Holiday Fun...at home

We made sugar cookies.  These three did the baking and I did the cleaning up after them. 

Cooper came home with a gnome direct draw and wanted the whole family to give it a try.  It was fun! The only picture of a finished product that we got was Benji's. I LOVE doing direct draws with kids so this helped fill my holiday activity bucket since holiday fun online is just not the same! 

My school did a drive-thru Santa night.  It was so fun to see students and to shower them with treats and activities.  

We talked to the kid's teachers and gathered all of their work for the last week of school before break and stayed home for 12 days so we could celebrate Christmas with some family.  

They missed a whole lot of holiday fun at school but we tried to make up for it at home.  They spent the week doing schoolwork in pajamas.  

We watched holiday concerts from home.  

We did a secret 12 days of Christmas for Grandma and Grandpa.  This is Benji getting ready to drop something off on their porch and run. I realized I am way too chicken to do anything sneeky! 

We did the Children's art festival drive-through and the kids got a whole bag full of projects to work on.  

We wrote Santa letters and mailed them.

I added some holiday cheer to my online teaching.  

We did advent calendars. 

The kids made a gingerbread house. 

This year they did the whole thing by themselves, after Benji helped with putting the chimney on.  It was fun seeing them go for it, getting along, working as a team, and not wanting mom and dad's help.  

We did school parties at home. 

Since the kids missed the last week of school, before break, I had to host the classroom party and incorporate all the events that each of the three were missing.  We did an earthquake science project out of graham crackers and frosting, a Harry Potter movie, popcorn and butter beer, and an art project.  Out of all the years I got to skip the school holiday parties...no such luck! Secretly, I think they will always just find me! 

Santa came and visited!  Yes! He knocked on the door one night while we were eating dinner.  The kids ran to the door to find Santa making sure his list was accurate.  Something to do with computer issues and he was making sure nothing was incorrect.  He knew Ella wanted a mini trampoline, Cooper wanted a fast remote control car, and Addie wanted a Critter castle.  They talked to him for a minute or two, he left some candy canes, and went walking down the street.  The kids were awestruck!!!!! Oh, the magic of the season! 

Santa was safe. He wore a mask and social distanced!

Benji enjoying the view from Cooper's room, checking out the Christmas Star.  

We received this beautiful box of cupcakes from some dear friends. Nothing like finding cupcakes from Georgetown at our front door! 

Just in case you are wondering, they were delicious!!! We cut each one into five pieces, so we could try each one of the seasonal flavors.  

The kids received letters from Santa.  They have so much fun reading them each year! 

The kids made a Christmas movie bucket list. I was thinking they would watch a few and save the rest for next year.  Wrong! They took the list as a challenge and watched them all.  We had a lot of down time this year so I was glad we had the movies to entertain us!