![\"Carolers](\"https:\/\/www.myhusbandandkids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/348.jpg\")
<\/a>Carolers at the mall<\/b><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n Bryan, the girls, and the huge Christmas tree!<\/b><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n All of that Christmas spirit translated into Bryan insisting that we put up the Christmas tree before Thanksgiving. \u00a0I must confess, I hate putting up a fake Christmas tree. \u00a0It is kind of like eating jolly rancher candy instead of M&Ms..Anyway, Bryan and Rachel were very excited so up went the tree, because I didn’t want Rachel to have lasting memories of her mom being a grouch at Christmas!<\/p>\n Bryan putting up our huge tree! He is very brave!<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Sarah celebrating Thanksgiving at the Kee’s. She must have had too much turkey!<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n Then it was Thanksgiving and a brief visit with family in Kentucky. \u00a0It was a nice time and our families gave us Christmas gifts. \u00a0Of course, I hadn’t even been shopping yet.<\/p>\n Then the fun began. and the exhaustion. \u00a0and the exhaustion. \u00a0I mean, this was a tough season. \u00a0Personally, all of the holiday celebrating on top of our daily routines was almost too much for me. \u00a0One day I contemplated hiding in my closet and taking a nap, but realized my work and responsibilities would be double once I was discovered.<\/p>\n Sorry for that digression. \u00a0Back to the whirlwind festivities! \u00a0In order of activity, there was a Christmas party with her gymnastics team, Christmas \u00a0family concert, Christmas\u00a0party at school, and lots of church activities.<\/p>\n Rachel getting ready for party with gymnastics girls<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n The girls getting ready to hear some Holiday tunes <\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We are fortunate to attend a church that has very thoughtful Advent\/Christmas services as well as fun stuff for the kids. \u00a0It is pretty cool that all of the kids’ activities are fun AND thoughtful! \u00a0Rachel sang with the Children’s choir and rang hand chimes during a church service. \u00a0They had new choir robes this year! \u00a0That day for church, she wore the really pretty white dress that Aunt Margaret bought her this summer.<\/p>\n Rachel before Christmas concert at church<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n The church had many other fun things \u00a0for the kids (and everyone else), they have “journey to the baby”. \u00a0This is a few weeks before Christmas and recreates the village of Bethlehem. \u00a0There are lots of neat things – the kids pay taxes to the Roman soliders, meet the Wise Men, there is “Harold the Harking Angel”, a ring toss where the kids can earn coins for prizes, real snow for making snow angels, and a real baby and mom and daddy in the chapel – hence, “journey to the baby”.<\/p>\n The next weekend, there was caroling to homes of church members that are not able to attend Sunday services. \u00a0That was a lot of fun. \u00a0Bryan took the baby for the afternoon, so I didn’t have to cart her around all afternoon. \u00a0Bryan is pretty awesome that way \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n “Harold, the harking angel” at the journey to see the baby<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Then Christmas steamrolled our way. \u00a0Again, the church had a very moving Christmas Eve service. \u00a0Silly me didn’t realize that childcare was available, so I kept the baby with me. \u00a0She was pretty squirmy, but otherwise not too bad. \u00a0After about 1 hour and 15 minutes, I waited with Sarah Amelia in the foyer.<\/p>\n Rachel had some very last<\/p>\n Sorry teenagers, making snow angels is a kids only deal \ud83d\ude42<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n minute requests for Santa, which Santa didn’t accommodate. \u00a0But, overall, I think that everyone was happy. \u00a0Santa brought Rachel a “lump of coal”. \u00a0I got so tickled, because Rachel put the lump of coal in the floor beside Sarah’s<\/p>\n crib but finally admitted that she put it there. \u00a0She said “of course it wasn’t for me”! \u00a0LOL.<\/p>\n UGH OH – Look at the check marks on this list – yikes!<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n AND – \u00a0In case you haven’t gotten enough of our Christmas spirit, here is a clip of my child prodigy playing “O Come All Ye Faithful”! \u00a0(Since this is a blog for family and friends, I am assuming you will only have the kindest thoughts of her sincere playing ability. \u00a0In order to film her, I did have to bribe her with extra candy) – click the link – \u00a0IMG_3648<\/a><\/p>\n Sarah meeting Santa at the Bass Pro Shop – seconds later, Sarah’s curiosity turned to screaming!<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n Below are some pictures of Christmas festivities at the Kee’s – only two months past the actual holiday!<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>