Getting Ready for Christmas

Christmas is quickly approaching and we've been getting into the holiday spirit with lots of pre-holiday festivities. It's so different this year with Henry being in school all week long; we don't have a lot of extra time during the week to do some of the stuff we've done in years past. But that's okay, we're making up for it on the weekends.

 A couple weeks ago we went to Zoo Lights (luckily we went before the super cold weather started). We went with on of Henry's friends from preschool and his family. Nora slept through the first part of the trip but I think she enjoyed it once she woke up. She didn't seem overly excited...but the boys more than made up for her lack of enthusiasm with their wild exuberance (aka wild and crazy behavior!).  Henry then got to take another trip back for more Zoo Lights with a friend from kindergarten and his family.

Last year we went to PIR for the lights there, but this year I'd like to go to Peacock Lane instead...especially if the weather continues on this mild streak (and there's no rain).

We also got our tree last weekend. We returned to the little lot right in our neighborhood where they've turned their yard into a tree farm. We get a fresh cut tree (which we have the option of cutting ourselves but  decided to let them do the work instead) and only have to go a couple blocks to get it!

The day we went was one of the days where it stayed below freezing all day long so unfortunately we didn't spend a lot of time outside looking around at trees. Once we picked out the tree Nora and I headed back to the car and waited for the boys to get it all loaded up.

Henry and Brett put the tree in the stand the next day as Nora looked on, trying to get her hands onto the tree. It made me remember that we didn't have a tree for Henry's first two Christmases...it's way too tempting for the little munchkins. Sure enough, once it was all decorated she pulled on a string of lights and the whole tree came toppling down. No one was hurt (other than the tree I suppose), and no ornaments were broken so it was fine.

The overwhelming majority of our ornaments are child-friendly: cloth, paper or plastic. This way both kids can help decorate the tree (and un-decorate and re-decorate to their heart's content). We did, however, have to remove some of the beaded and ribbon garland because Nora decided they look much better as necklaces for her than for the tree.

After Henry put the star on the top, the tree was finished!

Today Gigi and Henry started decorating gingerbread houses (to be finished tomorrow) and we went to Pioneer Courthouse Square for a Tuba Christmas concert. This week I plan to take the kids to see Santa one day after school in an effort to miss a long line. Henry's class has a holiday party on Friday (last day of school before winter break) and I plan to attend the morning portion. I think it's pretty much an all day event so I'm sure the kids will have a blast!