Preparing for Christmas

Like I said earlier, this year Christmas is "fake it 'til you make it" for us.  We are just doing the best we can with what we have and trying to remember what's really important!  Now that we have 2 kids, and Maddox is old enough to understand what is going on- the pressure was on!

We went to Brunch with Santa at the Officer's Club on Sunday the 18th.  Maddox must have been so relieved to see a huge buffet of American food because she was almost more interested in eating than in seeing Santa!  She had excellent behavior and manners.

Santa was Korean.  Maddox was not scared at all to sit on his lap, but she got a little tongue tied when it was time to talk to him.  

Maverick was not fazed at all.  He doesn't seem to care much about who is holding him, just as long as he's being held!  He looks really big in this picture (it was a pretty small Santa), and he is a few pounds more than Mdx was at this age.  He's wearing 6 month clothes now.  

Marshall decided it would be a good idea to put Mav's activity center together before Christmas Eve.  I'm so proud that I actually got a picture of him looking at the directions!  :)  We kept it out on the patio off of the guest room so Mdx couldn't see it.  

This is a Korean Christmas card that Mdx's teachers gave her.

For some reason this picture will not rotate.  Mdx got a letter from Santa!

This is what the letter said:

On Christmas Eve Marshall had to work and we weren't sure if he'd be home in time for dinner, or even before I put the kids to bed.  He got off semi-early that night and we decided to go out (I didn't really want to cook).  We walked down the street about a half mile to Mr. Chicken, and brought him a Christmas gift (chocolate).  

Mav slept through everything.

Mr. Chicken is one of the friendliest shopkeepers we have met here.  He always smiles and waves/bows to us whenever he sees us walk by his shop.  He decorated for Christmas, when many other businesses here didn't.  He was so happy to see us, and to receive a gift!  He put the gift away to open later- it is Korean custom (at least according to Marshall) not to open a gift in front of the giver.  He brought out a gift for Maddox and she was so excited!  It was really cute Korean boy and girl magnets.  When we left he came and zipped up Mdx's jacket and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  :)

Back at home it was time to take a bath, write Santa a note, and leave him milk and cookies.  Mdx went to bed with no problem!