First Snow Fall

The kids are enjoying some hot cocoa and warm banana bread right now because they played outside in the blizzard for about 20 minutes. It was 28 degrees, 30 mph wind and 12 degree wind chill. Audrey asked all day to play outside, she could not wait! But we convinced her to wait until it had stopped snowing.

Santa Knows

This year only Audrey wanted to talk to Santa; I'm not sure why Luke didn't want to but that's okay, we didn't push him. I think we're going to see if we can email him. :-) Audrey and Santa had a lengthy conversation. I didn't hear any of it because I was hiding behind a Christmas tree to snap a few pictures. In 2009 when we visited Santa they allowed pictures; this year they did not because they want you to pay a ridiculous amount for their photo. Ben gave me the recap when Audrey was finished. She was shy at first so Santa started by asking if she liked Barbies (she nodded her head yes) and then he asked if she had been keeping her room clean. I'm not sure she answered so Santa told her she needs to do a better job and pick up her toys so that Mom & Dad don't have to do it. It was as if Santa has seen into her room! We told her maybe there has been an elf visiting our house and that if there was one in her room she wouldn't even know it because it's so messy!

Then we hurried home to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. And for fun, let's visit a Christmas past, 2009.

'Tis the Season

It's hard to believe Christmas is one week from tomorrow! We started getting our tree up and decorations out the first day of December, also the same day the kids and I saw The Nutcracker ballet for the 2nd year in a row. They still love it and this year Audrey didn't fall asleep! Last year she was so overwhelmed by the awesome performances that she was worn out about two-thirds of the way through, but she did wake up for the end.

Outside our restored theater.

They each got ornaments; Audrey a ballerina and Luke a nutcracker.

This same weekend I also worked on two projects that I got the inspiration for on Pinterest; a birch tree painting and a pine cone wreath.

Hanging their new ornaments.

Audrey got the star on!

We already had one Christmas with Ben's side of the family and we'll be with my side of the family on Christmas Eve/Day.

And tonight it was cold enough that we wanted the fireplace on so I asked the kids if I could get a picture of them. Luckily they obliged.

(If you want to view a larger version of the pictures, just click on them.)