An Afternoon Downtown

When daddy was in Salt Lake City on business, Honey came to entertain us for a couple of days.

I'm so glad she mentioned going downtown; it's so festive and charming this time of year.

You all loved the train and Christmas music in the window.

And the big tree and wreaths and storefront window decor.

And of course, the Winter Garden Pizza Company.

And Mrs. Bee's Popcorn and Candy Store.

And the antique trucks and vehicles galore.

And the old caboose never gets old.

What I wouldn't give to have this in our backyard as a playhouse!

  

It was at about this moment that daddy called to show you snow on Skype.

But your attention spans were short-lived...

There were fires to extinguish....

People to save.

Tractors to drive.

And one little girl who sorely needed a nap.

Next time we'll bring daddy.

And next time we'll take a nap FIRST.

Can't deprive a three-year-old of her beauty sleep.

 

Christmas Program

 

Jack's First Hockey Game!

Daddy got two free tickets to see the Solar Bears and felt you deserved some special time.

Boy, were you stoked.

This was a real act of love because he'd been working late nights to finish a deadline.

But he didn't want to miss the opportunity to give you this experience and have that time with you.

And you LOVED it.

Like any seasoned hockey fan you were soon yelling "PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE!"

Making Way for Christmas

My precious three-year-old doesn't yet antcipate all the yearly Christmas traditions. Her "Christmas" is still very pure and has held one wonder, one magic: baby Jesus. She has marveled at the manger scene and cooed over the picture books and echoed everything I've told her from the beautiful Gospel accounts with enthusiasm, as if I'm letting her in on some profound secret; God come down, the invisible made visible, that's all the wonder she needs. That we could all be three at heart...

But we're not.  Our other four remember it ALL.

December 1st they start begging to pull out the Tupperware and start decorating.

They start begging to have our traditional tree-picking trip.

And so December 1st we tried out the new Dominos Pizza on the corner near our home....

Then we looked in Lowe's for lights.... (but found mowers instead.)

Then finally made it to the tree tent.  Why are there no pictures of the tree tent?  Because there were no trees left.  It was disappointing.  But hot chocolate covers a multitude of disappointments.  So here is a picture of that.

And we, instead, and probably for the better, enjoyed our first night of our Advent devotional December 1st.

 

And then two days later, on December 3rd, daddy came home with a beautiful tree on the roof of the car.

And there was much rejoicing.

Madalyn helped me with the initial ornaments and ribbon and lights.

And then all the children began their yearly begging to decorate the yard.

 

To which I gave the annual answer:  "do you want yard decorations or gifts this year?"  Bah hum bug.

So they let it go and immersed themselves in all their preschool ornaments and pictures, shaking pine needles around like scented Christmas confetti.

Charlie wasn't feeling the Christmas Spirit.

Because he's not allowed to chew on the stuffed gingerbread pillows.

And then Madalyn began dancing.

And then Sam and Charlotte joined in.

 

And then they settled down and soaked it in.

Before going to bed...

while dreams of sugar plums danced in their heads.