The Alguire Family: Clyde Returns

After a long hiatus in the North Pole with Santa, our elf, Clyde has returned! The kids were really happy that he was able to find out new house and could hardly wait to tell him all about what they wanted for Christmas and how good they have been. Connor could hardly contain himself when he walked downstairs yesterday and Clyde was sitting in the tree. Even more exciting was the train that he left for the kids only to play with after Thanksgiving through Christmas. Today the kids dressed quickly and ran down the stairs to find Clyde on the shelf in the family room. Too exciting! We also started our advent calendar. The kids look each day and find either a note, a treat, or a toy. Today was a treat and tomorrow a note about something we will do Christmas related. Tomorrow's note reads: Go to the library and pick out Christmas books. In addition to the thrill of having Clyde back in the house and the advent calendar, the kids got their presents from my brother, sister in-law and kids who live in Texas. We usually get gifts from them when my parents return from their visit there in late November and we let the kids open them early. They seem to really enjoy getting an early Christmas present and they get a ton of stuff on Christmas day, so this is a nice way to space things out and truly appreciate the gifts that they are given. We are having a lot of fun this year with the kids. Some of the things we plan to do this Christmas season are:

1. Bake and decorate Christmas cookies

2. Go see Santa and get a picture with him (check)

3. Put of tree and decorate (check)

4. Make a gingerbread house

5. Wrap gifts together for our adopted family

6. Go to the library and get Christmas books

7. Drive around and see Christmas lights

8. Go to the Breton Mall and see the trains (check...already gone 4 times!)

9. Watch the Polar Express (I already bought each of the kids a silver bell to be placed outside their door on Christmas morning from Santa himself:)