A Quick Glance At Christmas

This is a bit late to be posting about our Christmas crafts we did the last half of December, but I wanted to have a record for next year so I don't have to reinvent the wheel for myself.

We managed to do a craft or activity nearly everyday of December and it was great! Lukas loved it especially and now is constantly asking to do "crafts, Mama!". So now I need to get busy and come up with monthly sets of crafts to do, oh boy. My brain hurts thinking about it. With a new baby coming, though, I can see the benefit of having some preplanned crafts ready to go for those jealous moments when I'll be taking care of baby sister.

Marble Painted Tree

Lukas thought this was pretty cool. You just put a cutout of something on a cardboard lid with a dollop of paint or three and then give them a marble to roll around and it decorates the cutout beautifully. And doesn't require a major clean-up like when typically using paint!

My little helper.

We made sugar cookies and then frosted them, or should I say, they frosted one each and then I frosted the rest. I don't really know why I keep making sugar cookies as neither of my boys like the cookie part, just the icing. Really, then, it's because I discovered the absolute best sugar cookie recipe in the history of the world from my friend, Emily. The cookies turn out perfect every time and are the perfect amount of crunch on the edges and soft and moist on the inside. YUM!!!

Of course, we had to have some play fighting with homemade crowns and swords. Not sure if that fit in with Christmas, though it was the correct form of weapons for the time of Jesus. So that counts, right? Hmmm, maybe the Roman soldiers and Peter when he was defending Jesus?

One night we loaded the boys into the car and tried finding the Christmas ships. We missed them on the Willamette, so tried to catch them on the Columbia, but apparently the Columbia is a lot longer and the boats are not in any hurry as we never saw them. So instead, we went to Peacock Lane, which was much closer and probably more fun for the boys. Live and learn.

I'd reccommend parking a few blocks away and then walking there, if you were thinking of doing this next year. The traffic to drive through stretches forever and then you have walkers in front of the houses blocking your view. We parked and walked and it was great and Lukas loved it. Nikolas, on the other hand, is in a fun stage of not wanting to participate in ANYTHING right now, so he was miserable the whole time.

Large to Small Tree Building

They were supposed to build their Christmas tree going from large on bottom to small on top. Fun craft and a learning tool as well. Nikolas did great, and actually participated, and Lukas did pretty good for his age.

"Stained Glass" Window Trees

Paper Plate Angels

Obviously, I helped Lukas with the head. Not that it is great, but it would've ended up with scribbles for a head otherwise.

Making a nativity scene with stickers

Christmas Eve at the Grandparents

Yes, Nik is probably picking his nose. It seems to be a requirement for him as soon as a camera is pointed his way. Which is why he isn't included in many posts. He might be thankful for that when he is older.....or bummed.....could go either way really....