happy birthday, Jesus! {+ printable cake banners}

This morning Imani and I got to work on Jesus' Birthday Cake.

Four layer red velvet cake with crushed candy canes {yum!}.

Every year I put something different on top. Sometimes sparklers, sometimes ribbon bunting, this year I thought I'd make my own printable banner.

{I printed mine onto cardstock}

If you'd like to print your own, click here!

Oh how I love decorating our Christmas table!

Who says paper plates can't be used for a fancy dinner? Silver chargers beneath add shine, depth and make them seem more substantial.

After our candlelight church service, we came home for dinner.

The past few years we've done fondue.

They get so serious about it!

Sweet Imani wanted to wear her Christmas apron over her dress so she didn't get it dirty.

How I love that little face!

After dinner, we popped open the musical crackers I had placed next to each plate.

Inside were crowns and pieces of a xylophone, each with a different tone.

We each got to play Conductor, playing {well..."playing"} our Christmas carols together.

After dinner, the kids opened the package holding their new jammies and the World Vision catalog.

{after much deliberation, they decided upon gifting a family with a sheep}

Abreham asked that we have Ethiopian food for Christmas Day's dinner so he'll be cooking most of the day tomorrow.

And after dinner is over, our Birthday Party with Jesus will begin!

The cake is all ready!

{and so are we!!}

We're still waiting on our Christmas cards to arrive {how does paying for 2 day shipping turn into several weeks??}

Sigh. Oh well. I sure do love our card though!

. . Merry Christmas!!! . .