Merry Christmas!

I thought since I'm (always) the first one awake, I'd go ahead and snap some pictures before the excitement starts this morning.

Two nights ago we visited a nearby living nativity:

Last night we finished our Advent activity (including the poster on the wall behind them):

Full disclosure: This was the Advent activity I bought to complete Christmas 2017. We only finished a few nights last year, then it fell off our plate. This year we did much better, but weren't even close to perfectly executing it. It's okay though. (Also, notice our version of matching Christmas jammies [from left to right]: Power Rangers, handed-down-from-our-neighbor Elf on a Shelf, pants-less elf, and a nice spring color palette combination.)

Santa gifts on the piano bench:

 Santa doesn't bring big/expensive/exciting gifts at our house. He also doesn't stuff our stockings.

I don't have a future as a Christmas tree photographer:

Ruthie's gifts/stocking are next to the nutcracker, Lorelei's are next to Ruthie's, and Sydney's are next to Lorelei's.

Here are Ford's:

I would also like to disclose that when I was growing up I would BEG my mom to please NOT use brown craft paper (combined with raffia ribbon) to wrap our gifts. I thought it was VERY lame. Well, well, well. Look who's talking now. (Sorry, Mama! Now I get it!)

Merry Christmas, everyone! May the hope of Jesus fill your hearts and homes this day, and every day!