5 days to go!

Could it really be?  It seems like Christmas just popped it's little self up out of nowhere this year!  Madelyn has certainly been in Christmas mode...she says we are celebrating Jesus' birthday and she really wants some of His birthday cake!  She's been wearing her Santa jammies for weeks now, every morning she wants the lights turned on on the tree and every morning is a hunt for our spying elf, Alfie.  Once we find him, it's time to open the next door of our Advent Calendar. 

Alfie is a new tradition for our family this year...something we thought would be fun for our girls while they are young.  He's a sweet little guy in red who reports back to Santa each night to tell him how Madelyn (and Emily next year) has been, and every morning he returns, he hides himself in a different spot.  He could be anywhere - we say good morning to him and check up on him throughout the day - but no touching as he will lose his magic to fly back to The North Pole.  SO FUN!  (Honestly, he's a creepy looking little thing -- long pointy hands and legs and piercing blue eyes that seem to follow you wherever you go!)

Madelyn & Emily each have their own "first Christmas" ornaments...two sweet little keepsakes they'll hang on their own tree one day...and there's something about this happy little snowman that I love seeing every year.  He's one of my favorites!

More to come...Madelyn had her first Christmas concert, and we were surprised with 9 inches of snow over the weekend!