On the way to Christmas-Day 3

So over the last couple of weeks Md has been coming to me and demanding to know if Santa is real. It's not like I have ever told him he was, and when he flat out asked me I definitely told him he wasn't. It's  good thing too because there are some mixed up kids in his class. Apparently one of his classmates now thinks that Jesus isn't real as well. 

MD was quick to reassure him that 

"Jesus IS real-How would we be here with bodies if he wasn't?" 

deep thoughts from my 5 year old.
*I should clarify that I have no problem with children believing in Santa Clause. I think it is a fun tradition-I just know MD would call me a liar if he found out he wasn't real*

But still even though MD knows Santa is not real he keeps asking me if he COULD be real. I finally realized that MD really wants to play Santa Claus. There really must be some "magic" that surrounds this fat jolly man. 

I confess I never believed in Santa. I also never felt deprived because Christmas for our family was the most wonderful time of the year (OK I have been listening to Christmas music :)

But it really was a magical time for our family as we celebrated being a family and focused on Christ.
I grew up doing service projects Christmas morning. Way before I opened a present.

I want my kids to feel that feeling,

The one that made you feel like you were the luckiest person alive because of what you had-not gifts or possessions, but LOVE. 

The Ross family rocks.

I don't really know how to incorporate Santa.  I am adding some fun "Santa" activities like Reindeer food and cookies and milk. At some point we are having an "Elf party" where we write our letters to Santa. I've been doing some research. Saturday the boys will be meeting Santa. Lets hope it goes better then last time when Md informed us that Santa "creeped him out."

Tonight we made a gingerbread house. For some weird reason I kept thinking of Hansel and Gretal, though if anyone saw how the boys built it no one would dare eat anything off of it :)

Starting out, I assembled the gingerbread structure. It's held together with Sugar glue-probably the strongest glue ever (Made by boiling 2 cups of sugar into a liquid. Super easy-also super hot. Kids should not handle it at all.)

Boys had to listen to us talk for awhile.  They didn't like it.

Going to town

Seth going to town.

Thought I would share this little gem

Hyrum was so hyped up on sugar that he kept running around shouting "Is this a party? I think it is! This is the best party I have ever been part of!"

Quite the Decorators

The boys decided that the house was a cake. Probably because of all the frosting.

The boys also got excited when they found out that I was making gingerbread men. Michael had recently told them the story of the Gingerbread Man and MD was positive that after we baked them they would all come alive and live in the house they made them.