Christmas is Coming...

When I think of Christmas music, my first thought is always of our John Denver and the Muppets Christmas record that we (Michael, Nathan, & I) must have nearly worn out over the years.  Hadley & Piper have taken a keen liking to it this season as well (they make it in CD form now!).  Hadley's favorite song is Miss Piggy's rendition of "Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat..." and it makes her wiggle and jiggle and dance every time. 

Here are a few other things that have truly reminded me this year that, Christmas is coming...

We put up a real tree in both Hadley & Piper's rooms this year.  Their excitement was palpable as we strung the lights and allowed them to decorate. There have been many evenings as I'm making dinner, that I can hear them upstairs in their rooms  singing made up Christmas songs together around their little trees.

You know Christmas is coming...when the tree skirt gets turned into a 'twirler'!

You know Christmas is coming...when you smell (and gag) pickled herring!  While Piper & I keep our distance, Hadley & Kyle have a genuine love for this stinky fish.

You know Christmas is coming...when its finals time again for those poor college students. Paige (far right) and her roommates joined us for an 'energy filled' dinner during finals week.  I provided the nutritious study food, and Hadley provided the endless and somewhat obnoxious energy.

You know Christmas is coming...when you smell cookies baking! Nothing makes me think of my mom more over Christmas, than making cut out sugar cookies.  I can see her sitting on the counter (yes, this is something she did often when we were kids) carefully frosting sugar cookies only to be over sprinkled by my brothers and me.

I have a new found appreciation for her this year, as I attempted it by myself (truly, Kyle was in LV!) with the girls.  I can say this...the cookies are delicious as always, but if you get a blond hair in yours, I am SO sorry! 

You know Christmas is coming...when at least one of the kids was scared by that big red guy!  Hadley was tenative, but warmed up after Santa gave her a candy cane (ahhh sugar, the way to a girl's heart)!  And Piper was quite terrified and would hardly open her eyes, hence my presence in the picture. 

Indeed, Christmas is coming, and we could not be more excited to celebrate Jesus's birthday with friends & family in the upcoming days and week.