Making Spirits Bright

Our first Christmas as a family of five!  It's so strange to think that Danny hasn't always been with us.  He has become such an indispensable part of our family dynamic.  All three kids had a great holiday this year, and Chris and I were once again overcome with the feeling that life has so much more meaning and joy with these munchkins in the mix.

 Broyles 2015 Christmas Card

We started the season off by pulling out all the holiday decorations, and setting up our tree.  Aaron and Jill were both old enough to help hang up ornaments this year (although most of them ended up on the same two or three branches toward the bottom).

Guess which one is my favorite holiday decoration

Admiring their handiwork.

We also started a new tradition that I hope to keep going in the years to come: Christmas jammies!

The kids were pretty excited to get an "early Christmas present"

Looking cute and festive

Some caroling to get in the Christmas spirit

We also made several batches of Christmas cookies.  Jill was old enough to help out this year so the experience was twice as much fun...and twice as chaotic.

The aftermath

The finished product

As if cookie decorating wasn't enough, I also found a gingerbread house kit so the kids got another opportunity to express their inner artists with sugar.

Ready to get started!

Sneaking a taste

If you look closely, you can see that it says "A&J" on the side

Voila!

It made a nice addition to our mantel, no?

We also took the kids to zoolights at Lincoln Park zoo.  Pretty overrated in my opinion.  But we decided not to mention that to the kids.

Danny enjoyed the view bundled up in his stroller

I ran a Christmas-themed 5K, the "Santa Hustle."  My gear bag came complete with a Santa hat and fake beard.  While I couldn't take any of the kids with me in the jogging stroller (too cold), they did pose with me before I left for the race to wish me luck!

Aaron's school had several Christmas events that we attended as well.  They had an "evening with Santa" where the kids got to do various crafts, and meet the big man himself.

Santa's got some highwaters

They also had a special preschool Christmas program.  It was nice that the program was separate from the older grades because it was short, and very sweet.  Aaron got the great honor of playing Joseph in the nativity -- although it was hard to convince him to take it.  He was a little nervous.  In the end, he reluctantly agreed on the condition that he got to hold his blankie the entire time.  

Joseph, a manger, and a blankie

Aaron had a big cheering section

Once again, he didn't sing a note.  But we were still so proud!

He also went a little off-script during the reading of the Christmas story and actually picked up baby Jesus.  I think Chris was kind of hoping he would drop it for comedic effect.  But baby Jesus stayed safe and sound.

We took the kids downtown to see another Santa (this one had pants that fit), and they all did fantastic.  No tears whatsoever.  And even though meltdowns make for some pretty funny pictures, we were pretty happy with the shots that we got.  All three kids smiling!

In fact, the kids were so good that we got suckered into buying the professional shots, which were way overpriced but oh-so-adorable.

I like to think they were telling Danny what he should ask Santa for.

Santa's lap wasn't quite big enough for all of us!

While we were at Macy's, we also had to check out the iconic window displays.

Other Christmas traditions included completing our advent calendar, and having cookies and eggnog by the fireplace.

This is the same advent calendar I used as a child.

We may have eaten all the cookies that night.  Sorry Santa.

And of course, the culmination of the Christmas season was spending time with family and friends (and opening presents....lots and LOTS of presents).

Santa was very generous to us this year.  But if you ask me what my favorite thing under the tree was, the answer is a no-brainer:

Merry Christmas from the Broyles bunch!