25 Days of Christmas (10) - Santa's Personal Video

So, we are ALL about Christmas this year. I can't get enough of  it this year. We know all about Santa, look for our Elf, Sylvester, every morning, talk about baby Jesus, sing Jingle Bells, Santa Claus, 12 Days of Christmas, etc. We LOVE it this year!! How does it only last a month? I swear, I may start it on Halloween next year. I will be so sad when it's over! :(

The babes got a personal video this year, sent straight from the North Pole. I looked at a few online, and I liked this one the best from www.magicsanta.ca/

They were so excited and entranced. And I liked how he gave each of them a challenge: Josh to go potty, and Jules to stop biting her nails (seriously, do you know another toddler that does this??)

They each got their own video. Here is Josh watching his:

25 Days of Christmas (9) - DIY Scented Pine Cones

We have a fake tree. Ahem...artificial. When you have two cats and two toddlers, it just works for us.

So, while we have the fake tree, I do love the small of Christmas fun, so I do other things. One being these really easy scened pine cones. SO EASY!!

1. go pick pine cones. (free)
2. go to Dollar Tree and get this cinnamon scented spray ($1)

3. heat up spray and additional cinnamon sticks in a pot
4. toss pinecones and scented liquid in a closed-up grocery bag
5. let dry.
6. done!!

Seriously, so easy. And cheap! And your house also smells amazing while it's heating on the stove. Even better!

25 Days of Christmas (8)- 2nd Meeting with Santa (in pictures)

One-on-one....Let's see how she does...

"Hi there, still no sure about you yet"

"Maybe if I just right here in front" (nice, Josh)

"He's nice!! Cheese!!"

"Let's have a chat here about his potty business"

Deep discussion

"I like this guy"

CCHHHHEEEEESSSEEEE!

"Let's try this lap out - it seems ok"

We got it!!!!

Our twin friends, Mac and Mae, although my camera was clearly focused on that guys butt. Awesome.

Meeting each other.

"And the, whe you start walking, there is this WHOLE world out there!!"

Trying to get a group shot. It seemed there was one not wanting to participate. Not naming names...

25 Days of Christmas (7) - Flashback Friday - first meeting with Santa

Its stuff like this that makes me want to curl up in a corner and bawl like a baby. Sometimes I think about how much I love this age and couldn't imagine having another baby, and then I see pictures like this and can't believe its gone so quickly in the blink of an eye!






They were obsessed with him! They did so good and didn't fuss in the least bit.(so different from now)

My sweet Jules.

Little Joshie

Tis the season for reminiscing!!

25 Days of Christmas (6) - The Mantel 2012 vs 2013

I am finally getting our new house together, and its looking pretty great and homey :) And, of course, number #2 on my list was Christmas decorations. While I'm not ready to reveal all yet, I did want to show our mantel. Since we have a new fireplace, I thought it deserved some new stockings! And honestly, I have been wanting these from Ballard Designs for years and years and went with the Pottery Barn ones instead because they seemed more "classic". But, I bit the bullet his year and finally just got what I wanted and I'm so glad I did! They are so fun and festive :) Poor Gus and Zelly didn't get stockings this year - hope they don't mind!!

We are also in the process of changing the fireplace at the new house. Hopefully soon. We are going to raise it to the ceiling and whitewash it! Yay!

last year's mantel

This year's mantel!

25 Days of Christmas (5) - Read Aloud Advent Calendar

This post is from last year, but I am doing it again this year! It's an awesome way to get the kids excited about opening things leading up to Christmas, and they are so excited to read once they open up their book - enjoy!

I loved this idea. I saw this on another twin Mommy's blog, and totally stole it. But, I told her, and she is fine with it :) (aside, I met her online - she was one of my "infertile friends" - she now is the proud Mama to also-adorable boy/girl twins, born just a few days before Josh and Jules, and she lives close too, which is so cool)

Anyway, like I said, I LOVED this and decided to be a thief and steal it. It's called a Read-Aloud Advent Calendar. If you aren't familiar with it - you should be! You basically collect 24 Christmas or winter-themed books, wrap them up, and allow the child to unwrap one each day in December leading up to Christmas. Then you get to read the books together as they're unwrapped. I loved this because it's one thing to open every day, it's reading, and it's something we can all do together as a family. An added bonus for me this year is that they will start to learn what presents are and how to open them. Mine have Christmas coming up, and then their birthday right afterwards, so this way, they can dip their little baby toes into the "gift unwrapping" water.

Another REALLY cool thing is that I thrifted about 95% of these books. Books are a very major part of my babies life, and no lie, I bet I have hundreds of them. And 90% of those are thrifted, so when it came time to get them some Christmas/Holiday books, I went straight to a few thrift stores. And got them all! I had a few given as gifts last Christmas, and those are certainly special, but I am always amazed at the quantity/quality of thrifted books. So, here is what is wrapped up this year:

• Ho, Ho, Ho – A Christmas Peek a Boo book, - by Lark Carrier
• Is it Christmas Yet? By Amye Rosenberg
• Pooh’s Winter Music
• Santa’s Visit – A holiday Touch and Feel
• Snow Place Like Home, by Diana Manning
• Biscuit’s Pet and Play Christmas, by Alyssa Capucilli
• Can you See What I See? – The Night Before Christmas – by Walter Wick
• A Grouch’s Christmas (Sesame Street)
• Clifford’s Christmas Presents
• The Nutcracker Story
• The Stable Where Jesus Was Born, by Rhonda Greene
• All I Want for Christmas – by Nancy Parent
• The Night Before Christmas
• Frosty The Snowman
• The Sweet Smell of Christmas (scratch and sniff) Golden Books
• Pooh’s The Holiday Tree
• Pooh’s The Sweetest Christmas
• The Night Before Christmas Pop-Up Book
• Barney’s C is for Christmas
• Big Bird’s Tree  Trimming Party
• I Can’t Wait Until Christmas (Sesame Street)
• Christmas Tree – by David Martin
• Disney’s Mickey’s Christmas Carol
• Bob The Builder’s Bob’s White Christmas

25 Days of Christmas (4) - Our Elf has returned!

We have officially welcomed our elf back this year. This year, we have actually named the little guy. We threw a bunch of names for them to choose from: Buddy, Charlie, Bob, etc. But they name they have chose to christen him with is Sylvester. Fitting, don't you think because it's the hardest for them to say! It usually comes out as "Ul-ve-tor" but they love him. Last year they wanted to name him JoshJules and refused to call him anything else. It was hysterical. Video from last year:





Thankful we have a name this year. So, please meet Sylvester, our Elf on a Shelf.