Red Friday

Ah, Advent. Aside from the summer, when the kids and I are free do play all day every day, and spring, when we plant our pinwheels and wait for Easter, Advent is my favorite time of year.

I like the fall -- pumpkins are orange and orange is my new favorite color. Halloween and the associated dressing up is fun and of course I enjoy seeing family at Thanksgiving. But really, now that it's past, I'm just so very excited by the Christmas season.

The day after Thanksgiving is a busy day at the Nolen house. First order of business is dressing up and taking the annual Christmas card pictures. I have to say that it went so well this year that this is not the best picture I got of Sydney.

After dressing up my way, Sydney requested to dress up her way, so she (and her brother) donned dress up clothes and we decorated one of the Christmas trees. (I actually have an idea for a second tree decorated with Christmons -- which is actually spelled "chrismon" but that doesn't seem right to me -- or symbolic ornaments that each stand for different aspects of Christianity. I want to put advent activities, crafts, books, and other things for each of the days of Advent under that tree.)

After tree trimming, the kids and I actually went to Hobby Lobby -- in costume -- to buy the felt and gold embroidery thread for the Christmons. Then when we got back home, Jeremy had straightened up the house from the grand decorating and started preparing hot coco and mulled wine to drink (coco for me and the kids, wine for daddy).

Then, to my surprise, Jeremy got out the bible and started reading from chapter 2 of Luke, the Christmas Story. It had not been a tradition in my house and I had not expected him to think of it for ours, but he did, showing once again what a wonderful caregiver he is for our children, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

I am very excited about the days and weeks to come. I only get this one season with Jack still a toddler/baby and Sydney still so very impressionable and I want to make the most of it. So even though Advent doesn't officially start until Sunday and our calendar of events won't start until next Tuesday, the Christmas music is playing, the trees are up, and the anticipation of the holy day are upon us.