We have so many different Christmas traditions up here, I don't know what we'll do when we are gone. This past weekend was full of fun festivities.
First, Thursday afternoon the kids had me pull out their little Christmas tree and they decorated it with Bianca and Mateus' help.
Then, Saturday morning we went up to the mall to have breakfast with Santa Clause. Radio Disney was there and Chick Fil A gave away free chicken biscuits and juice and coffee. Mia had a ton of fun dancing and playing all the games the Radio Disney people organized and Lennon mostly hung out at our table with Shelby laughing and coloring and blowing bubbles from his goody bag from the event. I somehow didn't manage to get a picture of the kids with Santa when he passed by, but I did get one of them with the Chick Fil A cow in his Santa suit. Also, Lennon informed us that HIS cow always wears a Santa suit, so that may have actually been his cow.
Mia won several little prizes. Three of which were identical posters from the new movie Tangled. She also volunteered me for an air guitar contest, which I can tell you at 8 o'clock in the morning in front of a bunch of strangers at the mall was not the most awesome thing I've ever done. I didn't even win.
Lennon and Shelby goofing off at the table.
The kids with the cow. Lennon ran up to him and hugged him ever time he saw him. As we were leaving the mall it snowed just a little. Enough that the kids were super excited and Lennon was trying to catch snowflakes on his tongue.
When we got home from the mall, Shelby and Lennon headed out to the next town over for an event called Home for the Holidays where local businesses were giving out goodies and having pony "reindeer" rides and a trolley ride around the city. They had a blast and even got to see Santa who gave Lennon a lollipop. Lennon "I don't know why Santa thought I would want a lollipop. But I hid it where no one will find it and I'm going to sneak like Swiper and eat it later." We also have an advent calendar that our kids get a new note or treat or something each morning. Their coupon saturday morning was to get to choose their own snacks all day long. Lennon chose what to pack for his little outing with Daddy, carrots, an apple, grapes, a fruit leather and a juice box. Shelby said after each bite of his fruit leather he insisted on eating a carrot to make sure he was healthy. We have considered making every day choose your own snack day if this is how the kids will handle it.
Having a snack and waiting to load the trolley.
Riding the "reindeer"
Saturday night we had a Polar Express viewing at our house for our kids, Mateus and Bianca in preparation for our ride on the Polar Express the next morning.
They couldn't be much cuter all snuggled together in their Christmas pajamas. Bianca is actually wearing Mia's old Christmas nightgown.
Sunday morning we got up and went out to buy our tree. We didn't cut it down this year because all the farms were just too expensive. We ended up with a really nice tree though and it was sooo cold on Sunday that I'm kind of glad we weren't out there in the cold wind trying to find that perfect tree. We came home put it up and got to work decorating it.
Mia had fun pulling out all the ornaments and choosing where to put them on the tree. This has been one of her favorites for years. We've actually been through about 4 or 5 of these things cause they seem to get broken by any child who touches it. This one has lasted now a year or two and we've told Mia, no more, so if this one breaks it's gone.
I agreed to help Mia put the angel on the tree and then Lennon freaked out. He's never cared at all before so I just wasn't thinking. We decided we'd have to start keeping track and doing every other year for them from now on. He had a total break down though and it was really sad so we came up with a compromise to let him put a star way up toward the top.
Here he's reaching as high as he can to put his star on the tree.
We thought this was a pretty cool action shot. I'm dumping him backwards off my shoulders.
After lunch Sunday afternoon, we headed out to Melrose to board the Polar Express. This was the fourth year we've done this and it's always a big hit with the kids. We've also always gone with The Lima's. The train departs and the total trip is about an hour. During the ride they read the story The Polar Express, play Christmas songs, serve milk and cookies, give out goodie bags and coloring books and Santa, reindeer, elves and several random other characters walk through and wave to the kids. At the end each child gets a bell "from Santa's sleigh."
Lennon gave each character who walked by a giant hug with a huge smile and several high fives.
It's almost impossible to get all four kids smiling at once. I thought this one was pretty good even though Mateus looks like he's snuggling up to have a nap with Santa.
Mateus and Lennon have been playing really well together lately.
Giving high five's to Rudolph.
Mateus trying to get his candy cane in his mouth and his nose at the same time. Awesome!
Enjoying the scenery.
Thanks for the jammies Papa and Nana!
The Lima's
