It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We are definitely feeling the Christmas spirit around our house!  Jaden is now obsessed with Rudolph :o)  I have seen that movie a gazillion times and love it just as much each time I see it.  J is the same way!

We got the tree put up over Thanksgiving weekend.  The girls "helped" a lot :o)

The girls "helping" me straighten the tree skirt.

Putting the bead strands on the tree.

We have a tradition in our family that Mike and I started way back before we were even married.  Each year, we get a new ornament.  It can be any one we want.  I write each person's name and the year on it.  Then, we have to hang our own ornament up on the tree, wherever we want it.  I hope that one day when the girls each have their own family and their own tree, I will be able to give them a box full of their individual hand-picked ornaments.

I like to get a family ornament each year as well.  This ornament always hangs toward the top of our tree.

Our family ornament.

Taylor's ornament

Jaden's "Pongo" ornament

My ornament

Mike's ornament... picked out with a little help from J!

A new tradition we've started this year (thanks to Gramma J) is the Elf on a Shelf.  He watches over the girls and then each night, he flies to the North Pole to tell Santa if they have been good or bad.  He comes back in the morning and sits somewhere else in the house.  Jaden finds him each morning! 

Because our downtown lighting plans got cancelled last week due to the weather, we went to check out the lights on Monday... after dinner at Coney Island, of course!

First stop was the giant Santa display!  The girls thought it was so awesome!

Then we walked a couple of blocks to see the Christmas tree on the walkway over Calhoun Street.

Yes, Jaden has her mouth STUFFED! 
She insisted on carrying her hot dog bun with her and snacking on it as she walked.

Then we headed to PNC Bank to see the giant wreath.

It was so neat to see everything lit up downtown with NO CROWDS!

To round off the evening, I insisted that we rock on to Electric Avenue (this house is actually on Electric Ave.) to see the tackiest Christmas decorations ever! 

This one house had well over 100 plastic light-up figures in the yard, on the house, hanging from trees... wow.

Then, on Tuesday night, both girls were sick with the flu :o(  I kept them home on Wednesday... it was a rough couple of days complete with another ER trip for Taylor. 

I'm happy to report that they are both feeling MUCH better and are slowly getting their appetites back!

I had a package arrive in the mail yesterday from a fellow crafty blogger... 

Jacky from The Sweetest Petunia sent me this handmade neck warmer!  It is so soft and cozy... I LOVE IT!  Jacky and I made gifts for each other as part of Linda's gift exchange over at Craftaholics Anonymous.  Thanks so much Jacky!!!

Have a great weekend, everyone!  Stay warm and HEALTHY!

P.S. I just heard the funniest thing EVER on the radio!  The DJ just said that Britney Spears, "looks like she smells like Fritos!"  HAHAHAHA!!!!  I'm gonna have to use that sometime :o)