Advent Catch Up

I just loved doing our advent calendar this year, I was just really bad about posting everything on our blog...but here is the final advent post....and well, it's a long one!

Day 13: S'mores and Hot Chocolate Party

We invited our friends over for a fire in the backyard (perfect weather that night by the way). We had 4 different kinds of graham crackers, 5 marshmallow flavors, several kinds of chocolate, and 4 different hot chocolate flavors to choose from. So much fun, but I might of had a belly ache later that night!!

Day 14: Watch the Polar Express

Day 15: Read Christmas Stories

LOVE LOVE LOVE this book, it's my favorite Christmas book!

Day 16: Make Christmas Goodies

Day 17: Watch this movie

Day 18: Party all night long!!!

So much more to post about this soon!

Day 19: Decorate Sugar Cookies with Grandma and Grandpa

Days 20 & 21: Deliver Yummy Treats to all our dearest friends.

The kids (when I say "kids" I mean Owen) loved going to each door and yelling "Merry Christmas" when someone answered. I think he got louder and louder at each house.

Day 23: Learn how a candy cane is made and see the lights on Thoroughbred!!

Since it had been raining the entire week, we ended up packing 4 advent activities into just 2 days. (notice how there is no day 22...it was raining, we were stuck inside...I think we wrapped gifts that night). On Thursday the weather cleared up and we headed to Logan's Candies and watched candy canes being made entirely by hand. This was fun, and really interesting, but it was cold outside and Owen couldn't see well so we didn't last very long.

The best part about the candy cane demonstration was getting to eat a warm candy cane afterwards. So yummy!!! I seriously think Logan's make the best candy canes ever!!!

After the candy store we headed over to our old stomping ground to check out the lights. Spencer and I enjoyed reflecting on childhood memories and anxiously watched the crowd to see if we could find people we knew.

Owen, on the other hand, was miserable the entire time because we made him ride in the stroller and he wanted to walk. He cried pretty much the entire time we were there. It was just too crowded to let him walk, especially since he refuses to hold our hands. Audrey was a perfect little angel as always and loved staring at all the lights.

Day 24: Visit the Mission Inn Lights and see the most outrageous decorated house ever!!

Our friends the Lauderman's invited us over for a delicious Christmas Eve dinner and then we went and walked around the Mission Inn in Riverside. It was a great way to spend the night before Christmas.

After the Mission Inn our friends took us to see this house!! We were blown away by all the lights, it was pretty incredible!!! This for me topped off the entire Christmas season!!

Such a fun December! I will miss the anticipation of what the advent calendar had in store for us each day, it was so fun to see Owen get so excited!! At times it was a lot of work, but I can't wait to do it all over again next year!!!