Elf on the Shelf | Birthday Dinner | Parade

Another wonderful December weekend in the books. Our elf has been up to silly antics too!

FYI - all throughout the day Olly & Anna's tic tac toe game had moved around. We even caught Anna with a marshmallow in hand and a bite out of one of Olly's. Cadence loved this!

I want to have Olly make us a great breakfast one morning. I'm thinking maybe this weekend :)

We also started our Advent Calendar on December 1st. Cadence looks forward to reading what we have planned for each day. Some days it's as simple as reading a Christmas book or watching a Christmas movie and some days it's things that are super special like trips to Charleston to see the lights, or watching a Christmas parade.

Here's been our daily advent treats so far:

1 - Read and watch Elf on the Shelf

2 - Watch the tree lighting of Rockefeller Center on TV

3 - Visit the Festival of Trees

4 - Drive around Savannah and look at Christmas lights

5 - Go to a Christmas Parade

6 - Bake Christmas Cookies

Baking cookies is always a lot of fun and something we do together as a family. I always love the mess memories we make!

7 (tonight) - we'll read a Christmas story...tonight's Christmas story will be Luke 2...the Birth of Jesus. The true reason we celebrate this wonderful holiday!

Cadence's birthday is approaching and for the first time we said we were going to keep it very very simple. So we have dinner along with cake and ice cream planned for her actual birthday with our parents and maybe an aunt or uncle, but other than that, no fuss no muss. No decorations, no paper invitations, no goodie bags, no getting up early to prepare, no extensive cleaning before or after. Just simple, family, memories, some delicious cake, ice cream and a plate full of spaghetti (per Cadence's request for dinner). To be honest, I'm thoroughly looking forward to this. 

Don't get me wrong I adore family, both my side and Tarl's, but to be fair, we both have big families and although we love their company, our house is tiny and I feel like all I do the entire time of her party is pick up, clean up, make sure there is enough food and drink for everyone, etc. I know this is no ones fault but my own. This is just how I was built, but I'm ready to just make a simple spaghetti, and relax. Cadence was perfectly okay with this thought too. She said all she wanted was a special dinner for the three of us at her favorite restaurant, Carrabba's, so that's just what we did this weekend. 

This girl loves Italian food!

Her actual birthday is next week and we're all ready to celebrate this darling girl of ours who completely made our family into the blessing it has become.

xo