Christmas Fun Recap #2 {2015}

I can hardly believe almost a whole week has passed since our first Christmas fun recap?! I really wish there was a way to slow the holiday fun down so we could really soak it all in. Since we have been so busy, I thought it would be fun to do another check in to see how all things Christmas are going!
  #2015ChristmasMoments
Another successful week of photo challenge picture taking.


This weeks prompts were
#Music #Family #Tree
#Secret
#Elf
#Green
#Sparkle
I'll let you guess which is what ;). To keep up with the photo challenge fun be sure to follow me on Instagram!
Bucket List
Our list keeps getting closer to complete.  I think we might be able to wrap this list up once we finish school for the year... TOMORROW!!!!

Hot Cocoa & Games

Our annual family game night never disappoints, we may even have an encore round next week!

Write Letters to Santa

Letters to Santa were wrote and dropped off at the post office. The worker made a comment that Santa writes back, but even if he doesn't the girls seem to have quickly forgot about that comment, shwoo!!!

Look at Christmas Lights

Pretty safe to say we nailed the looking at Christmas lights when we visited the "most illuminated theme park in America last week.

Visit Santa

Since our last check in we had our third, fourth and fifth Santa visits. Although I only have photos from 2 of them to share today. The girls know that not every Santa is "the real" Santa. However they are pretty convinced that this guy is the real deal.

I'm almost convinced that he is too

But let's not forget to mention a HUGE milestone. Look who is smiling on Santa's lap!!!!

Even Santa looks a bit surprised and suspicious.

After 3 years of photos with Emily screaming her head off, she impulsively decided on the way to Russ' work party that "I am going to be brave, I am going to sit in Santa's lap!" And just like that she did with absolutely no hesitation.

So weird.... and so cute. 

So naturally I rewarded her with cookies and cupcakes before dinner.

Bob Jingle
Oh that Bob, he's pretty much the coolest ever if you want my opinion ;) Here's a look at what he has been up to lately.

He apparently is a rock star skater boy, he drew us a card for our card wreath and he spent some time with baby Jesus, reminding us what Christmas is all about.

We found him watching TV with his friends when we got back from our trip.

He is always pretty quick to make himself comfortable.

He brought us a Tinkerbell ornament and left Marissa a note. Played Jack in the box with the tissues and posed for a picture.
Our mornings are always more exciting when Bob is around.
Only 9 more days to go, can you believe it?!

Christmas Fun Recap #1 {2015}

We are almost halfway to Christmas and I still haven't done a recap post yet.
Things have been pretty busy and there has been so much to blog about and so many fun link-ups to join that I haven't made time to check in yet. So today I want to do a quick bucket list recap, see how the #2015ChristmasMoments photo challenge is going and show you what our elf, Bob Jingle, has been up to!
Bucket List
 For some reason I thought we were seriously bombing our bucket list. But, when I looked at it I was pleasantly surprised with the progress we have made.

Attend A Christmas tree lighting

The annual Joplin, MO Christmas tree lighting is always comedic (if I am being brutally honest). They throw a few strands of lights in a tree and call it good and this year they didn't even work! But we have been going since Marissa was 1 so we keep going. For how many more years, I don't know. Probably until the girls think it's no longer cool. 

(Please excuse the horrible cell phone/night photos in this post)

Her first official Santa photo of the year. Emily still wants nothing to do with the fat man. 

Go to a Christmas parade

After saying we weren't going we made a spur of the moment decision and went to the Joplin Christmas parade. The girls had a blast leaving us happy that we went!

Make a gingerbread house

I picked up a gingerbread house kit at Aldi this weekend and turned the girls loose letting them have all the fun. I'll admit it, I struggled to just let them go for it and leave them alone. I am so glad that I did though.

Polar Express Movie Night

Right after Thanksgiving we had the second annual Lance/Newman Polar Express movie night. I almost forgot to snap any photos, but remembered to take these right before they left. Shwoo! 

Mail Christmas Cards

I finished up some Christmas cards in the early morning hours with my tea in hand. Did anyone else pick up the Charlie Brown stamps?! So cute. 

#2015ChristmasMoments

So far I have done a good job keeping up with the #2015ChristmasMoments photo challenge. 

Here are the first 7 days:

#Selfie

#Red

#Lights

#Sweets

#Santa

#Tradition

#Gift

Bob Jingle Newman

Bob made his grand appearance on 11.29.15 when he brought the girls some Christmas pennant banners to make. 

So far he has: swam in candy, left a Christmas countdown, hosted a party, repelled the garland, decorated a tree and left his mark....

Bob is so much fun, especially the past couple years. We don't put much stock into the reporting naught behavior either. He more or less just adds a little cheer to the home and gives the girls something to look forward to finding every morning. 

What Christmas fun have you been having lately?

Tuesday Talk: Christmas Bucket List {Printable}

So my favorite part of each season has to be our bucket lists. They keep us on track and give us something to look forward too. Plus I am one of those who LOVES to cross things off a list.

This year I did something a little different with our list. I made it printable!

So just in case you don't have time to make your own list, or you really like this one you can print ours off and call it your own.

Print yours here!
Now it's your turn to link up this week. Grab the button from my side bar and join the fun.

