Christmas Bucket List

Another year, another Christmas bucket list! This season I’m still embracing the mantra of “Take it easy.” As such, I’m filling our bucket list with all my favorite things and not reaching too far.

1. Go see Santa!

2. Decorate the mini tree

3. Decorate the house

4. See the Christmas tree at the Durham Museum

5. Visit the Holiday display at Lauritzen Gardens

6. See A Christmas Story @ The Rose

7. See The Nutcracker @ The Orpheum

8. Listen to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

9. Make Christmas cookies

10. Drive through the Santa Rock n Lights

11. Visit the reindeers Dancer and Dasher

12. Watch 10 Christmas Movies

13. Go to Zoolightful at the zoo

14. Go to Fantasy of Lights at Franke Park

15. Dinner at Coney Island and see the Santa lights

16. Read 10 Christmas books

17. Make paper snowflakes

18. Make Christmas cocktails

19. Hot Chocolate tasting

20. Finish a Christmas puzzle

21. Find a new Christmas album

22. Make a Christmas craft

23. Decorate a gingerbread house

24. Take a photo of all four boys together

25. Finish 2024’s December Daily album

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Finish

We didn’t finish this list, but I’m very much okay with that this year. We needed to take everything a little easier this year. I’m grateful for the slower pace.

Read 10 Holiday Romances (10/10) ✓

• Snowed In by Jaqueline Snowe

• The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score

• A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

• Love in a Blizzard by Britney M. Mills

• White Lie Christmas by Karla Doyle

• A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

• Miss Kane’s Christmas by Caroline Mickelson

• Blue Sky Cowboy Christmas by Joanne Kennedy

• The Worst Christmas Ever? by Rebecca Paulinyi

• Fall for the Rockstar at Christmas by Lyndsey Gallagher

Coop Christmas Party! ✓

Decorate the Mini Tree ✓

Letter to Santa ✓

Christmas Movies x3 (1/3)

• White Christmas

Make Paper Snowflakes ✓

Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓

Go See Werner Park Lights ✓

Hot Chocolate Bar ✓ - We all agreed that the Salted Caramel was the clear winner.

Meet the Reindeer - We missed them by two days. I didn’t realize that they had a limited stay this year.

Go for a Winter Hike

Puzzle Day ✓

Make Gingerbread Cookies ✓ Also, we decorated a pre-built gingerbread house.

Visit Zoolightful at the Zoo ✓ with bonus Santa meeting

Drive around and see the lights ✓

Fantasy of Lights ✓

Dinner at Coney Island and Visit to Santa Lights ✓

Christmas music dance party ✓

Watch The Grinch

Make Peppermint Bark

Christmas Advent Books ✓

• Merry Christmas, Peanut! by Terry Border

• Who’s that Knocking on Christmas Eve? by Jan Brett

• A Very Quacky Christmas by Frances Watts and Ann James

• Santa Claws by Laura Leuck

• Here Comes Santa Cat by Deborah Underwood

• Maple and Willow’s Christmas Tree by Lori Nichols

• Little Bear’s Special Friend by Claire Freedman

• The Nutcracker’s Night Before Christmas by Keith Brockett

• The 12 Days of Christmas by Greg Pizzoli

• The Nutcracker retold by John Cech

• How to Decorate a Christmas Tree by Vikki VanSickle

• It’s Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

• Clark the Shark Loves Christmas by Bruce Hale

• Was That Christmas? by Hilary McKay

• Bears Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson

• The Christmas Eve Tree by Delia Huddy

• Who’ll Pull Santa’s Sleigh Tonight? by Laura Rader

• The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains by Annie Silvestro

• The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg

• Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

• The Gingerbread Man Loose at Christmas by Laura Murray

• The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson

• The Littlest Elf by Brandi Dougherty

• The Littlest Reindeer by Brandi Dougherty

• If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff

• How to Catch an Elf by Adam Wallace & Andy Elkerton

• One Snowy Morning by Kevin Tseng

• I’m Going to Build a Snowman by Jashar Swan

Find a New Christmas Album

Have a Candy Cane Hunt

Go Sledding

Send out Christmas cards

Try a new holiday drink

Make a snowglobe

Make Christmas cocktails

Create my December Daily base pages

Read A Christmas Carol ✓

Bonus: We checked out the very large Christmas tree at the Durham.

Bonus: We had to stop at Albanese on our way to Indiana. This year they had a whole moose on a ski mountain display. Loved it!

Bonus: The Fort Wayne Zoo did a whole Christmas daytime thing and we had to check it out. Years ago, they used to have lights at night. This year, they just had some special displays and certain animals were out. Plus free carousel and train rides.

