December Daily: 2nd and 3rd

So far, so good with this project.  Today is going to be a challenge, but I'll find something (I hope!).
The mantel needs work (and something larger to cover that hole!), but I'm pretty pleased with it for our first year in the house...

The page above bugs me though.  I really don't like the up close picture of the skates next to the skates in the big picture.  BUT... I do like that photo a lot and I couldn't get it to work anywhere else.  Oh well.

Wasn't sure what to do yesterday and then the kids insisted that we do our countdown to Christmas with books again this year.  We've been doing it now for about 11 years, I think!  I had put it off with all of the move chaos, but they insisted that it wouldn't be Christmas without the books.  So, here they are... (well... at least most of them, I ran out of wrapping steam - and tape - with about six left to wrap)...

Templates are from Designs by Lili and everything else is by Emily Merritt!

Okay.... I had a request for our book list, so I thought I would add it to this post.  It won't be complete until after Christmas as I'm not sure what books I have wrapped up. :-)  I'll try to link them to Amazon too so you can get more info on the books.

I have way more than the 24 books needed for a countdown to Christmas, but I like being able to switch books in and out over the years.  This is year 11 (I think) of doing this, so things have changed over the years.  We started out with several board books, which I think I still have packed away somewhere.  Also in the beginning, I needed a bunch of books fast, so I went to the used book store and bought a stack of cheap books.  Most of them were character type books (Barney, Elmo, etc.) and most of those have been donated.  Only favorites from the early years were kept.  We also used to live near the 75% off bookstore, so I picked up a lot of books there.  Some good, some odd... but some of those odd ones became favorites so they're still around.  After I had the bulk of our books, I continued to pick up books on clearance after the holidays.  I haven't picked up any in a few years, since I keep thinking that one year soon the kids won't want to do this anymore.  I probably should still keep adding books though.  My plan is to start adding in my December Daily books so we can look back on years past together.

December 1st:
The First Christmas (top left corner of the photo) - This has been our first book, every single year.  Yes, it's a board book, but it's tradition :-)

December 2nd through 23rd choices:

Dream Snow by Eric Carle
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss
A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Shulz - not the version we have, but may be the same
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Emma Kragen - by far Clara's most favorite book of the bunch, ours came with a CD and we all belt out the song together as loud as we can :-)
Are You Grumpy Santa? by Gregg and Evan Spiridellis
Santa's Favorite Story by Hisako Aoki - beautiful little book that has Santa telling the story of the first Christmas
Kipper's Christmas Eve by Mick Inkpen - a LONG time favorite... and we will all be very sad when the little red lightbulb on the last page burns out.
Santa's Stuck by Rhonda Gowler Greene
Morris's Disappearing Bag by Rosemary Wells - one of my favorites, so sweet and so funny
The Latke that Couldn't Stop Screaming by Lemony Snicket - the title says it's a Christmas book, but it is a Hanukkah book with Christmas references.  It is a good book for our kids who have several Jewish friends and like understanding Hanukkah a little better... plus it's Lemony Snickets. :-)
Froggy's Best Christmas by Johnathan London - Alex absolutely loved the Froggy books when he was little, so this was a must own for us.
Jingle Jokes by Katy Hall - what kid doesn't like jokes and riddles?
Santa Cow Studios by Cooper Edens - strange little book, but more fun now that the kids get more of the movie references
Snowie Rolie - by William Joyce - Alex was a huge Rolie Polie Olie fan when he was little.
Phoebe Clappsaddle has a Tumbleweed Christmas by Melanie Chrismer
Little Red's Christmas Story by Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York
The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Christmas for 10 by Cathryn Falwell
Wise Old Owl's Christmas Adventure by Robert Kraus
Pieces of Christmas by Teri Sloat
Dumpy Saves Christmas by Julie Andrews Edwards and Emma Walton Hamilton
Emily's Christmas Gifts by Cindy Post Senning and Peggy Post - a Christmas manners book :-)
The Nativity Play by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear by Don Wood - almost forgot about this one because it's MISSING!  It's another favorite, so I need to find it!
A Yuletide Ice Cube Fair (Veggietales) - Another board book, another tradition.

December 24th:
The Night Before Christmas Pop Up by Clement Clarke Moore - Our Christmas Eve book has always been some edition of this story... first it was a board book, then a regular picture book and then finally (once the kids were older) I found this beauty for 75% off after Christmas one year.  They had no idea I had bought it and were so surprised when they opened it that year.