Savoring the Season: Christmas Countdown, Day 6

{Started this on Saturday}:

Wow, only 1 week to go!!! Time is flying by! We had a good day today. The kids and I went to the library this morning, and they got to decorate a cookie, and Sam even got to help set up the Christmas tree! Then we came home and made more cookies--two kinds of spritz this time. I did most of the making/decorating, but I let them help with the sprinkles on some of them. Most of these are for our church fellowship tomorrow after the Christmas play, so I didn't want them to be sprinkled to death. :)

Jim got home later than usual, but he came home with some goodies--a gift basket with some yummy looking mixes, and some good tips! (Most of the goodies in the basket were from this place, and the basket was from this place--all New England made, how cool is that?!)

{Sam helped me make this pizza for supper--can you tell what shape the pepperonis are supposed to make?}

{Sunday}:

Today was our very first Christmas program at our new church! Jim, Sam and I each had a little part in the play, and Julia and Josiah got to sing "Away in a Manger" with some of the other little kids. The play went very well (praise the Lord!) and thankfully we had quite a few families visiting, which was nice since most of the church people were involved in the program. :) What a blessing it was to be able to share the true meaning of Christmas through the play and music!

{This picture is actually from last Sunday, but I thought it was so cute how Julia was concentrating so seriously on the chess game--no, she doesn't actually know how to play yet. :))

Also on Sunday, our newest little niece, Hannah Marie, was born!!! Big congratulations to her parents (Jim's brother and his wife) and her other 4 siblings! :)

And I finally got the pictures for the Christmas cards ordered! They should arrive on Tuesday and then hopefully I can get them all mailed by Wednesday. I'm running really late with them this year!

{Monday}:

Today was Jim's day off and we spent most of the day at home, doing school and working on various projects. Then this afternoon we went out to do some errands and did a little shopping in a group of shops we like to visit, which are decorated so beautifully each year. We also ate at McDonald's, which made the kiddos happy. :) Unfortunately I forgot to bring the camera to take pictures of the kids in front of the waterfall, but that's OK--maybe next year. It was a special family evening! We used to go to the same place most every year at Christmastime when I was a kid, so it is neat to be able to do it again with my own family.

Hopefully tomorrow I will have time to wrap more presents, make a couple of little gifts, and get a package ready to mail to South Carolina soon. :) How are all your Christmas preparations going?