Next Up on the TBR Pile:

Christmas Bucket List Update

Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list. Let’s see what I’m hoping to do this year:

Read 10 Holiday Romances (7/10)

• Snowed In by Jaqueline Snowe

• The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score

• A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

• Love in a Blizzard by Britney M. Mills

• White Lie Christmas by Karla Doyle

• A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

• Miss Kane’s Christmas by Caroline Mickelson

Coop Christmas Party!

Decorate the Mini Tree ✓

Letter to Santa

Christmas Movies x3 (1/3)

• White Christmas

Make Paper Snowflakes

Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓

Go See Werner Park Lights ✓

Hot Chocolate Bar ✓ - We all agreed that the Salted Caramel was the clear winner.

Meet the Reindeer

Go for a Winter Hike

Puzzle Day

Make Gingerbread Cookies

Visit Zoolightful at the Zoo ✓ with bonus Santa meeting

Drive around and see the lights

Fantasy of Lights

Dinner at Coney Island and Visit to Santa Lights

Christmas music dance party ✓

Watch The Grinch

Make Peppermint Bark

Christmas Advent Books

• Merry Christmas, Peanut! by Terry Border

• Who’s that Knocking on Christmas Eve? by Jan Brett

• A Very Quacky Christmas by Frances Watts and Ann James

• Santa Claws by Laura Leuck

• Here Comes Santa Cat by Deborah Underwood

• Maple and Willow’s Christmas Tree by Lori Nichols

• Little Bear’s Special Friend by Claire Freedman

• The Nutcracker’s Night Before Christmas by Keith Brockett

• The 12 Days of Christmas by Greg Pizzoli

• The Nutcracker retold by John Cech

• How to Decorate a Christmas Tree by Vikki VanSickle

• It’s Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

• Clark the Shark Loves Christmas by Bruce Hale

• Was That Christmas? by Hilary McKay

• Bears Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson

• The Christmas Eve Tree by Delia Huddy

• Who’ll Pull Santa’s Sleigh Tonight? by Laura Rader

• The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains by Annie Silvestro

Find a New Christmas Album

Have a Candy Cane Hunt

Go Sledding

Send out Christmas cards

Try a new holiday drink

Make a snowglobe

Make Christmas cocktails

Create my December Daily base pages

Read A Christmas Carol ✓

Bonus: We checked out the very large Christmas tree at the Durham.

Next Up on the TBR Pile:

Christmas Bucket List

Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list. Let’s see what I’m hoping to do this year:

1. Read 10 Holiday Romances

2. Coop Christmas Party!

3. Decorate the Mini Tree

4. Letter to Santa

5. Christmas Movies x3

6. Make Paper Snowflakes

7. Go See Santa at Cabela’s

8. Go See Werner Park Lights

9. Hot Chocolate Bar

10. Meet the Reindeer

11. Go for a Winter Hike

12. Puzzle Day

13. Make Gingerbread Cookies

14. Visit Zoolightful at the Zoo

15. Drive around and see the lights

16. Fantasy of Lights

17. Dinner at Coney Island and Visit to Santa Lights

18. Christmas music dance party

19. Watch The Grinch

20. Make Peppermint Bark

21. Christmas Advent Books

22. Find a New Christmas Album

23. Have a Candy Cane Hunt

24. Go Sledding

25. Send out Christmas cards

26. Try a new holiday drink

27. Make a snowglobe

28. Make Christmas cocktails

29. Create my December Daily base pages

30. Read A Christmas Carol

Next Up on the TBR Pile:

Christmas Bucket List Final

Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list: We ended up not getting to everything, but I think we had a great Christmas season this year!

Read 10 Holiday Romances (10/10) ✓

• Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

• The Christmas Clash by Suzanna Park

• The Highlander’s Christmas Bride by Vanessa Kelly

• The Highlander’s Holiday Wife by Vanessa Kelly

• You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky

• Whiteout by Various Authors

• Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey

• Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle

• All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Know

• A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes

• The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson

• Fake It for Christmas by Layla Valentine

• Stuck Together for Christmas by Layla Valentine

• Bad Boy for Christmas by Layla Valentine

• The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis

• One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis

Coop Christmas Party! ✓

Decorate the Mini Tree ✓

Letter to Santa ✓

Christmas Movies x3 ✓

Make Paper Snowflakes

Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓ (and The Durham Museum)

