Thanksgiving: the Portal for Christmas

Looking back to our day in Williamsburg Thanksgiving weekend while staying with Alan's family at the Great Wolf Lodge. Here are the girls all over Thomas Jefferson. (Evelyn's kiss was completely spontaneous--like so many of the things that she does!)

 The girls' first Santa of the season--I love that he was a colonial one.

 We sat as a family and watched a 20-minute, quirky, outdoor version of "A Christmas Carol" that was quite entertaining. We were close enough to the stage to get a dusting of fake snow, as you can see. And Amelia is on my lap...but out of the frame of the picture.

 I made the girls sit on this bench outside an adorable little coffee shop. I thought it would look SO cute. But one realizes that lack of enthusiasm on the part of the subjects of a photo has an effect on the photo itself...

 Evelyn walked right up to this man and said, "Why are you wearing such weird clothes?" He didn't miss a beat, asking her in colonial English about her own, strange attire. She didn't miss a beat either, replying, "Why do you talk so funny?"

 A lovely Williamsburg walking path. We love our holiday hikes!!

So our Christmas season really started Thanksgiving weekend in Williamsburg. You might think I'm using that as a way to excuse how long it's taken to post these pictures. But I'll stick to my guns and say what a nice start it was to Christmas to spend Thanksgiving weekend in Williamsburg!

The Christmas Season

 "Chris" the Elf, hiding in one of his many spots this month. 

 Our tree--the biggest we've had in years! We actually had to move furniture to fit it in the entryway. It shows we've reached a new phase of parenting that:

1.) We wanted to get a tree (we skipped the tradition for 4 yrs as a sanity-saving measure. It sort of worked.)

2.) We were willing to move furniture to get a big one (this may not seem a big deal, but I assure you, it was)

 A Cousin Camp Christmas overnight. We went to the Hamilton Christmas festival, made great paper bag hats, and met Santa (they didn't sit on his lap--they sat in his sidecar, after he arrived on his Harley.)

 Aunt Jenny's pretty tree in her pretty living room in her condo in Canton. We went there to watch the Ravens' game one Sunday and eat her awesome Thai Curry.

 Amelia dancing in her Christmas program. She and one other little boy had special parts, and she relished it!

Evelyn playing The Bear (front and center and blurry) in her Christmas skit. She said her lines loudly and clearly and loved her role!

Merry Christmas, everyone! In spite of some busy work weeks (and weekends for Alan!), this month has been delightfully stress-free and serene. While we started the month with strep and pneumonia and has some stomach flu in the middle, we also managed to go to some Christmas concerts, walk the neighborhood looking at lights, participate in neighborhood events, go out to dinner, and I even watched "It's a Wonderful Life" with cousin Kate one evening (she was feeling wild and crazy and came over on a total whim. You gotta love that.)

Today we're going to pass out some Christmas treats to neighbors, prep some food for tomorrow, and go to a Christmas Eve service at a Lutheran Church where Alan is playing.

Tomorrow, we head to Mom and Dad's for the big celebration--joined by Jon & Courtney & the kids, Aunt Barbara, Uncle Diego, Lindsy & Kelby. (And no Christmas turkey--salmon! Jon is the main course mastermind. I'll be bringing locally-grown organic veggies to roast, Mom's doing appetizers and dessert, and Barb & Diego will provide the goods for the toast! :) Can't wait!!

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (II Cor. 9:15)

Overheard Recently

(These are in no particular order.)

Evelyn: (writing a letter to a cousin) How do you spell "romance?"

Amelia: (handing me an armload of dresses) Laura Ingalls only had three dresses: her Sunday best, her work dress, and her second-best. I won't need the rest of these anymore.

Amelia: (upon hearing that the cousins were coming for a sleepover) I'll wear my work dress.

Evelyn: (watching me make her lunch) I won't eat that. I won't eat any of that.

Amelia: (while desciphering her homework) Mommy, I'll ask my teacher. Teachers are smart. Teachers know everything. (Upon being reminded that her mother is a teacher) You're not a REAL teacher. You're a MUSIC teacher.

Evelyn: (referencing the "Elf on the Shelf"--thank you, Aunt Becky!--that we've been hiding each morning) I know he's not real. I saw his tag. And I touched him.

Evelyn: (upon being reminded that the "Elf on the Shelf" loses his magic if touched.) But he's not real. I saw his tag and I touched him.

(Here I add that, in spite of the fact that he is not real, has a tag, and has been touched, finding "Chris" the elf has become a daily morning highlight.)