for an hour or more if I would let him.

 After Bass Pro, we showed Aunt Beth the play area on the other side of the mall.

And then she took Anderson on the carousel. 

We had a great day with Aunt Beth.  She was given lots of hugs and kisses from Anderson throughout the day.  I think he has her wrapped around his little finger.  Welcome to the club Aunt Beth!

LLL

Advent Day 20

The 25 Days of Christmas

Day 20

(A Photo Story)

 We highly recommend the...

 for only $2 a person this was a wonderful midweek evening's entertainment!

The tree behind Andy and Anderson had a snow maker in the top of it that sprayed those below with snow!  Hope it is not the only snow we see this season.  But doesn't look like we'll have a white Christmas this year the forecast is about 50 degrees and rainy! :/

 I had to snap this shot because my little man LOVES candy canes!

 The underwater aquarium is not often a part of the Christmas light shows!  It was really cool because it when the lights blinked things looked like they were moving!

 But the light tunnel was my favorite part!

 Mommy and Anderson love the singing bears!  It reminds me of when I was little and we used to go to Eastland Mall to see the bears.

I am not surprised that Anderson loves the singing bears because Andy and I sing all the time!  It wasn't long after arriving home that Anderson started fluctuating his babbling to pretend he was singing with the music.  And he loves to dance, clap, click (his tongue) to the music. But it was the Christmas music that really brought out the singing in him.  The first song he sang with was Jingle Bells.  He sang "Hey"right place. The second song he sang was "Candy Cane Jane".  He would sing the "up, up, up- gooooo" in the chorus that says "Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up, gooo!"  The first time he did it, I thought he was saying he wanted up as in out of the carseat.  And then I realized he was singing along.  He has since added the words, "Gumdrop Joe" and "snow" to the lines that he will sing with this song.  And he will also sing along with "Christmas lights are flashing".  Tonight he sang his first non-Christmas song- The wheels on the bus.  He would sing "all through the town" at the end of each verse with me.  I love hearing him sing, and if you ever happen to be in the car with us you will probably get to enjoy it too!

 I love this shot.  

It really captures how he has looked for most of the Christmas season- complete AWE!

This room was filled with model toy trains.

 Each of those buttons could be pushed to make a scene move.

>>>

Advent Day 18

The 25 Days of Christmas

Day18

(A Photo Story)

 The next 3 photos are Anderson opening his first Christmas present- 

a gift from a sweet friend and her son.

Thanks Kim and JH!

 He needed some coaching at first.  But he quickly got the hang of it!

 He wanted to daddy to try it on.

 He thinks daddy is soooo funny!

Okay, back to Advent.  This is what the front of our TV has looked like since July 20th (the day we returned home with Anderson). 

 And the reason it has a blank screen is because this is what the back of our TV looks like (unplugged).  Yep, we cancelled our basic cable subscription and have not watched TV with Anderson at our house.  Of course, he has seen it other places.  And we watch netflix and hulu on our laptops when Anderson goes to bed.  But not on the television.  Anderson has tried several times to push the buttons on the TV to turn it on.  But he rarely does that any more because nothing happens when he pushes the buttons. 

 But on Tuesday night...

 This is what the envelop told us to do as family (it is Christmas)!

 And so the TV was plugged back in for about 30 minutes on Tuesday night and we watched 2 short Christmas films.

 He was mesmerized.  Daddy enjoyed it too! ;)

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Advent Day 17

The 25 Days of Christmas

Day 17

(A Photo Story)

Don't you just hang out in your superhero cape?

Tonight we went to Andy's work party at Afton Tavern (we highly recommend it).  In addition to good food with good people, they had someone volunteer to take Christmas photos.  And wouldn't you know that there was someone there who had volunteered to take Christmas photos which was our advent event for the day.  So coming soon (when the photo is emailed to us)...Take a family Christmas photo.