Go See Werner Park Lights ✓

Hot Chocolate Bar ✓

Meet the Reindeer ✓

Go for a Winter Hike ✓

Puzzle Day ✓

Make Gingerbread Cookies

Visit Lauritzen Gardens ✓

Decorate Gingerbread Ninjas

Drive around and see the lights ✓

Fantasy of Lights ✓

Dinner at Coney Island and Visit to Santa Lights ✓

Christmas music dance party

Watch The Grinch ✓

Make Peppermint Bark

Christmas Advent Books ✓

• Christmas Mouse by Anne Mortimer

• The Twelve Days of Christmas Dogs by Carolyn Conahan

• The Three Bears’ Christmas by Kathy Duval

• The Dinosaurs’ Night Before Christmas by Anne Muercke

• It’s Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

• The 12 Sleighs of Christmas by Sherry Duskey Rinker

• Just Right for Christmas by Birdie Black & Rosalind Beardshaw

• The Twelve Day sod Christmas illustrated by Emma Randall

• Christmas at the Toy Museum by David Lucas

• One Cozy Christmas by M. Christina Butler

• Merry Christmas, Squirrels! by Nancy Rose

• The Last Christmas Tree by Stephen Krensky

• A Day So Gray by Marie Lamba

• Coming Home by Michael Morpurgo

• Christmas with the Mousekins by Maggie Smith

• The Bear Who Didn’t Want to Miss Christmas by Marie Tibi

• A Pirate’s Twelve Days of Christmas by Philip Yates

• Madeline’s Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans

• How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky

• Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear by Audrey Wood and Don Wood

• Mouse’s Night Before Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

• Christmas is Here! by Charles M. Schulz

• Scooby’s Scary Christmas

• Dino-Christmas by Lisa Wheeler

• The Unicorns Who Saved Christmas by Mary Winn Heider

• How to Catch a Reindeer by Adam Wallace

• How to Catch an Elf by Adam Wallace

• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

• Little Bear’s Special Friend by Claire Freedman

• If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff

• The Biggest Christmas Tree Ever by Steven Kroll

• Merry Christmas Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

• Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

• What the Dinosaurs Did the Night Before Christmas by Refe Tuma and Susan Tuma

Find a New Christmas Album

Have a Candy Cane Hunt

Go Sledding ✓

Send out Christmas cards

Take a photo of all four boys together

Finish 2021’s December Daily album ✓

Try a new holiday drink

Next Up on the TBR Pile:

Christmas Bucket List - Update

Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list:

1. Read 10 Holiday Romances (6/10)

   • Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

   • The Christmas Clash by Suzanna Park

   • The Highlander’s Christmas Bride by Vanessa Kelly

   • You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky

   • Whiteout by Various Authors

   • Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey

2. Coop Christmas Party! ✓

3. Decorate the Mini Tree ✓

4. Letter to Santa ✓

5. Christmas Movies x3

6. Make Paper Snowflakes

7. Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓

8. Go See Werner Park Lights ✓

9. Hot Chocolate Bar ✓

10. Meet the Reindeer ✓

11. Go for a Winter Hike ✓

12. Puzzle Day ✓

13. Make Gingerbread Cookies

14. Visit Lauritzen Gardens ✓

15. Decorate Gingerbread Ninjas

16. Drive around and see the lights

17. Fantasy of Lights

18. Dinner at Coney Island and Visit to Santa Lights

19. Christmas music dance party

20. Watch The Grinch

21. Make Peppermint Bark

22. Christmas Advent Books (in progress)

    • Christmas Mouse by Anne Mortimer

    • The Twelve Days of Christmas Dogs by Carolyn Conahan

    • The Three Bears’ Christmas by Kathy Duval

    • The Dinosaurs’ Night Before Christmas by Anne Muercke

    • It’s Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

    • The 12 Sleighs of Christmas by Sherry Duskey Rinker

    • Just Right for Christmas by Birdie Black & Rosalind Beardshaw

    • The Twelve Day sod Christmas illustrated by Emma Randall

    • Christmas at the Toy Museum by David Lucas

    • One Cozy Christmas by M. Christina Butler

    • Merry Christmas, Squirrels! by Nancy Rose

    • The Last Christmas Tree by Stephen Krensky

    • A Day So Gray by Marie Lamba

    • Coming Home by Michael Morpurgo

    • Christmas with the Mousekins by Maggie Smith

    • The Bear Who Didn’t Want to Miss Christmas by Marie Tibi

    • A Pirate’s Twelve Days of Christmas by Philip Yates

    • Madeline’s Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans

    • How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky

    • Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear by Audrey Wood and Don Wood

    • Mouse’s Night Before Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

    • Christmas is Here! by Charles M. Schulz

    • Scooby’s Scary Christmas

    • Dino-Christmas by Lisa Wheeler

    • The Unicorns Who Saved Christmas by Mary Winn Heider

    • How to Catch a Reindeer by Adam Wallace

    • How to Catch an Elf by Adam Wallace

23. Find a New Christmas Album

24. Have a Candy Cane Hunt

25. Go Sledding (Here’s hoping the weather cooperates)

26. Send out Christmas cards

27. Take a photo of all four boys together

28. Finish 2021’s December Daily album

29. Try a new holiday drink

Next Up on the TBR Pile:

