Truth

Today we went to a family get together. I took 5 gifts, I received no gifts. I felt great!

Where is Everyone Else?

Today we unwrapped our "First Christmas" book that GB and Pappi sent us last year.. Claire and Nick spent the first three pages saying things like "We know Pappi" and "I love you too!". At the end Claire told me she loves her Pappi 100. (That's high praise, she loves me 20 and Jim anywhere between 8 and 15.)

We have been reading all about that First Christmas, Claire is really enjoying it and asking some really good questions that make me think....

Today while we read about the wise men she counted them in the book... One, Two, Three. 'How come there's only 3?' Because there were 3 kings who came to see Jesus, remember they followed the star from very far away. 'But where was everyone else?'

Knowing what we know now, it is amazing to her that not everyone followed that star to meet Baby Jesus.

This weekend we'll be going to see all the bright lights of Christmas but my little girl reminds me to always remember the first bright light of Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

Battle

This is what happen when I clean my kitchen. I find the makings of swords... and who can resist that?

Triumph!

Our Big Day

Today we are playing hookey from school (but we don't have a table) and taking the day off of work. We plan to see the Big Jolly man and the Big tree and eat a Big lunch. So we started the day off with Big breakfast!

Then we went to Macy's Like the one of 34th street to see Santa. Who is very popular (like 2 hr wait popular)! Here we are waiting... and waiting... and leaving the line to go potty and waiting and waiting...

They had some neat things to look at while we waited... lots of trains (which were a bigger hit with Nick than Santa was). and even a huge polar express that the line weaved through :)

Finally we got to see the Big guy! He was super impressive, and totally worth the wait. Nick decided he'd view from a distance but Claire jumped right up there and gave him her letter and told him what she wanted for Christmas. (Thomas trains and a basket for her bike)

After Macy's we took a train!!! (wish I had pictures of film of the kids) to Rockefeller Center to see the Big Tree and the ice skating rink. Claire thought they had us on size but our decorations on our tree at home were much better.

Then we walked over to lunch and then another train back to the car.
All in all a great day and one to remember.
Special thanks goes to Grandpa Bill whose idea it was to see the Big Guy and the Big Tree and who played hooky from work to go with us :)

ps. Please don't tell Santa that we played hooky to go see him, I think that might earn us a spot on the naughty list. ;)

O Christmas Tree...

This year the kids decorated most of the tree, I did the garland and lights (things that needed to wrap around the tree) and they did about 95% of the ornament placement. I think they did a great job. :)

Allergies

N has a reaction to this basil plant. :)



He wins the cutest kid in my house award today.

A Cornicopia of Thanks

This week I am cleaning 'like a crazy lady' (that's how C described it) in preperation for Christmas' arrival this weekend. So I started with my camera card- and that reminded me that I never fully finished up Thanksgiving. I was at my Gram's for the holiday and I'll blame her lack of Internet for eating my other.... however many more things I needed to complete my list of 100 things I'm thankful for. I was simply thankful for every moment we had to spend with family this holiday season. It had been too long and I almost forgot just how fun they can be.
I am thankful for my Gram and Pap and that they are able to play around with my kids. (C and N are so lucky)
Pretty much I'm thankful for the whole crazy bunch of family we saw this year.

And even the ones we didn't see

We banked a lot of hugs to get us through to the next time we see them and stayed just long enough to remind us how truly crazy they are. In the end it was good to go and it was good to come home (to our sick daddy on the couch).

Now who's ready for Christmas!