Christmas Preperations In Utah

We spent Christmas in California this year but being a mother of four young boys meant that I had to celebrate and decorate our Utah home anyway. We don't have many decorations. Let me rephrase that: we don't have many unbreakable decorations but I tried to make it as Christmasy as I could. Adam was very opinionated about decorations this year. Something about being in school with all of those other young kids really gave Christmas added significance for him this year.

 

These our the stockings my Grandma Rhea makes for us. As you can see, I have yet to go get David's from her. Luckily, he didn't seem to care.

I LOVE advent calendars but the boys are a little too young for some of the ones I would like to use. This year I simply filled paper bags with five pieces of candy that we ate every night before bedtime while we read scriptures about the birth of the Savior. The boys loved it and were a little confused when December 25th rolled around and the candy was no more.

This is our little three-foot-tree. We have always had a small, fake tree so that no one get crushed when they pull it over on themselves. Yes, they do always pull it over on themselves. This year my sweet James was talented enough to break the pre-lit lights on the tree. Maybe next year we will go a foot taller :)

This was my Christmas wreath. I did NOT paint the B but I did make the bow. I tried to paint the B but it turned out really poorly so our talented friend Bryton Wood took it from me and fixed it. Thank you Bryton!

 

This is Adam's first school made ornament. Isn't it adorable! Yes, I am sappy.

A few years ago I bought some Jell-O and a Jell-O Jigglers mold with snowmen and Christmas Trees on it. Little did I know that this activity would become an instant favorite for my three boys. Once the mold has been pulled out of the Christmas box they beg me to make Jell-O all the time. Most of the Jell-O is used as a toy although some of it does make it in their mouths.

Adam loves the blue Jell-O (of course) and refuses to eat any of it. He does love to hold the Jigglers though.

Caleb tastes them just enough to make his mouth as gross as his hands.

James is still game enough to try a mouthful.

So proud of his gingerbread man.

I occasionally let them help me make the Jell-O when I am feeling the need for a little extra stress in my life. James was in heaven.

Caleb takes the whole process very seriously.

Adam is a goof.

My three helpers. Caleb was obviously done with his own at this point.

I bought some paint-with-water Christmas books because I thought it would be a cleaner process than markers or real paint. I succeeded for the most part although James took the opportunity to splash and dump his water everywhere. As you can see, he thought the whole thing was amazing.

Caleb and Adam took the whole thing very seriously and made some lovely art.

A moment of peace in the Berg home. Weird.