Christmas Bucket List

Another Christmas season is upon us! Time for another bucket list:

1. Read 10 Holiday Romances

2. Coop Christmas Party!

3. Decorate the Mini Tree

4. Letter to Santa

5. Christmas Movies x3

6. Make Paper Snowflakes

7. Go See Santa at Cabela’s

8. Go See Werner Park Lights

9. Hot Chocolate bar

10. Meet the reindeer

11. Go for a winter hike

12. Puzzle Day

13. Make Gingerbread Cookies

14. Visit Lauritzen Gardens

15. Decorate Gingerbread Ninjas

16. Drive around and see the lights

17. Fantasy of Lights

18. Dinner at Coney Island and Visit to Santa Lights

19. Christmas music dance party

20. Watch The Grinch

21. Make Peppermint Bark

22. Christmas Advent Books

23. Find a New Christmas Album

24. Have a Candy Cane Hunt

25. Go Sledding (Here’s hoping the weather cooperates)

26. Send out Christmas cards

27. Take a photo of all four boys together

28. Finish 2021’s December Daily album

29. Try a new holiday drink

Next Up on the TBR Pile:

Christmas Bucket List Final

Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December.

Decorate Mini Tree ✓ (This pic was pre-decoration, but they got it down and started their advent calendars.)

Letter to Santa ✓

Christmas Movies with the Kids x3 ✓

• 8 Bit Christmas - Lovely 80s nostalgia for the parents. Heartwarming for the kids.

• Dr. Sesuss’ The Grinch - Marcus Theaters was having $5 retro Christmas movies.

• The Muppet Christmas Carol - Family favorite!

Make Paper Snowflakes ✓ - Arthur ripped a few, but we managed to make about 6 for the breakfast nook window.

Get New Christmas PJs and Socks ✓

Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓ - We always have to check out the taxidermy animals and see the aquarium while there. And this year the boys got me to buy them those giant stuffed reindeer. We also ended up visiting Santa at The Durham Museum.

Go See Werner Park Lights ✓

Hot Chocolate bar ✓ - We tried Mint, French Vanilla, and Amaretto. Arthur and Quentin loved the Amaretto best and I really enjoyed the French Vanilla.

Meet the reindeer - We never made it to this activity.

Go for a hike and get pine cones - Ditto

Puzzle Day ✓ - This year’s selection was Christmas cats!

Make Gingerbread Cookies ✓ - Quentin was a big helper coating the cookies with sugar.

Visit Lauritzen Gardens - We never went.

Coop Christmas Party ✓ - No pictures as they feature other kids, but we had a great party right before we left for Indiana.

Decorate Gingerbread Houses ✓ - Always a disaster, but we love it.

Drive around and see the lights ✓

Fantasy of Lights ✓

Botanical Gardens Christmas Display ✓

Cookie Decorating ✓ - We ended up doing this during the coop Christmas Party.

Dinner at Coney Island and Visit to Santa Lights - Line was crazy long so we skipped.

Christmas music dance party ✓ - Always a favorite!

Watch The Grinch ✓ - Always a favorite!

24 Days of Christmas Books

• Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett

• Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett

• Catch that Cookie by Hallie Durand

• Five Little Monkeys by Eileen Christelow

• The Wheels on the Bus at Christmas

• The Library Gingerbread Man by Dotti Enderle

• Who Will Pull Santa's Sleigh by Russ Willms

• The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup

• Dream Snow by Eric Carle

• Snow Globe Wishes by Erin Dealey

• The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas by Anne Muecke

• Olive, the Other Reindeer by J. Otto Seibold

• Santa in the City by Tiffany D. Jackson

• Santa's Secrets Revealed by James Solheim

• Comet, the Unstoppable Reindeer by Jim Benton

• A Polar Story in the Snow by Mac Barnett

• Snow by Sam Usher

• The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett

• Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett

• Snow is Fun by Steve Henry

• Little Fox in the Snow by Jonathan London

• Good Night, Reindeer by Denise Brennan-Nelson

• How Santa Really Works by Alan Snow

• Snow Friends by Margery Cuyler

• A Chick n Pug Christmas by Jennifer Sattler

• Mouse's Night Before Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

• The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst

• The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers by Lisa Campbell Ernst

