tis the season

christmas has been more exciting this year than ever before.  mae really gets it this year, and is psyched.  i don't know if everyone's children are like this...but it's like a switch is flipped the minute december starts.  she is completely nuts.  i'm talking off the walls excitement, not sleeping well, poopy pants, wetting the bed, meltdowns when she can't open packages, utter chaos.  i'm assuming every child is like this...sorry mom.  i think that's my initial feeling whenever mae does something ridiculous.  to say sorry to my mom. 

moving on.  decorating the tree was lots of fun (don't mock our tree, it's sad.  this year is the year we're getting a bigger one after christmas!)

we've received many a package (hello amazon, why do i ever shop anywhere else?).  and a few have been able to be opened.  and it's pure joy.  and the others that can't be opened up, devastation.  hey, she's gotta learn about disappointment sometime right? 

pflugerville does a christmas parade and a pfestival of lights.  i figured this was the year to take mae.  and boy was i right.  we met up with some friends while we were there, and they all had a blast.

 first up were some princesses...this was my favorite shot of the night.

 so glad that mae has such sweet, fun friends to share these experiences with.  it makes them that much better for her!  these girls are adorable.

 little miss iz all bundled up.  she did really well during the parade too! 

 

st. nick comes the night of the 5th, and boy was mae excited to celebrate.  you're supposed to put out your shoes, and he will leave you treats.  she lined all of our shoes up.

 and he came!  girlies had a good morning.

i love this season.  and this year, we've wanted to teach mae the importance of giving, and the joy it can bring.  so she helped me go through clothes and toys.  and she had to pick 2 toys to give away this year.  one of them was her little kitchen.  she gave it to her friend tommy.  she was so excited to clean it and get it all ready for him.  and she picked a few other things.  then we hauled all our loot over to a garage sale that our ward had to benefit the refugees.  she also came and helped me volunteer there.  what a wonderful way to start the season (even if she has been a nut case).