More Christmas preparations...

Christmas preparations are fully under way now in the Barnes household. The Christmas cards are pouring in...which I seriously love. It's so great seeing everyone in their "picture day finery" and seeing their super cute cards. We hang them all up and have serious guilt over throwing them away after the holiday, but we do because what on earth would we do with them otherwise!?

My mom started a tradition this year of decorating cookies with the boys. Actually this year it was just she and Connor but next year Noah will join in I'm sure. Fundamental difference between my mom and I: she let Connor decorate them completely by himself and didn't even hint at suggestions. I would softly suggest that he not make his gingerbread man's eyes red. This is probably why Connor had more fun doing this with Grammy Van Hook than he would have with me! :)

decorated by Connor himself

Last year we discovered Santa's House in Downtown Chandler. It's amazing. Totally free (with suggested donations going to the Chandler Lions Club) and never, ever a line. The volunteers are super nice and they let you just hang out with Santa - and you can take your own pictures, though you get a free one from them anyway.

We were just planning on doing one with each of the boys with Santa and then another with both of them with him but Santa insisted that Jeffrey and I join in. This was unfortunate as I'd totally left the house sans makeup for this first stop of the day - totally something I rarely every do. Yikes. Oh well.

Noah did spectacular and loved Santa. You can tell by his pictures that we'll never be getting that hilarious screaming child pic of either of our kids. Connor did great too, but he's chatting in his photo so it's the best we could get. I'm so glad they are good in this type of situation - I like photos too much to deal with anything less :)

posing by Chandler's Tumbleweed Christmas tree

thrilled by the bows attached to their gifts from "Uncle Adam"...Connor's Godfather. Connor kept saying "Open us up Mama".

do you see the matching shirts for the boys? Yeah, we did that. If I'm being completely honest I don't find it nearly as annoying as when little girls wear matching dresses. Sorry.