Countdown to Christmas - Day 24

This is the last post before Christmas!

Day 24: Attend a church Christmas Eve service and remember the real reason for the Christmas season... celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

See where we found Jingle today?  He knew it was going to be a chilly, drizzly day outside.

 

Merry Christmas Eve!

Countdown to Christmas - Day 23

Day 23: Activity with (more) great grandparents. Baby Bear is fortunate to have three sets of great grandparents alive and well in his life.

 

Let's find Jingle!

Countdown to Christmas - Day 22

Day 22: Spend time with the great grandparents.

Where was Jingle?

Countdown to Christmas - Day 21

Day 21 : Visit Downtown Disney.

Baby Bear enjoyed playing with the Legos at the Lego store.

Where was Jingle?

He was playing with Baby Bear's playdough!

Countdown to Christmas - Day 20

Day 20: Spend time with a friend. Today I watched one of Baby Bear's "best friends" for part of the day. Baby Bear and his friend had a fun time laughing, playing, and occasionally fighting over toys. :)

Where did we find Jingle today?

He was in Super Dog's stocking!

Countdown to Christmas - Day 19

Day 19: Have breakfast for dinner.

I made pancakes for Baby Bear using cookie cutters (an idea I had seen elsewhere, so I cannot take credit), but I forgot to spray the cookie cutters with non-stick spray beforehand.  They didn't come out as easily or neatly as I had envisioned.

I made a breakfast casserole for Papa Bear and me that was easy and good.  The recipe for this potato, bacon, egg, and cheese casserole was another recipe I found on Pinterest and may be found here.

Lastly, wheeeeeere's Jingle?

A few new favorite expressions

Last month I mentioned how Baby Bear would say, "Stop it." Fortunately that phrase was short-lived around here. Lately a few expressions that Baby Bear says often is, "Oh gosh!" (I must say it more than I realize) and "Ooooh kay."  Both of these are used in different manners but all of them are pretty sweet. For example, here is a short conversation from today.

Baby Bear: This way. (pointing)
Me: No. Actually, we're going to go this way. (pointing in another direction)
Baby Bear: Ooooh kay.

Countdown to Christmas - Day 18

Day 18: Go on a family bike ride. We can go on a family bike ride now, because Papa Bear surprised me with an early Christmas present - a bike for me, a bike for himself, and bike seat for Baby Bear. So.Much.Fun!!! Baby Bear did really well.

Here is where Jingle decided to "hang out" today.

Countdown to Christmas - Day 17

Day 17: Go to Sea World's Christmas shows. It was a lot of fun, and we hope to get back one more time before the Christmas season is over so we can see shows that we didn't catch today.

Here Papa Bear and Baby Bear are before the Sesame Street Christmas show.

Where did Jingle show up today?

Countdown to Christmas - Day 16

Day 16: Spend time at a science center with the cousins. What a fun day today! Baby Bear's aunt and cousins came to visit the science center in town, and we joined them. Why is it that this place has been in our town for the 3+ years we have been here, but it takes people visiting to get us to go? It was a fun place and a fun first part of our day. Thanks for suggesting it, Aunt Kat!

There is currently a guitar exhibit at the science center. It rocked! So did music time, watching the feeding of the stingrays, car races, sitting in a plane cockpit, the alligators, turtles, and silly cousin time.

Here's Jingle!

Jingle knows Jesus is the reason for the season, too.

I loved forts when I was a kid.

He seems to as well.  Blanket + table = easy fort!

Countdown to Christmas - Day 15

Day 15: Make a Christmas craft with Mommy. He was pretty proud that his hands and feet turned into a reindeer.

Where did we find Jingle today?

Countdown to Christmas - Day 14

Day 14: Drive around and look at Christmas lights. Tonight we found some neighborhoods with a lot of Christmas lights. It was a colorful, fun activity.

Here's Jingle!

Countdown to Christmas - Day 13

Day 13: Today we delivered Christmas treats to our neighbors. Baby Bear did so well not eating any of the neighbors' gifts.

Here is where we found Jingle today:

p.s. Today is also my birthday, so Baby Bear and I shared some sweets. Too bad Papa Bear doesn't like chocolate...

Chocolate chip cookies from a local bakery

The peppermint chocolate chip milkshake we have enjoyed so much this season

Delicious cupcakes. I didn't eat them all today. :)

Countdown for Christmas - Day 12

Day 12: Make food gifts for neighbors. Today we were also going to deliver the food gifts to the neighbors, but that didn't happen due to a lot of other stuff that we had going on. It'll be on the agenda for tomorrow.

Look where we found Jingle!

Countdown to Christmas - Day 11

Day 11: Go to brunch as a family. We headed to brunch today as a family after church. It was yummy. I didn't get a picture, but Baby Bear really enjoyed the chocolate chips in his pancakes. :)

Where did we find Jingle today?

Countdown to Christmas - Day 10

Today was a fun day. During the day I had some friends over for a clothing swap (more on that in another post). Tonight, however, we had a fun Christmas activity.

Day 10: Go to a local Christmas parade. We all had a good time.

Do you think Baby Bear was enjoying himself? :)

Check out Jingle's location today:

Baby Bear was excited that Jingle decided to perch near the ornament Baby Bear made recently.

Countdown to Christmas - Day 9

Day 9: Attend Polar Express story time at a nearby bookstore. We went to the story time, and it was ok. Baby Bear seemed to have fun, which is the most important part. One of Baby Bear's friends (who is almost 2 years old) was there, so the two of them distracted one another often during the story. Fortunately the story was short and there were a lot of other kids there. Afterward the kids received a cookie (Baby Bear enjoyed) and hot chocolate (which I enjoyed).

Baby Bear was very excited to spot Jingle today!

(Props to my sister-in-law, who made this advent calendar for me a few years ago.)

Countdown to Christmas - Day 8

Day 8: Make a Christmas ornament. Recently I found a $1 felt Gingerbread man ornament kit at Joann's Fabric. I thought that was a fun ornament for this particular activity, so I bought it and Baby Bear made it (with assistance) tonight.

Baby Bear found Jingle today as Baby Bear was about to eat his breakfast. Silly Jingle!

Countdown to Christmas - Day 7

Today's Christmas activity was pretty much a bust. :(

Day 7: Go out for frozen yogurt.  Since Baby Bear refused to eat much of his dinner, he wasn't able to get any frozen yogurt.  Mean parents, right?  So I ended up being the only one getting frozen yogurt.  Bummer.

Where did we find Jingle today?

Countdown to Christmas - Day 6

Day 6: Dance to Christmas music. The three of us danced around the living room to Christmas music as a family. Unfortunately it is hard to capture a picture of the movement without the picture looking plain silly.

Where did we find Jingle?

{Try not to mock our "old-school" box TV too loudly.}

Countdown to Christmas - Day 5

Day 5: Go to a children's story time. I didn't take any pictures, but Baby Bear and I had fun at story time. Today's book was on trains (he loves trains!), and one of the songs we sang was "The Wheels on the Bus" (which is a favorite).

Here is where Jingle landed today.

Countdown to Christmas - Day 4

Today after church and Baby Bear's nap, we went to Sea World for a few hours. Annual passes are awesome! Sea World is decorated for Christmas, and it is so fun. We look forward to going back when we have more time.

Day 4: Today's activity was to drink (warm) hot chocolate.

I think Baby Bear enjoyed the hot chocolate. :)

Where did we find Jingle today?

This is so fun!!