• Last Stop on the Reindeer Express by Maudie Powell-Tuck

• The Christmas Eve Tree by Delia Huddy

• Martin MacGregor's Snowman by Lisa Broadie Cook

• What the Dinosaurs Did the Night Before Christmas by Refe and Susan Tuma

• Hurry, Santa! by Tomie dePaola

• One Wild Christmas by Nicholas Oldland

• Vegetables in Holiday Underwear by Jared Chapman

• T. rex at Swan Lake by Lisa Carrier and Lenore Hart

• The Nutcracker's Night Before Christmas by Keith Brockett

• Five Busy Elves by Patricia Hegarty

• Snow by Roy McKie

• The Christmas Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood

• Ten Ways to Heart Snow by Cathy Camper

• Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

• The Littlest Elf by Brandi Dougherty

• The Littlest Reindeer by Brandi Dougherty

• Merry Christmas, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

• Peppa Pig and the Christmas Party

• Russell's Christmas Magic by Rob Scotton

• The Great Reindeer Rebellion by Lisa Trumbauer

• 12 Days of Christmas by Kate Toms

• Jingle Bells by Rosie Greening

• The Story of the Nutcracker Ballet by Deborah Hautzig

• There's an Elf in Your Book by Tom Fletcher

• Snow Bunny's Christmas Gift by Rebecca Harry

• If Snowflakes Tasted Like Fruitcake by Stacey Previn

• Winter is for Snow by Robert Neubecker

• The Great Santa Stakeout by Betsy Bird

Other Holiday Movies Watched

• The Man Who Invented Christmas

• A Christmas Wish

• Single All the Way

• Love Hard

• Encanto - We went to the movie theater for this one!

• One Royal Holiday

• The Knight Before Christmas

• A Castle for Christmas

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Update

Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December.

Decorate Mini Tree ✓ (This pic was pre-decoration, but they got it down and started their advent calendars.)

Letter to Santa ✓

Christmas Movies x3

• 8 Bit Christmas - Lovely 80s nostalgia for the parents. Heartwarming for the kids.

• Dr. Sesuss’ The Grinch - Marcus Theaters was having $5 retro Christmas movies.

Make Paper Snowflakes ✓ - Arthur ripped a few, but we managed to make about 6 for the breakfast nook window.

Get New Christmas PJs and Socks ✓

Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓ - We always have to check out the taxidermy animals and see the aquarium while there. And this year the boys got me to buy them those giant stuffed reindeer. We also ended up visiting Santa at The Durham Museum.

Go See Werner Park Lights ✓

Hot Chocolate bar ✓ - We tried Mint, French Vanilla, and Amaretto. Arthur and Quentin loved the Amaretto best and I really enjoyed the French Vanilla.

Meet the reindeer

Go for a hike and get pine cones

Puzzle Day ✓ - This year’s selection was Christmas cats!

Make Gingerbread Cookies ✓ - Quentin was a big helper coating the cookies with sugar.

Visit Lauritzen Gardens

Coop Christmas Party

Decorate Gingerbread Houses ✓ - Always a disaster, but we love it.

Drive around and see the lights

Fantasy of Lights

Botanical Gardens Christmas Display

Cookie Decorating

Dinner at Coney Island and Visit to Santa Lights

Christmas music dance party

Watch The Grinch

24 Days of Christmas Books

• Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett

• Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett

• Catch that Cookie by Hallie Durand

• Five Little Monkeys by Eileen Christelow

• The Wheels on the Bus at Christmas

• The Library Gingerbread Man by Dotti Enderle

• Who Will Pull Santa's Sleigh by Russ Willms

• The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup

• Dream Snow by Eric Carle

• Snow Globe Wishes by Erin Dealey

• The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas by Anne Muecke

• Olive, the Other Reindeer by J. Otto Seibold

• Santa in the City by Tiffany D. Jackson

• Santa's Secrets Revealed by James Solheim

• Comet, the Unstoppable Reindeer by Jim Benton

• A Polar Story in the Snow by Mac Barnett

• Snow by Sam Usher

• The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett

• Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett

• Snow is Fun by Steve Henry

• Little Fox in the Snow by Jonathan London

• Good Night, Reindeer by Denise Brennan-Nelson

• How Santa Really Works by Alan Snow

• Snow Friends by Margery Cuyler

• A Chick n Pug Christmas by Jennifer Sattler

• Mouse's Night Before Christmas by Tracey Corderoy

• The Gingerbread Girl by Lisa Campbell Ernst

• The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers by Lisa Campbell Ernst

• Last Stop on the Reindeer Express by Maudie Powell-Tuck

• The Christmas Eve Tree by Delia Huddy

• Martin MacGregor's Snowman by Lisa Broadie Cook

• What the Dinosaurs Did the Night Before Christmas by Refe and Susan Tuma

• Hurry, Santa! by Tomie dePaola

• One Wild Christmas by Nicholas Oldland

• Vegetables in Holiday Underwear by Jared Chapman

• T. rex at Swan Lake by Lisa Carrier and Lenore Hart

• The Nutcracker's Night Before Christmas by Keith Brockett

• Five Busy Elves by Patricia Hegarty

• Snow by Roy McKie

• The Christmas Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood

• Ten Ways to Heart Snow by Cathy Camper

• Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

Other Holiday Movies Watched

• The Man Who Invented Christmas

• A Christmas Wish

• Single All the Way

• Love Hard

• Encanto - We went to the movie theater for this one!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List

Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December.

