Merry Christmas!!!!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! We made family photos and had such great luck with the tripod, we couldn't even agree on which pose to go with. So, we went with four different ones for our cards this year... Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday with safe travels. We made it to see both of our families this year, despite the snow! The kid has had a BIG Christmas!!!

Christmas Happenings...

There's been some cookie making going on around these parts... not just any ole cookies either. the good stuff. the non natural peanut butter, the buttery townhouse crackers, and the god only knows whats in it almond bark melting chocolate. Yep. The peanut butter sandwich cookie. An ole favorite of mine for sure! and as you'll see - now a favorite of my favorite little guy too:)

He often begs to help me cook. Dinner. Snack. Lunch. Smoothies. Anything. He likes to chop, stir, pour, and push buttons on any machine we may be using. He's a great little helper and I love having him with me in the kitchen! I hope he grows up to adore cooking!

We not only made cookies but we even ventured into putting together a few little gingerbread homes with our good friends avery and kelly! The boys had such fun with the icing and decorations! i could barely get abram to stop eating the m&m's!! somehow his little house has many more gumdrops and skittles than m&m's - because those ended up in his mouth!

As you can see above, someone, not naming any names of course, was very busy trying to sneak m&m's when mom wasn't looking. ahem. We did make it home this day and he barely ate lunch so i'm guessing he overdid it on the snacks. But his little gingerbreads homes turned out just adorable:) I have them displayed in the dining room. 

We venture out on our travels later this week to visit with family and friends, something we do each year. Getting to see both of our families during such a special time of year is truly a blessing and we are so grateful to have them time off from work to do so!

Santa's Reindeer

Our latest Christmas predicament...

Kid: How Santa come here?

Mom: Well, he has a great big sleigh pulled by his reindeer!

Kid: Oh No. (big sigh)

Me: What's wrong?

Kid: I don't like Reindeer.

Me: How come?

Kid: They'll eat my pants!!

Christmas Decor

Beautiful Lighting at our township tree lighting... 

Yes, we finally decorated that beautiful tree. Just after attending our township tree lighting. We've gone the past several years and speak of making it a 'tradition' but it is always so so bone chillingly cold, that every year, I leave swearing I won't go the next time. Then, we do.  Honestly though, next year, I am not going. well see.

Husband and kid put white lights on our two little pines outside, one on either side of our front door. and I, yes ME, I even put a wreath on the door with a xmas bow! The little guy loved putting decorations up and only broke a couple. Not bad for a two year old.

I must admit, though i do not like seasonal decorations, (because if i'm being honest they seem like a waste of time) and though it cost a small fortune - I do love our tree. It is such a lovely shape, height, and color. Thankfully, my mother held out hope, for years I suppose, that I would someday come around to putting up a tree. When I unloaded all the decorations she's given me over the years, well they are so adorable and just my style!! Thanks Mom!

A final picture of the finished tree is to come...

Elizabeth Farms trip

We headed to Elizabeth Farms in Lancaster County today to chop down our very own live Christmas Tree!  We've passed this xmas tree farm along the PA turnpike for many years during this time of year. We would see the horses pulling wagons out to the fields and kids and families piled on. This year, we joined the fun:)

The kid loved the wagon ride and seeing the horses plug along. we even rode through a creek at one point, with the kid exclaiming, "We go thru a river!!"

The trails back to the trees were windy, muddy, and went through some beautiful scenery. We looked for a perfect tree, and of course, there was no perfect tree. So we settled for a good one. The highest we wanted was a 7 footer, especially after checking out the prices at this joint. Ouch. 

Thankfully there were complimentary saws for our use. I hadn't thought for a second to cart my own saw and hatchet! We chose our tree, cut it down, and tagged the top with our name & number. Wagons came by, picked up the trees and took them to the loading area.

 Taking his turn on the hand saw... he was dying to get in there and help Daddy!

Arriving back at the barn, we visited Santa's workshop in the barn and the gift shop 'round back. The kid sipped on free hot cocoa while I browsed over priced tree stands. We had to buy one since we've never had a live tree before. This tree stand better last forever is all i'm saying!

On our way out, the boys had a chance to visit the farm animals - sheep, goats, and chickens! They were more than thrilled when they got a few Cockadoodle-do's out of those chickens! Clearly we aren't normally hangin' round chickens in these parts...

The tree is in the stand, trimmed, watered and white lights are on. Decorations will come tomorrow evening hopefully. When the kid came down after nap, he grinned from ear to ear when he spotted it - and the lights weren't even on!

It's That time of Year!

Yep. December. I'm slightly overwhelmed at all that needs to happen in the next month. The shopping. The tree. The decorations. The parties. The cookies. The travels. Thank heavens I already took the kid to visit Santa - before thanksgiving, i might add, there were no lines. Not one little soul in front of us.

The Santa in the King of Prussia mall? well, he is The Santa. You know, the real deal. Not one of those helper Santa's. See for yourself. Not only did I practically get goosebumps as he waved at me, the kid was so giddy with excitement, he could barely stand it!

Before he hopped on the ole guys lap, he ran through the ropes, and stood in front of him, jumping up and down, grinning and reaching for him.  Once Saint Nick reached for him too, the kid was up on his lap, all grins and giggles. and this was the year I thought he'd cry. Boy was I wrong. 


And wow, looking back at his other Santa pics, he's grown up and finally realized just who he's sitting with!

On another note, Miss Emma, his favorite teacher on the planet, her last day was Nov 19. We were ALL sad. we ALL loved her. She moved on to a better position. Miss Julia is still in the room (as she has always been) thank goodness, but he's still having a very hard time adjusting to the loss of Emma. One example - today, on the note sent home, it reads:

"Abram was crying a lot for Mommy and Daddy today. He kept saying "I want my Julia" if I left the room and then crying. Have a great night!"

Have a great night. Really? Really. It just breaks my heart to pieces. He is getting old enough now to really say what he wants and feels. And it can be heartbreaking and sad at times:(

The past two nights he's said: "I want DADDY to read my books! G'night Mommy!"

Did I mention heartbreaking? Ahem...  I'm trying to... adjust?