advent calendar, part 2: activities.

Of course, the possibilities of Christmas activities are ENDLESS, but here are the ones we chose! (in no particular order)

1. make christmas cards for friends
2. pick out a christmas tree & decorate
   
3. put up christmas lights in his bedroom
4. make an ornament to put on the tree
5. buy a gift and give to a friend
6. make christmas cookies
7. walk to see christmas lights
8. have a family candlelight dinner with christmas music
9. make a present for baby brother's stocking
10. do something nice for daddy (this can be his idea)
11. pick a toy to give to someone in need
12. make a special christmas treat (fudge, caramels, etc)
    
13. make/give presents to teachers
14. make/give card and present to soccer coach
15. make a christmas bingo game & have family game night!
16. build a fire in the backyard for a picnic breakfast
17. have dinner in the tent in the living room (or a fort) & read The Polar Express
    
18. make hot cocoa & "christmas" waffles
19. visit santa at the mall
20. make paper snowflakes for the windows (or any craft you choose)
    
21. have a treasure hunt
    
22. go to the library for christmas storybooks
23. write a letter to Santa
    
24. go out for a special treat
25. Visit a nursing home

Please share any fun ideas you have to add to the list!

xo

{our advent calendar is here}

advent calendar.

advent is upon us. this year Solomon is at the perfect age to get involved in the magic and joy of the Christmas season. i think he's really starting to "get it." See also: four-year-olds are so much fun plus heelareius.

as we all know, crafting is *not* my gift. but it's definitely one of my love languages. . . people making the crafts for me, that is. thanks to my momma who threw together (like a boss!) this adorable advent calendar for us to use with Solo!

there is a little pouch with a card for us to write the activity of the day. each afternoon after school, Solo will get to find the right date and I'll read to him what the card says. i can't wait for his excitement and the special activities we will do together!  i also bought gold foil wrapped chocolate coins, and i had planned to put one in each pouch, however, they don't quite fit. so, instead i'll write a clue on the back of the card to where his "treasure" is hidden each day.

{flip the calendar over for the rest of the days}

{sample activity card}

What special traditions do you have with your kids over the holidays?

Cheers, friends! Happy advent season!

xo

(link below for the activities we chose this year!)

our advent activities

tradition.

Every year we go to Santa Barbara, California to see my Grandma, my aunt and my cousin. We've gone every year since Solo was just a pea growing inside me, and we hope this is just the beginning of a lifetime tradition for our little family.

Solo loves it there. He adores the beach. He loves riding the tram downtown. This year he will have a blast speeding around on his two wheeler. And this year, there will be the added surprise of having his cousins join us there, aunts, uncles, Nonna and Grandpa. We are talking - Solo Heaven. (We haven't told him yet)

Last year's visit - exploring Great-Grandma's beautiful backyard, early morning jammies.

What a difference a year makes. Look at those chubby cheeks!

On the beach, a cool April afternoon.

Mr. P, sharing a dance with Grandma Betty at the senior center.

As much as travel can be an anxiety trigger for me, I still love the excitement and anticipation that comes with preparing and packing for a trip. I love the checklists, the clean sheets we leave on our beds, the last minute emails of confirmation, and finally telling Solo what the heck is going on. I love the taxi ride to the airport, the waiting in line to board, the lurching of my stomach as we lift off. I love the squeals of delight from Solo, the energy he exudes, the unknowns. As much as it is harder to travel with kiddos, it is more fun. I'm much more aware of the gift it is to trust a jet to carry us from here to there, where our loved ones are, where memories, still unknown to us, are waiting in patient anticipation, to be made.

See you soon, SB.

What are your family traditions? Do they include an annual trip to the same destination? Do you still treasure memories from these trips as a child?

steppin' out. {seven.}

Moi:
Headband - Cotton Lane on Etsy
Under tank - Gap
Long tank - Target
Leggings - Zara
Belt - F21
Shoes - Target

Zee wee 1:
Shirt & Vest - sister's wedding attire, re-purposed
Jeans - Levi's
Shoes - Gap

This morning Solo-boy & I had a date to Mommy - tot yoga class! So fun! Then after family nap-time we headed to Costco and Mega to spend an obscene amount of money before going to the Christmas tree lot to pick out our tree! Since I grew up in Christmas tree farm-land (aka Oregon) buying a real tree each year is a must. It's so worth the extra money to have the tradition of picking out the tree, lugging it into the house, sweeping up all the pine needles (which Solo-boy thoroughly enjoyed!) and having the whole house smell of fresh pine.

If I can't have Oregon this Christmas, by golly, I'm having my tree.

Link up with The Haps this weekend!