1. Decorate Mini Tree

2. Letter to Santa

3. Christmas Movies x3

4. Make Paper Snowflakes

5. Get New Christmas PJs and Socks

6. Go See Santa at Cabela’s

7. Go See Werner Park Lights

8. Hot Chocolate bar

9. Meet the reindeer

10. Go for a hike and get pine cones

11. Puzzle Day

12. Make Gingerbread Cookies

13. Visit Lauritzen Gardens

14. Coop Christmas Party

15. Decorate Gingerbread Houses

16. Drive around and see the lights

17. Fantasy of Lights

18. Botanical Gardens Christmas Display

19. Cookie Decorating

20. Dinner at Coney Island and Visit to Santa Lights

21. Christmas music dance party

22. Watch The Grinch

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Finish

Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December. I bought the cute countdown kit from Stampin’ Up and using that as my calendar.

Decorate mini tree ✓

Write a letter to Santa ✓

Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓

Lego Build ✓

Xmas PJs ✓

Go See Werner Park Lights ✓

Coloring Books ✓

Bath bombs ✓

Window Clings ✓

Zorinsky Park Lights - canceled due to bad weather

Decorate Gingerbread Houses ✓

Hot Chocolate Bar ✓

Stamp and Ink to Make Cards ✓

Make Gingerbread Cookies ✓

Watch The Nutcracker ✓

Paper wreaths and snowflakes ✓

Puzzle Day ✓

Watch 5 Christmas Movies ✓

1. Babes in Toyland ✓

2. Elf ✓

3. White Christmas ✓

4. Muppet Christmas Carol ✓

5. Christmas Vacation ✓

6. The Grinch ✓

Cookie Decorating ✓

Christmas Music Dance Party ✓

Drive around and see the lights ✓

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Update #3

Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December. I bought the cute countdown kit from Stampin’ Up and using that as my calendar.

Decorate mini tree ✓

Write a letter to Santa ✓

Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓

Lego Build ✓

Xmas PJs ✓

Go See Werner Park Lights ✓

Coloring Books ✓

Bath bombs ✓

Window Clings ✓

Zorinsky Park Lights - canceled due to bad weather

Decorate Gingerbread Houses ✓

Hot Chocolate Bar ✓

Stamp and Ink to Make Cards ✓ - The boys made some cards to send to Grandma Becky and Grandma Heidi and Papa Bill.

Make Gingerbread Cookies ✓ - I love making fluffy gingerbread molasses cookies. We even delivered some cookies to our neighbors.

Watch The Nutcracker ✓ - After studying Tchaikovsky all week, we then watched the Royal Opera House version of The Nutcracker ballet. The boys actually sat through the entire thing.

Paper wreaths and snowflakes ✓ - Our big picture window is now very decorated.

Puzzle Day ✓ - A 300 piece puzzle was the perfect difficulty level for an afternoon’s worth of puzzling.

Watch 5 Christmas Movies - in Progress

1. Babes in Toyland ✓

2. Elf ✓

3. White Christmas ✓

4. Muppet Christmas Carol

5. The Polar Express

6. The Grinch

Items Left to Do:

• Go for a hike and get pine cones

• Melty Bead Kits

• Cookie Decorating

• Christmas music dance party

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Update #2

Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December. I bought the cute countdown kit from Stampin’ Up and using that as my calendar.

Decorate mini tree ✓

Write a letter to Santa ✓

Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓

Lego Build ✓

Xmas PJs ✓ - Carter’s order to the rescue!

Go See Werner Park Lights ✓ - Given that we can’t really go anywhere this year, this was totally worth the admission fee.

Coloring Books ✓ - I grabbed two from the Target Dollar Spot. The boys have been coloring in them here and there all week.

Bath bombs ✓ - The boys used one already, but we have two more bath bombs for future fun times.

Window Clings ✓ - Another Target cheap find.

Zorinsky Park Lights - canceled due to bad weather

Decorate Gingerbread Houses ✓ - More like deconstructed gingerbread houses, but we did it and the kids loved the activity.

Hot Chocolate Bar ✓ - Arthur’s favorite was the milk chocolate; Quentin’s favorite was the marshmallow; Mom’s favorite was the caramel

Watch 5 Christmas Movies - in Progress

1. Babes in Toyland ✓

2. Elf ✓

3. White Christmas ✓

4. The Polar Express

5. The Grinch

Items Left to Do:

• Stamp and Ink to Make Cards

• Go for a hike and get pine cones

• Watch The Nutcracker

• Melty Bead Kits

• Make Gingerbread Cookies

• Puzzle Day

• Cookie Decorating

• Paper wreaths and snowflakes

• Christmas music dance party

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Update #1

Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December. I bought the cute countdown kit from Stampin’ Up and using that as my calendar.

