Tonight before bed we'll be reading The Night Before Christmas. Tim and i have been doing this since we got married. The copy of the book we have is the same one I grew up with. It is actually a pop-up book. I remember having it as a child...opening up the little window on the house when the guys peeks out to see Santa...spinning the wheel above the children's bed as they dream of sugar plums...pulling the tab that makes Santa disappear up the chimney.
The funny this is that I always have to search for the book on Christmas Eve. I can never remember where we left it the year previous! One year we read it in bed and actually left in under the bed until the next Christmas. It was easy to find that time...but this year i started looking for it early, and it is ready and waiting for tonight.
What is your Christmas Eve tradition?
12.23.2008
Crazy Lights
I love Christmas lights...always have...and I totally plan on going nuts with them when we have a house. But, for now, here is all I can do:
There are red lights around our door...you'll just have to take my word for it.
Anyway, there are two places in our neighborhood that have become a tradition for us to visit at Christmas. The first is off of Saal. The decorating spans the yards of two corner houses and includes a collection of every Christmas blow-up made. (The also do a Halloween display, too.) The second is near the Sterling Heights library and is decorated from roof to lawn and also includes music. I don't think all the lights were turned on when we visited it this year, but I can't imagine that the power grid could handle it all being on a once. I counted over 20 spotlights alone. The picture doesn't show it, but when you pull up to the house at night, it looks like it is day time.
And, for the record, I don't plan on decorating our house with the same style of lights!
There are red lights around our door...you'll just have to take my word for it.
Anyway, there are two places in our neighborhood that have become a tradition for us to visit at Christmas. The first is off of Saal. The decorating spans the yards of two corner houses and includes a collection of every Christmas blow-up made. (The also do a Halloween display, too.) The second is near the Sterling Heights library and is decorated from roof to lawn and also includes music. I don't think all the lights were turned on when we visited it this year, but I can't imagine that the power grid could handle it all being on a once. I counted over 20 spotlights alone. The picture doesn't show it, but when you pull up to the house at night, it looks like it is day time.
And, for the record, I don't plan on decorating our house with the same style of lights!
12.18.2008
Taking TIme to Smell the Snowflakes
The past nonth has been so busy for me, although I can't really say why. Between my scuba class and all the events (and chores) that go along with Christmas, I don't think there has been a day that Lorelai and I haven't left the house at least once.
Until yesterday!
I had my heart set on enjoying the snow with her, and we did just that. Even last winter (when Lorelai was 6-8 months old) we made a point to take her out in her little sled. I don't think she gave a rip about the whole experience, but we were the proudest parents around. One of my favorite things about being a mommy is having the excuse to play in the snow again.
I think we may need a bigger sled next year!
Until yesterday!
I had my heart set on enjoying the snow with her, and we did just that. Even last winter (when Lorelai was 6-8 months old) we made a point to take her out in her little sled. I don't think she gave a rip about the whole experience, but we were the proudest parents around. One of my favorite things about being a mommy is having the excuse to play in the snow again.
I think we may need a bigger sled next year!
A Thousand Words Thursday
as the song goes...
"...the prettiest sight you'll see is the holly that will be on your own front door..."
The kid is pretty cute too ;)
for more, click here
12.17.2008
Santa Take 2
On Monday we decided to take Lorelai to see Santa. To save ourselves some time, we opted to take her to a close-by mall. I won't say where (*cough cough* it rhymes with "steak lied"). I don't want to get into the details, but basically we encountered the worst-behaved employee of 2009. I left in tears and marched my rear over to the mall management office as fast as my feet could carry me and filed a written complaint. If you know me, you know that I am pretty anti-confrontation, so, that should tell you that this was B-A-D.
We had gotten our Santa photos, but Tim and I were NOT happy. The encounter ruined our whole day. I guess most people would just let it go and move on, but I couldn't even bear to look at the pictures. There was no way I wanted those photos be be a part of our family collection (I have yet to upload them or even look at them).
I just couldn't move on until we had the Santa experience Lorelai deserved, so, on Tuesday we set out for Sommerset Mall (where we took Lorelai last year). The experience was everything we hoped for and more. Sommerset doesn't do santa like the other malls. For one, you don't wait in line. When you arrive, they tell you when the next available appointment is. This gives you time to finish your shopping while you wait (and man did I hit a monster deal at the Gap!). All the Santa employees are dressed up in Renaissance outfits to complement the huge castle set. You pay a small fee (which goes to charity) to take your own photos. When it is your turn to see santa, they announce each child's name (with the addition of "lord" for the boys and "princess" for the girls. Sommerset's Santa really must be THE real deal because man, is he jolly. The employees were fab in helping us get the closest thing to a smile we could get out of Lorelai.
Once you are done seeing Santa, they give the kids 3 silver coins. You can then spend the coins at various stores. For example, Pottery Barn Kids gave Lorelai some stickers and Mrs. Fields gave her some cookies.
I know some of you will think I'm silly for placing such importance on Lorelai's Santa visit, but, well, we all have our traditions. I can't really explain why it's so important to me. I will say that we left our second Santa visit feeling like a King, Queen, and Princess :)
We had gotten our Santa photos, but Tim and I were NOT happy. The encounter ruined our whole day. I guess most people would just let it go and move on, but I couldn't even bear to look at the pictures. There was no way I wanted those photos be be a part of our family collection (I have yet to upload them or even look at them).
I just couldn't move on until we had the Santa experience Lorelai deserved, so, on Tuesday we set out for Sommerset Mall (where we took Lorelai last year). The experience was everything we hoped for and more. Sommerset doesn't do santa like the other malls. For one, you don't wait in line. When you arrive, they tell you when the next available appointment is. This gives you time to finish your shopping while you wait (and man did I hit a monster deal at the Gap!). All the Santa employees are dressed up in Renaissance outfits to complement the huge castle set. You pay a small fee (which goes to charity) to take your own photos. When it is your turn to see santa, they announce each child's name (with the addition of "lord" for the boys and "princess" for the girls. Sommerset's Santa really must be THE real deal because man, is he jolly. The employees were fab in helping us get the closest thing to a smile we could get out of Lorelai.
Once you are done seeing Santa, they give the kids 3 silver coins. You can then spend the coins at various stores. For example, Pottery Barn Kids gave Lorelai some stickers and Mrs. Fields gave her some cookies.
I know some of you will think I'm silly for placing such importance on Lorelai's Santa visit, but, well, we all have our traditions. I can't really explain why it's so important to me. I will say that we left our second Santa visit feeling like a King, Queen, and Princess :)
12.11.2008
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