Beth - Our Pretty Little Girls ~ Michelle - Grammie Time

Keri - Living In This Season  ~ Christina - Waltzing In Beauty
Lauren - Simply Free ~  Becky - BYBMG
Jess and Katie - Sweet Little Ones ~ Whitney - Polka Dotty Place
Laura - Life Is Beautiful ~ Elizabeth - All Kinds Of Things
Sarah - Abiding In Grace ~ Stephanie - Wife Mommy Me
Emily - Morning Motivated Mom

An InLinkz Link-up

Christmas Countdown Week 5

Merry Christmas Eve!
I am back once again with Danielle from Sundaes and Spaghetti and Kelly from Happily Ever Mock for week 5 of the Christmas Countdown Linkup!
This was set to be the last week of the Christmas fun but we have decided to leave the link-up open until January 5th so you can share your activities all the way through the end of the Christmas season. 
The rules to the link-up are easy! Grab the button and link up with anything Christmas related. Recipes, crafts, family activities. Any and all things Christmas!

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.ourprettylittlegirls.com/" title="Our Pretty Little Girls"><img src="https://0978fc1b2112d329c161ceb8a56ace388526c7e0.googledrive.com/host/0BwRdRDXsugwqZ2gxWW1oNUtvdkE/christmascountdowntwsmallo.png" alt="Our Pretty Little Girls" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Week 5

Week 5 was kind of a wrap up week with the Christmas activities. The girls had their final visit with Santa at Russ' work.

Marissa chatted his ear off.

Emily refused to make eye contact.

We did however find the perfect Santa for Emily. Our local Moes was hosting Mickey and Minnie Mouse! As soon as I saw the flyer I knew we HAD to take her. She greeted both of them with hugs and posed for MANY pictures. She even went back to say goodbye after we finished eating. 

After 3 years of her strong dislike for all things Santa it was so fun finding one she loved. 

Remember Marissa winning the Christmas card contest? I received this earlier in the week. I think I will frame one and use it as a Christmas decoration. I am not even joking about that. 

We had a date night. Our obligatory date night "usie" never was taken but Russ did snap a picture of me before we left.

Yes I am a dork. But when you rarely get out, a night out will do that to you. We went to Russ' company Christmas party which is always a fun filled night. 

 

This past weekend was our annual holiday baking extravaganza. Yesterday I linked up for a Christmas treat and tacky sweater post. I kind of thought my "tacky" sweater was cute. 

Here are a few things Bob was up to this week. He had a lot of fun this year, I am kind of going to miss him when he "leaves" tonight. 

We also made ornaments but Marissa swore me to secrecy since hers is a present for her daddy :). That girl is so sweet, such a big heart. She lovingly wrapped her presents in shoe boxes tied up with anything she could find. I love that she wants to give and understands that you don't have to spend money to give someone a great present.

The bucket list is almost complete but I think we will somehow manage to check that last thing off our list.

I can't wait to see what you guys link up with this week!


An InLinkz Link-up

Countdown To Christmas Week 4

I am back again with Danielle from Sundaes and Spaghetti and Kelly from Happily Ever Mock for week 4 of the Christmas Countdown Linkup!
I can hardly believe Christmas Eve is in one week, My kids are getting more excited all the time and I am in denial. I wish it could be December all the time.
It was so exciting to have so many of you link up with us. Here are a few of my favorites from the past week:
Amanda from Tickled Pink baked up some really fun wreath cookies. Ashley from Life On The Parsons Farm talked about traditions. Jenny from The Chronicles Of We highlighted their busy week of activities. & Elizabeth from All Kinds Of Things  put together a very tasty round-up.
I can't wait to see what you guys link up with this week!
The rules to the link-up are easy! Grab the button and link up with anything Christmas related. Recipes, crafts, family activities. Any and all things Christmas!

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.ourprettylittlegirls.com/" title="Our Pretty Little Girls"><img src="https://0978fc1b2112d329c161ceb8a56ace388526c7e0.googledrive.com/host/0BwRdRDXsugwqZ2gxWW1oNUtvdkE/christmascountdowntwsmallo.png" alt="Our Pretty Little Girls" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Week Four
Most of week this weeks activities were done at home, which doesn't bother me one bit.

We had a hot cocoa and family game night. 

We played some simple dice games coloring a gingerbread man and decorating a snowman.

Daddy and Emily were the winners.

We finally had our Christmas/ North Pole breakfast. 

It was so fun hearing two little girls screamed with delight as they walked out of their rooms that morning. 

I definitely see this becoming an annual tradition.

We have continued making our way through our Christmas book advent.



I FINALLY snapped a Christmas card picture and got them mailed.

 I told my mom that I wasn't going to do it this year. Then she reminded me that I had put together a Christmas card EVERY year since I was pregnant. She told me I probably would regret missing a year and after thinking about that for about a week, I decided she was right. So before church on Sunday I snapped some pictures of some little girls who happily posed themselves and I miraculously caught some good ones.

This isn't my favorite, I'll wait to share that one ;).

Monday I posted a tour of Christmas past. I received so many sweet comments on that post. It was fun to go back and look through all of our Christmas' as a family

Lastly let's take a look at a few things Bob Jingle was up to.

He did a little sewing

Chocolate in bed, my kind of guy.

And coloring by the tree.

Christmas is getting so close, but we only have a few more activities left.

Now it's your turn to share what you have been up to. Grab the button and link up!

An InLinkz Link-up