{Enter Cheesy Christmas Cliche Here}

Somewhere along the lines of.....

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Christmas has come alive for this gorgeous girl this year. She has begged for decorations, for "making the tree" and it has been SO MUCH FUN watching her experience something that she might remember as she gets older. The magic of Santa has been a huge part of this years Christmas. Its fun to explain everything and watch her eyes as she soaks it up. 

Dale and I wanted her to have some special time with us doing something special. So on Sunday when it  got to Mak's nap time we put her down and we decorated the tree with just Bug! She was in heaven and she was SO proud of herself!

At first when I saw the bottom of the tree I thought "I will rearrange those when she falls asleep but the more I looked at it the more I liked it! All the tiny ornaments are lining the bottom of the tree and it has a certain charm to it!

Merry Christmas

Santa Baby,

Riley Wrote her first letter to Santa the other day.

I was excited to give her the chance to write it herself since she now knows how to write most of her alphabet! 

I told her how to spell the words that she was telling me she wanted to write down and she wrote almost all of them!

(I helped her with a couple s's)

The funny thing about this list is she has really only mentioned (been begging me for months) one of the gifts on here... The leapster.

Everything else she had just decided she wanted as she was writing down the list and I kept thinking... Well, I am glad I am your mother and know you so well... Cuz little girl, this is your Christmas! You are gonna be happy!

Edit

As for the post below.........

Christmas music REALLY helps!!

I have been trying to listen to it as much as I can because that's the only thing I have right now. Its working so far!

This Christmas

It really doesn't feel like Christmas yet to us over here. We have done all the shopping spent all the money but it almost seems like we have done it for nothing! We have a tree, but so far its still in a box. We cant take any of our Christmas things out to decorate because we are moving ONE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

I HATE THIS!!

Dale and I want to put up our Christmas so so bad but we would just have to pack it up and move it just to put it up again!! I WILL have our Christmas up in the next apartment and I will have it up until February just to make up for the lack of Christmas we have had so far!

We were supposed to have moved at the beginning of the month but our apartment project just keeps getting pushed to the end of the owners list! Its so frustrating but at least we didn't have to be out of our apartment by a certain date because its the same owner of the two places!

I have to look at the upside to all of this though. As far as Christmas goes I am getting my top three Christmas wishes a week early!

1. A dishwasher! (finally)
2. A Laundry room
3. A backyard

We have been living without these three things for over a year and it has been rough! Well, the backyard we never really had but we at least had a fun place outside to play that was semi-private. That didn't have neighbors from every apt in your complex watching you!

(I am not bitter... I promise) ;)

Lately though this place has been a nightmare! The neighbors don't know how to close their door without slamming it and it wakes up Makenna every time! The play loud music and yell all the time and none of us can stay asleep through it! I am not sure I can even handle this place for one more week!

I have gone on a little rant but its mostly just to say that I wish it felt like Christmas over here. There is nothing here to let me feel Christmas except for the almost empty bank account.

In spite of not having the feeling of Christmas, I have made it a point to read Riley the Christmas story a couple time this month when I have been super frustrated by all of this just to try to remind myself of the true spirit of Christmas. That it doesn't matter what else is going on THAT is what I need to think about and what I need to remember and feel. Its important that Riley tries to understand it as well. She wont get it all this year, but if I try to teach her a little bit she will grow to understand!