Photo a Day: November 31- Dec 6

It's the holiday season! For some reason, unlike most years, I've had kind of a hard time feeling like it's actually Christmas-time. In fact, most years I'm listening to carols by mid-October at least, and by the time Halloween rolls around I'm just ready for Santa Clause already! I can't wait another two months! But this month, it doesn't feel like Christmas. I hate it. I want my home to be glittery, Christmasy, and to wait anxiously every day to do our Advent with the boys. 

But most days I forget all together. I honestly think it's this weather. I haven't seen one measly snowflake yet this year. Not one! I love snow so much, and nothing says Christmas like snow. Instead, we've been playing outside in gorgeous, sunny, springtimesque weather without coats or hats and I hate it. Who hates warm weather? you may ask. 

I DO. I find it distasteful in November and I abhor it in December. Snow already! 

In fact... this is how I feel:

Until the snow, I guess I'll just have to try to keep myself in the holiday spirit by watching black and white Christmas movies and weeping, so that my children are constantly asking, "Why are you feeling sad right now?"

And I can continue to blubber, "I'm not crying because I'm sad, I'm crying because this is so beautiful and everyone is so happy and I love Christmas!"

And in case you're wondering, this also occurs during all Christmas books. Polar Express. The Christmas Story. Even How the Grinch Stole Christmas. 

Speaking of Calvin and Hobbes... this boy. He's Calvin. 

 We got a Christmas tree this week! Its little and real, and I love it. I don't even mind that I have to decorate it entirely by myself.

There are lots of Christmas books wrapped under the tree, so that the boys can periodically choose one to unwrap. It helps keep them from breaking into the pile of Amazon packages in my room. 

Travis' sweet sister Tessa returned home from a year and a half long church mission in Georgia this week. We've all missed her, but I think her Mom missed her the most. :)
To find out more about what Tessa was teachin' and preachin' visit Mormon.org or {click here} to request your own Book of Mormon and meet some cute missionaries.

Santa came to our church Christmas party this week, and he was not a very impressive Santa! I was totally disappointed and was sure that the boys would be suspicious of his obviously false beard and belly. But they weren't at all! In fact, this was the first time that they haven't cried at the idea of sitting on Santa's lap. They climbed right up and told him that they wanted real bows and arrows with real arrows to shoot. And also, Micah wants an iPhone. 

An impromptu family picture at the German Christmas Market on Saturday. I love my cute little family, even if Travis is the only one capable of obdeiently looking at the camera.