It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I love all the fun things to do at Christmas time, which starts mid-day Thanksgiving. 

:)

I have made a real effort to get organized and get things done early so I could enjoy the holidays, stress free.  It's worked pretty well, except for one day, just ask Eric.  

Here are some things we've done thus far.  

Our stake's nativity festival has a wonderful kids room.  Zach was into it, but Avery ran away.  He looks cute!

At our ward's Christmas party, the primary kids put on a wonderful nativity, all done to a song.  It was beautiful.  This was right before they went on, and Zach is a little too far to the left.  I didn't even get my own son in the picture, what is wrong with me?  He was a shepherd.

The Lights at the Toledo Zoo!  A tradition for us.  We went on a Monday night and it was tons less crowded than last year.  The lights are so pretty and we did see a few animals.  Avery had a fun time, even though she doesn't look it in this picture.

The best animal display that evening was a lion roaring.  It sounded different than I expected, but cool nonetheless.

These ducks came walking right in front of us.  Zach's way to call to them was, "Hey you, ducks! Come here!".  They didn't come though.

Zachery spied a gingerbread man at Panera and has been talking about it since.  So today we went to get some.  Avery kept eating the m&m buttons while I was taking pictures.

Then she danced afterward! (I did her hair in a french braid for the first time.  It doesn't really stay put, but I thought all the time I practiced on my sister's hair, while we were on road trips, really paid off.  Thanks, Nickell)