Christmas Cookies

Every year the kids and I make Christmas cookies and deliver them to our neighbors.  This year we were extra heavy on the sprinkles, very festive indeed.  

 

Santa

Santa and two of his reindeer, I can't remember which, came to our local co-op.  It was an extremely cold day so our visit was brief but Celia didn't seem to mind.  Ha!  Micah was still able to ask if he was the real Santa.  He has a knack for asking zingers.  After giving him a good looking over and verifying his beard was real they decided it probably was the real Santa.  

 Love this picture of Noah.

Tree Decorating

This year I let the kids, almost entirely, decorate the house and tree for Christmas.  Shawn hauled the tree and bins of decorations up from the basement.  The kids were excited to tear into it all and I just let them go for it, and everything turned out just perfectly.

Ready mom!

Sorting the ornaments.  Each year the kids get a new ornament, so that when they move away from home they will have a box of special ornaments to decorate their own tree.  Shawn had this from a collection of ornaments his Aunt Judy gave to him and all his cousins from her world travels.  Our tree is filled with those ornaments to this day and the kids love asking about them.  

Stockings.  I didn't get a shot, but every year before these are hung the kids put one on each leg and walk around the house.  It never gets old.  

Ta da.  The finished product.  

Snuggles

The loves of my life all bundled together on the couch.  Pretty sweet.

Threesome

When school let out for winter break we took advantage of having Noah to ourselves all day.  I took my threesome to the children's museum. 

Bookworm

Noah has always loved reading.  A couple of weeks ago a really cool first happened.  One day after school he had a friend over to play.  As soon as his friend left he raced upstairs to get his book.  I found him like this.  He could not wait to finish the last two chapters.  

Halloween 2013

This is my only shot with the jack 'o lanterns?!?  All three were great.  

We attended the annual preschool Halloween program.  Micah gave a big smile when he spotted us in the crowd.  I adore watching the kids sing the songs and perform the actions they have worked so hard to learn.  Is there any sweeter age?

 Halloween night.  The lineup:

Frankie Stein (Frankenstein's cute son)

 Ironman

 Minnie

This year was my most fun Halloween with my kids yet.  In the past, we have been overbooked and it led to rushing around and not really enjoying the night.  When Noah got off the bus we hung out like normal, had a heavy snack then allowed ourselves enough time to get into costume.  I even had time to force them to take too many pictures.  

 C and her girlfriends.  They are SO fabulous.

Neighborhood friends who met pre trick or treat.  That rotten banana costume had me in stitches.