Reindeer Food.

Another tradition we have is sprinkling reindeer food outside the house so that Santa's reindeer will be able to find us.
Here's what the little instructions or poem says:

'Sprinkle this reindeer food outside tonight.
The moonlight will make it sparkle bright.
As the reindeer fly and roam.
This will guide them to your home.'

 There was so much snow and it was so cold, I made them stay on the porch.
So mean I know. Now, notice in the lower picture how close Sawyer is to the edge of the porch. With his last toss of food he slipped and fell off the porch hands, knees, and face first into the snow.
We scooped him up, brought him inside and threw his wet pj's in the dryer.
He was good as new.

Christmas Pajamas.

The kids all received their new Christmas PJ'S on Christmas Eve.
Ty and I really thought it would be funny to get them all footed pajamas. Kenz didn't think that would be too funny. We decided to please our children and go with something a little more practical. Aka: ones they would wear again.
So Angry Birds won.

Santa's Cookies.

I almost forgot cookies for Santa. How could that be.
Let's be honest. We almost ran out of time to make cookies for Santa.
I tried to convince the kids that Santa would rather have a smoothie, but they weren't convinced. He had to have cookies.
So a cookie making we go!

Dawson ate every cookie he made.

He never even noticed the frosting on his mouth and near his eye.

Sawyer's awesome cookie.

And Tyler's catastrophe of a cookie.

Some of the cookies we made.

The kids thought Santa should get the whole plate.

After much debate, I won with the idea that we leave 1 for Santa cause he is gonna be very full.

Kenzie's cookie and the winning Santa cookie was done by Xander.

Christmas Traditions.

As part of our family's Christmas traditions we celebrate the 12 days before. We have a different gift we open for each night. The gifts differ from books to read, treats to share and activities to do as a family.
Each gift also is accompanied with a spiritual thought or scripture to read.
The kids take turns each night opening the gift and sharing it with their siblings.
It creates a special feeling in our home as we read the message and share in the spirit of the season.
Here are a couple of our family's activities.

All the kids decorating snowmen cookies.

Sawyer decided he didn't want any more help from daddy.

Here's the kids and their finished cookies.

Another night we made chocolate dipped pretzels to pass out to neighbors.

The kids all had a blast helping out with the decorating.

Ty and I dipped them while Dawson, Mackenzie and Sawyer decorated them.

Xander watched and goofed off and volunteered to taste them.

When the chocolate was cooled, Kenzie packaged them up.

The kids did a great job and they all got along. That was an added bonus for mommy.

As part of our tradition we always make ginger bread houses. The kids love this day!
They love the candy overload. They love creating their perfect houses and covering it in as much icing and candy as possible. It's a sugar heaven.

Anxiously waiting.

The candy stash.

Dawson hard at work on his house.

She is so focused.

Now that's a beautiful house.

Xander's creation.

Complete with a candy snowman.

Sawyer ate more candy then he put on his house.

The finished houses.

Jingle's Final Week of Silliness.

What a whirlwind week it has been. Our little Jingle must be one tired elf.
Here is what he was up to this past week through Christmas day.


Day 15

We decorated snowman cookies as a family one night.

I guess Jingle felt left out and wanted to make one too.

Day 16.

Jingle filled our candy jar full of marshmallows.

Unfortunately for him it looks like he fell in and got trapped.

Day 17.

Poor little elf must not be feeling well.

I suspect it might be from all the marshmallows he was eating the day and night before.

 Day 18.

Jingle made his own little "sole" train.

 Day 19.

Looks like Jingle wanted to play a little trick on the kids.

He switched all their stockings for the kid's underwear.

It sure made for a lot of giggles that morning.

Day 20.

Jingle gets more mischievous as the days go on.

 Day 21.

The kids had been talking about a 'white Christmas' for days. 

Looks like Jingle wanted to make sure they got their white Christmas. 

Even if it was inside.

Day 22.

Looks like all that indoor snow made Jingle want to make 'snow angels'

Day 23.

On Christmas morning, the kids found Jingle waiting for them with a little note.

It read, 

"Dear Keith kids.

I had a wonderful time being with your family.I hope my silly tricks and mischievous behavior didn't make anyone go to crazy (mom and dad).

You kids have been a blast to watch everyday. You all are so silly.

Tonight will be my last night with you. But, don't worry I'll be back again next December with new pranks and silliness.

Santa said I could stay for the day and watch you open your gifts. But, I have to be home for bed.

Have a very Merry Christmas Keith family.

Love your elf 

Jingle."

OK. just in case you're wondering. We started our Elf on the shelf a day late. That's why I only had 23 days instead of 24. Don't worry next year I'll have my full December 1st-December 24th. Oh what fun we'll have then.