Decorate mini tree ✓ - As we aren’t traveling this year and we don’t have a big tree, I just bought a little tree that the boys could decorate. They love their little tree.

Write a letter to Santa ✓ - Arthur wants various Lego sets and Quentin wants dinosaurs.

Go See Santa at Cabela’s ✓ - We had to make reservations, but it was free and there was no one there on a Thursday at 10am. Perfect!

Lego Build ✓ - We got a mini Santa and Christmas tree kits to build.

Watch 5 Christmas Movies - in Progress

1. Babes in Toyland ✓

2. Elf ✓

3. The Polar Express

4. The Grinch

Xmas PJs

Items Left to Do:

• Stamp and Ink to Make Cards

• Go See Werner Park Lights

• Go for a hike and get pine cones

• Window Clings

• Zorinsky Park Lights

• Watch The Nutcracker

• Melty Bead Kits

• Gingerbread Cookies Make

• Decorate Gingerbread Houses

• Puzzle Day

• Coloring Books

• Hot Chocolate bar

• Bath bombs

• Cookie Decorating

• Paper wreaths and snowflakes

• Christmas music dance party

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List

Instead of a separate bucket list, I’m just going to highlight our advent activities for December.

1. Decorate Mini Tree

2. Letter to Santa

3. Go See Santa at Cabela’s

4. Lego Build

5. Christmas Movie

6. Xmas PJs

7. Stamp and Ink to Make Cards

8. Go See Werner Park Lights

9. Go for a hike and get pine cones

10. Window Clings

11. Zorinsky Park Lights

12. Watch The Nutcracker

13. Melty Bead Kits

14. Gingerbread Cookies Make

15. Decorate Gingerbread Houses

16. Puzzle Day

17. Coloring Books

18. Hot Chocolate bar

19. Christmas Movie

20. Bath bombs

21. Cookie Decorating

22. Paper wreaths and snowflakes

23. Christmas music dance party

24. Watch The Polar Express

25. Watch The Grinch

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Finish

Christmas time is here!!!! Bring on the festive events and activities. (18/25)

1. Make Christmas Cookies ✓

2. Watch 5 Christmas movies (3/5)

   • How the Grinch Stole Christmas

   • Christmas at Pemberley Manor

   • Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe

3. Complete a Christmas book advent ✓

4. Make hot cocoa ✓

5. Create snow angels

6. Create paper snowflakes

7. Make an ornament

8. Buy a Christmas sweater ✓

9. Sing Christmas carols ✓

10. Build a gingerbread house (or train or whatever) ✓

11. Help Arthur write a letter to Santa ✓

12. Drive around and see the lights ✓

13. Go visit Santa ✓

14. Send out Christmas cards ✓

15. Read 10 Christmas/winter stories (13/10) ✓

    • A Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay

    • The Christmas Layover by Robert Tate Miller

    • Unexpected Gifts by Elena Aitken

    • Unexpected Endings by Elena Aitken

    • Christmas Lovebirds by Rachelle Ayala

    • Christmas with the Black Sheep by Natalie-Nicole Bates

    • My Christmas Curse by Joan Gable

    • Santa’s on His Way

    • Once Upon a Royal Christmas by Robin Bielman

    • A Kiss of Christmas by Jillian Eaton

    • Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler

    • 25 Days ‘til Christmas by Poppy Alexander

    • This Christmas by Jeannie Moon

16. Leave out cookies for Santa ✓

17. Visit the Feztival of Trees ✓

18. Take a photo of all four boys together ✓

19. Find a new holiday album ✓ - I went with Ana Gasteyer’s Sugar & Booze and it is delightful!

20. Visit the Fantasy of Lights ✓

21. Go sledding

22. Create my December Daily base pages

23. Participate in two gift exchanges ✓

24. See live reindeer ✓

25. Find a Christmas door hanger

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Update

Christmas time is here!!!! Bring on the festive events and activities. (8/25)

