Newman's News: Holiday Fun!

This year I tried to do some fun things with the kids for the holidays. They are getting older and Ethan, especially was totally in the Christmas spirit. So it was my responsibility, as a mom to do something about it. I really could have done better, but I felt like I did pretty good considering my "condition"...

This year I wanted to make an advent calendar for the kids. Ethan was very into counting down to Christmas and someone sent me a good idea about making trees and each day the kids would open one and find a special surprise. On Thanksgiving, while the guys did the clean up, the girls went to work and helped Becky and I make these cute trees... It was a lot of more work then I anticipated, but worth it. The kids loved these trees and unfortunately it got the kids, especially Ethan, wired from day one! It was a LONG month!

I totally forgot to get a picture of my trees when I first set them up... we started with 24 trees and here we were down to 5!

In the trees I included treats and sometimes an activity... One activity was to build a snowman. Since we didn't have snow, we build edible snowmen... It was an interesting experience that Ethan and Emma loved and wanted to go it again.

Of course what would the holidays be without gingerbread houses. Ethan begged and begged to make one. He saw one at his friend's house and so I caved and we did it! Here is Ethan very proud of his little house.

I think Scott decorated more of Emma's then she did...she really discovered treats and sugar this Christmas and has been on a sugar high since!

Another activity we did was ice skating... Since I'm not brave to really take the kids ice skating and since I'm really a bit top heavy I pulled out some paper plates and the kids went wild. It was a hit!

Ethan performing for me!

Sugar cookies aren't my favorite cookie, but the kids loved making and decorating them for Santa. Here is Emma's cookie... kinda got carried away with the sprinkles!