Counting down to Christmas

For the past few years I have been looking for or wanting to make an Advent calendar. Like many of my ideas, this project never happened until now! Isn't this the cutest ever? Each tin is filled with a small treat and at the back of each tin is a simple activity to do that day! For full instructions go here, it's all mapped out for you! The only suggestions I would use is to use Velcro squares instead of dots, it holds it better!

The end of November was filled with a few late nights making the best advent calendar I have seen! I have some friends that talk sense into me when I come up with crazy ideas and I have others that are just as crazy as I am and join in as my partners in crime! For the most part, Julie is just as crazy as me and we have way to much fun making all these projects! Together we ended up making 10 of these babies and boy was it a mess! Remember that would be 240 tins, squares, wrapping the tins in paper, filling them with candy, and too many numbers to cut I can't even count! We had a few stresses I lost the paper that goes on top of the tin while everyone was gone for Thanksgiving. I ended up breaking into houses (with permission) and making everything work out! Don't worry, I found those stupid tops just a few days ago! I swear I don't know where my brain has gone!

This isn't even all of them!

So for the past 11 days we have been having a great time doing Christmas things from our advent calendar. Our first day was making snowflakes that we hung in the window. Some days we have listened to Christmas music, did something nice for someone, drank hot chocolate, and it has been so much fun! Each morning the boy jump up and down because it's a new day! They can't wait to see what we get to do that day and Trevor is especially happy to have chocolate before breakfast! Here we are making snowflakes. I love that Shane wears one of my old UNLV t-shirts to bed. I used to wear my mom's old BYU shirt to bed as a child too!

Ummm, sorry Mr. Vacuum Man we did make a mess. I didn't even attempt to clean it up either because I wanted to get back to work and get my Piggies done! I just left the mess for the help AKA Damon!

Trevor temporarily put down his cars and drink to help. He told me which shapes to cut because it's hard cutting through so many layers of paper! Notice the chocolate on his face and PJ top?

I even made one for my mom. She wouldn't be as excited to get chocolate each day or even a fun activity as the kids would be. However, she would be excited to see a picture of a different grandchild each day! It makes me sad we all aren't closer to eachother so this is one way we can bring her Christmas cheer!

If you don't have a Advent calendar this one is a must! We'll continue to enjoy counting down the days of Christmas even though while Daddy was "watching" Trevor tonight he ate 1/2 of the candy out of the remaining tins!!