1. Make Christmas Cookies ✓ — I always make my Ginger Molasses Cookies and they always remind me of Christmas.

2. Watch 5 Christmas movies (1/5)

   • How the Grinch Stole Christmas

3. Complete a Christmas book advent - in progress

4. Make hot cocoa

5. Create snow angels

6. Create paper snowflakes

7. Make an ornament

8. Buy a Christmas sweater ✓ — I got one with dinosaurs wearing Santa hats. Q very much approves!

9. Sing Christmas carols

10. Build a gingerbread house (or train or whatever)

11. Help Arthur write a letter to Santa

12. Drive around and see the lights

13. Go visit Santa ✓ - We met Santa at The Durham for family night.

14. Send out Christmas cards ✓

15. Read 10 Christmas/winter stories (12/10) ✓

    • A Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay

    • The Christmas Layover by Robert Tate Miller

    • Unexpected Gifts by Elena Aitken

    • Unexpected Endings by Elena Aitken

    • Christmas Lovebirds by Rachelle Ayala

    • Christmas with the Black Sheep by Natalie-Nicole Bates

    • My Christmas Curse by Joan Gable

    • Santa’s on His Way

    • Once Upon a Royal Christmas by Robin Bielman

    • A Kiss of Christmas by Jillian Eaton

    • Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler

    • 25 Days ‘til Christmas by Poppy Alexander

16. Leave out cookies for Santa

17. Visit the Feztival of Trees ✓

18. Take a photo of all four boys together

19. Find a new holiday album

20. Visit the Fantasy of Lights

21. Go sledding

22. Create my December Daily base pages

23. Participate in two gift exchanges ✓ — I ended up participating in three: Book and Wine Exchange; OBM Book Exchange; OBM Coffee Exchange

24. See live reindeer ✓

25. Find a Christmas door hanger

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List

Christmas time is here!!!! Bring on the festive events and activities.

1. Make Christmas Cookies

2. Watch 5 Christmas movies

3. Complete a Christmas book advent

4. Make hot cocoa

5. Create snow angels

6. Create paper snowflakes

7. Make an ornament

8. Buy a Christmas sweater

9. Sing Christmas carols

10. Build a gingerbread house (or train or whatever)

11. Help Arthur write a letter to Santa

12. Drive around and see the lights

13. Go visit Santa

14. Send out Christmas cards

15. Read 10 Christmas/winter stories

16. Leave out cookies for Santa

17. Visit the Feztival of Trees

18. Take a photo of all four boys together

19. Find a new holiday album

20. Visit the Fantasy of Lights

21. Go sledding

22. Create my December Daily base pages

23. Participate in two gift exchanges

24. See live reindeer

25. Find a Christmas door hanger

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Finish Line

Final tally 14/25 tasks completed. Sickness threw me early on in the month.

1. Make Christmas Cookies ✓

2. Watch 5 Christmas movies

   1. The Polar Express

   2. Scrooged

3. Decorate our new house

4. Make hot cocoa ✓

5. Buy fun candy canes — Grabbed some weird fruit ones on clearance!

6. Read “A Christmas Carol”

7. Build a snowman

8. Create snow angels ✓

9. Create a popcorn garland

10. Create paper snowflakes

11. Have a snowball fight

12. Donate to a toy drive ✓

13. Sing Christmas carols ✓

14. Build a gingerbread house ✓

15. Drive around and see the lights ✓

16. Go visit Santa ✓

17. Send out Christmas cards ✓

18. Read 5 Christmas stories ✓

    1. Alaskan Holiday

    2. Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe

    3. A Town Called Christmas

    4. A Christmas Gift

    5. Mischief and Mistletoe

    6. The Night Before Christmas

    7. Winter Street

    8. Winter Stroll

    9. That Mistletoe Moment

19. Leave out cookies for Santa ✓

20. Go to Christmas at the zoo

21. See a Christmas performance

22. Buy a special ornament

23. Take a photo of all four boys together ✓

24. Try a new holiday coffee drink

25. Find a new holiday album ✓

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Update #3

We’ve been knocking out some fun holiday items this past week.

1. Make Christmas Cookies ✓

2. Watch 5 Christmas movies

   1. The Polar Express

   2. Scrooged

3. Decorate our new house

4. Make hot cocoa

5. Buy fun candy canes

6. Read “A Christmas Carol”

7. Build a snowman

8. Create snow angels ✓

9. Create a popcorn garland

10. Create paper snowflakes

11. Have a snowball fight

12. Donate to a toy drive ✓

13. Sing Christmas carols

14. Build a gingerbread house ✓

15. Drive around and see the lights ✓ - The boys and I went to the Fantasy of Lights Friday night. They loved it.

16. Go visit Santa

17. Send out Christmas cards ✓

18. Read 5 Christmas stories ✓

    1. Alaskan Holiday

    2. Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe

    3. A Town Called Christmas

    4. A Christmas Gift

    5. Mischief and Mistletoe

19. Leave out cookies for Santa

20. Go to Christmas at the zoo

21. See a Christmas performance

22. Buy a special ornament

23. Take a photo of all four boys together

24. Try a new holiday coffee drink

25. Find a new holiday album ✓

Next up on the TBR pile: