Looking Like Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! Being in a new home, it has been fun to decorate and add our own touches of Christmas spirit.

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is receiving mail!! We hardly get mail besides bills and advertisements, but that all changes during the holiday season. Packages are the best and Christmas cards are just as fun.

Thanks for the package, Claire! You are the best :) 

 Following in my mom's footsteps, we post all of our Christmas cards on the door.  I love that a lot of my extended family sends a card, even if I haven't seen them in a long time. Thanks cousins and family for thinking of us!!

Even though we only have one box of Christmas decorations, that didn't stop us from decorating the house as much as we could. . . don't have a fireplace but still need a place to hang stockings? Hang them on the game cupboard!

We also busted out our nutcracker collection, which is inspired by my grandma who has collected many nutcrackers over the years. So far we have a fisherman, soccer player, cowboy, and fiesta nutcracker.

Even the outside of the house has some Christmas cheer :) Durant came into town and spent the first two nights with us. I took advantage of him being here and suggested that he and Brodie hang up some lights.

 As far as school goes, I'm on break for the next TWO WEEKS! Christmas Break is the most anticipated break in the school year. Especially for the students. Man, they were one crazy bunch that last week before school got out. I tried to keep them occupied by doing lots of crafts :) Below are the sock snowmen that students made - the kids love it, but it stresses me out! Imagine trying to lead 22 ten year olds in a sewing project. Yikes. At least they turned out cute. This is a picture of them making a "snowman face" hahah.

And of course, Christmas Break means teacher presents. Seriously a great perk about being a teacher. I think I have over $50 in Starbucks gift cards and 10 pounds of chocolate. Oh and I got this Harry Potter scarf :):)

And now that school is out, let the Christmas festivities begin! We went to downtown Portland to listen to "Tuba Christmas". Cohan (Brodie's brother) plays tuba and participates in Tuba Christmas each year. True to the Northwest, it was raining (well actually downpouring) through the whole hour and a half program! But that definitely didn't stop the crowds from coming. Check out the video of a tuba song here. 

 umbrella and rain jacket city

tuba players

Fish Fam supporters

Christmas is only 3 days away! Things to look forward to: Christmas Eve bowling, family talent show, hiking, seeing the Lambert Fam in Seattle, Star Wars, and my birthday!