Christmas 2012

The annual run down of events, blog style! 

We did the usual "Gavin" "Clark" and "Just us three (plus an angel)" holiday celebrations this year.  Gavin was very into the spirit of Christmas this year.  We even started him a gift wish list, starting in July!  Every time he saw something he wanted, we'd tell him, "let's tell Santa about that idea for Christmas" and then add it to his wish list.  It worked out well - the big guy (or family) got him everything he asked for!  Particularly a grader truck, Dream Lite pillow pet, and Legos.  Those were the big "asks" for this year. 

And of course, he was spoiled with many, many more goodies!  His first pirate ship, castle (a cool boy version), new watch, hot wheels, Angry Birds stuff, "Cars" stuff, loads of new books (PS Aunt Karen, we're almost through the 300 page Disney book, just over a week post-Christmas! He loves it!).

We stayed healthy (minus a lingering cough for Gavin) during the holidays which was such a blessing.  I felt terrible viewing all of those posts on Facebook of families sick with the flu or stomach flu during the holidays.  Knock on wood, the Clark household is flu and vomit free thus far.  We seemed to dodge it from those around us who had it run through their families.  Keep on washing those hands!

With preschool this year, we also added a school Christmas party into the mix.  Just like Halloween, it was so precious to see those little three year olds celebrating with their friends.  I have some videos below of the songs they sang at the party for the parents.

We also spent time remembering those who were not with us again this holiday season.  It's still just so weird to not have Mark here.  And the "what would be's" with Grace continue, they always will.  She would have been 19 months old on Christmas Eve.  We did our now annual donation to Toys for Tots and Angel Tree to donate what we would have bought her.  My favorite was the Little People Disney Princess Castle and princesses to go along with it.  I think she would have loved to discover that little castle.  Very few people, fewer than last year, even spoke her name this Christmas season.  But I still think of her just as often as last Christmas. 

Here's some photos and videos to sum things up...

A new grader truck!

 

Something for Stuart (a love/hate relationship).

Cousins

Would you like fries with that?

Ready to play in our two inches of snow!

Grace and Mark visited us on Christmas morning!

And videos (each are just a minute or so):

Preschool Jingle Bells with bells

The Lord's Army, complete with very fun actions!

In this one, The Love of Jesus in my Heart, the kids loved to yell "Ouch" about the devil sitting on a tack.  I remember loving this song as a child, too.

And sledding a couple days after Christmas on his new tube sled.

Herald, Our Elf on the Shelf

Yes, we like virtually every other family in America with small children had our own personal elf this holiday season!  Herald arrived early December and stayed with us through Christmas day.  He's back at the North Pole now, with the other elves, making toys and treats for next Christmas.

Gavin LOVED having Herald with us, looking forward to what that "silly rascal" would be up to each morning and laughing and screeching in great delight when we would find him throughout the house!  And he followed the rules very well, not touching him at all.  He kept asking how Herald moved around, "how did he do that?" then would answer his own question with "he is magic".

Here are the fun things that Herald did while he was with us.  Sorry, I think I missed like three days worth of photos, the rest are here though.  And some are not the greatest quality because they are unedited straight from my phone.

He arrived in Gavin's stocking on his first morning with us.

Then began his silly adventures!

He even traveled with us to Chicago mid-December (I forgot to take a photo on his first morning there making coffee for us!)