It's the Holiday Season

I put that title because it's a phrase that Hadley pocketed from all of the Christmas music we've been listening to.  She breaks it out at random times in a low Andy Williams voice, and it cracks me up. She is always singing something: "Skinnamarink", the Alphabet song, "Away In a Manger", or "Jingle Bells", even if she forgets the words sometimes.

The kids both had Christmas programs at their schools, on the same day, at the same time.  We parents had to divide and conquer, but both kids did fine.  Owen memorized a couple of lines from 'Twas the Night Before Christmas', which he had no trouble doing.

And Hadley rehearsed at home a lot, but she did clam up a little for the actual show.

Although much of the country had a warmer Christmas, we have been getting snow all week. Owen has been getting in lots of shoveling time, and we even shoveled for some neighbors a couple of times since they were out of town.

Hadley discovered that it didn't make for good scooter conditions.

But we did make use of some sledding time!  It is kind of fun to have a real, white Christmas!

We took in the museum's annual Christmas display, including nativities and gingerbread houses,

And were inspired to try making our own.  The kids loved it!  Only a few pieces of candy detoured into their mouths...

Owen and I took in the city's new Festival of Lights, which is a big, drive-thru light show/horse-drawn carriage ride/Santa extravaganza. Hadley and Dad would have joined, but Hadley fell asleep during a time-out right before we were leaving. I forgot about the horse-drawn carriage, so Owen and I didn't have the right winter gear to survive a 20-degree ride, and we just did the drive-thru. I was impressed that Owen had memorized almost all of the 'Night Before Christmas' just from listening to his class rehearsals. (He recited it for me to go along with one of the light displays.)

The kids participated in the church's nativity re-enactment on Christmas Eve.  Hadley was an angel, and Owen was a wiseman. Hadley was excited to wear her Christmas dress again and took her role very seriously.

And finally Christmas! Much to Owen's disappointment, Hadley insisted on eating breakfast and getting dressed before heading downstairs for stockings and presents.

Our theme this year was building stuff: Legos, forts, sculptures, sticker scenes, more Legos.

Oh, and we tentatively tested out the princess waters by giving Hadley a dress-up gown. (In my defense, she puts on this tiara during quiet time to read books in her chair and loved spinning around in her Christmas dress.) She was reluctant to put it on and declared, "It's itchy! Can I take it off now?" So, we may not have to deal with all that princess-y stuff for a while!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!