Getting Ready for Christmas!

It feeling like Christmas finally around our home. With the school schedule as it is, we only had Friday the 23rd and Monday (26th) off. So we tried to make the most of yesterday and today to get ready for the holiday weekend! It's the first time in four years that we haven't had family here (or gone to family) for Christmas. There are sad feelings that go along with that. Skyping with family this morning and seeing my parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews together on the other side of the screen while I sat in my somewhat chilly apartment thousands of miles away from all of them...you know, it makes one feel a little homesick. So today was quiet. A few errands to run, some Christmas shows to finally get around to watching, and then chili dinner with another family in our neighborhood. That part wasn't quiet...six kids six and under is never really that quiet! But now the kids are asleep, presents are wrapped, and I do believe the last thing to do tonight is for Alex and I to watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' while we eat the cookies and apples that Wendy Jane wanted to set out for 'Santa' (she assured me she knew it was just for Daddy and I...and he would prefer the apples and I could eat the cookie).

So here's a 'photo drop' of our month!

Our end of year family photo for our Christmas card...standing out on our patio!

Decorating the tree after Thanksgiving...

Trying to get a good photo of the girls by the tree...

This photo is for Mimi...look which ornaments the girls were most excited about putting on the tree! I loved these as a little girl!

Ready for Winter!

Craft ornaments from Mimi's Christmas Box!

We celebrated a little early with NaiNai and YeYe before they returned to the US for Christmas! Sniff...sad to not have them here for the holidays!

One of the perks of living in Shanghai is the Christmas decorating that many of the hotels do. Last week we took a taxi downtown to the Shanghai Hilton to see their train display that they have up during the holidays. It was somewhat more exciting for my friend who has two boys, but the girls enjoyed it as well...especially the 'fake snow' and the hotel's huge Christmas tree with decorative present boxes all around it (Vera and Geneva were persistent in sneaking over to shake and try to unwrap them)!

Sorry for this blurry photo...but just so you can get a feel for the size of the tree and presents in the hotel lobby...

Geneva enjoying the trains with her buddy, Owen.

The Guang Qi Academy kids had a chance to perform Christmas songs at a party...

And do a full Christmas program at school! The older kids memorized lines and verses to tell the Christmas story and the younger kids helped put ornaments to represent each topic covered in the verses to tell the story of Jesus' birth.

Last night we lit the fourth of our Advent candles...Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love. The red one we light tomorrow is for HIM...

Merry Christmas!