merriest merry merry

it was so delightful to start off CHRISTmas week with snow.
i don't think any of the little people complained once-
although rtoddlergirl did flat out refuse to go outside in a snow suit.

she sadly watched thru the window-
with big toddler tears streaming down her face.
"no mama. i no put THAT on." {the snowsuit}

i even let her "try" a walk in the snow without it....
and that also resulted in tears because- of course...
"i wet. mama. i all wet....{insert tears}!"

oh my, toddlers,
sometimes a mama can never win in a reasoning argument with a toddler.





so to appease her...

while the bigger kids played perfectly together in the snow alternated between crying themselves
because they could not resist the urge to put snow in one another's face masks....

i let her "jump" off our fireplace {not something this mama- usually allows}.

but when you're preggo with baby 4...
and running back and forth to the backdoor to sort out fights.....
and clean off red snowy faces with towels...

...to my mutual delight...she was delighted...and there were no more tears..
from the toddler child, at least.




as we drew near to THE day...
we spent a lot of time this year hovering around our advent wreath.

mr.m. talked a lot about CHRIST being the LIGHT of the world,
he would have the littles turn out all our lights....
and tell them about how dark our lives become.....




in the absence of hope,
love,
joy,
peace....and ultimately Christ.

it was good for this mama's heart, to be reminded of that too.




we try to start off our gift morning with our tradition of giving each of our littles a book.
we usually write a little note in the cover- about why we selected that particular book for them...
and read aloud.

it's a sweet, peaceful way to open our gifts.... start off the chaos.

{here were our book choices from last year}




there are always a few jokes played on unsuspecting family members by mr.m...
to disguise a particular gift.

this year it involved nboys dirty laundry and other assorted hilariousness..



as all good things begin....they eventually must come, to-a-not-as-fun ending.
and, right now- in our home...they seem to start with a few toddler tears.....




...and quickly grow...
becoming an eventual all out- toddler wail.



and then...just when the starships interfere with the princess carriages....



we know it's time for a blood sugar boost,
a {parental}caffeine high,
and some Christmas silliness all around.....



....followed quickly by an early christmas day naptime!


{and just for fun- and because i cannot help but induce preggo mama emotions...
here are: silly christmas picture 1,
followed by silly christmas picture 2}