The Vance's: lights, cookies and a big red suit.

Now that everyone is healthy we've been able to finish all our favorite Christmas traditions. We usually spend 1 or 2 nights each year driving around to look at lights but save another night for visiting a local church's display too. They have their entire building set up to music and video, an indoor area with a huge train set, cookies and hot cocoa and room to run and dance. The kids love it and it's such a fun night for family time.

They have a little path to walk around with a nativity set up and other lights. The kids did such a nice job staying on the path and not stomping on any lights. Whew!

Simon just loves trains. He really doesn't play with any toys, other than sports balls/bats but if he had to choose 1 toy, it would be a train set. He actually passed up a cookie so he could spend more time watching the electric trains go round and round.

Love these kids!

I've kicked my baking up a notch this year and ended up with 12 different varieties of cookies, fudge, bars and truffles. It's a lot of work, a lot of butter and a lot of mess but I only do it once a year and really enjoy baking. Plus, it's fun to pass out ALL the cookies to friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and teachers so we aren't stuck eating so much sugar. My favorite little baker helped with the cranberry bliss bars the other morning. Some days I don't know what I'd do without her help.

A few days ago we finally made a visit to see Santa. We went to North Pole at the fair and the kids loved it. They had a huge play area, almost set up like a children's museum with different rooms and activities. Some of the favorites? The train table room for Simon, lego room for Carter, restaurant/diner area for everyone, huge doll houses for Lucy, cookies for all and of course...Santa! We spent over 2 hours playing and getting our pictures taken and they did amazing. I was really worried about Simon but he walked right up to Santa, gave him a big wave and smile, sat in his lap and told him exactly what he wanted for Christmas. This year - Simon wants a Russell Wilson helmet, Lucy wants a Sleeping Beauty Barbie and Carter is hoping for the entire Harry Potter movie collection!

Once we got home from Santa it was back to more baking. This time? Sugar cookies!! Matt sort of owns this and he loves doing it with the kids each year.

Somehow it turned into the biggest flour mess ever. Like everywhere. All over everything. And everyone. oops! Haha!

When your little brother thinks the rolling pin is a baseball bat....poor Lucy was terrified. Luckily he didn't swing it at her. Whew!

And a preview of ALL the cookies!

Yesterday morning we finished the sugar cookies by decorating them. I must say, each year the kids get better and better. They take their time, don't lick their fingers and have learned the acceptable amount of sprinkles to put on each one.