Getting Ready for Christmas!

A couple weeks ago, I took the kids to the mall to get Christmas outfits.  We went right after school, so they were hungry.  I gave in and let them get cookies from the cookie place in the mall.  Kevin chose gingerbread, which he LOVED.  Caroline was really upset that she didn't choose the gingerbread cookie, so I decided to make some the next day.  Of course, Kevin couldn't stand the smell and ran outside.  Caroline refused to even try them.  The flavor and smell were exactly the same.  They just wouldn't try them because they were MY cookies.  Nice.  Being a parent is so rewarding sometimes!

 I took Kevin to Pump It Up, a place with a bunch of jumping things.  He took a little while to warm up, but he ended up having a ball.  He even had fun with his "friend" Elizabeth!

 

The Rockettes were in town for about 10 days with their Christmas Spectacular.  Tom and I went Saturday night as part of our Broadway ticket series.  I kicked myself for not bringing the kids.  I found out they had half price tickets for kids, so I took Caroline out of school early on Wednesday and we headed downtown to see the show.  The kids both loved it.  They were especially enthralled with the Nativity story they did at the end, complete with live camels, donkey, and sheep.  It was beautiful.

It's Christmas time, which means it's time to break out the Advent Calendar.  Kevin calls it the gingerbread house.  Last year, I put one candy in for each day, and the kids took turns getting a piece of candy each day.  Kevin didn't really care, and Caroline got more than her fair share.  This year, I knew better, so there are 2 candies in for each day.  One for each of them.  Of course that doesn't stop them for asking for a second piece of candy.  Caroline says, "Mom, 1 little piece isn't enough.  I'm hungry."  Yeah, like another mini milky way is going to really fill you up!

They also got a special Eric Carle Advent calendar from Grandma.  It is a lot of fun.  They open up the days and there is either an ornament for the Advent Calendar tree or a present.  The kids have fun with this one.

Caroline has always had a little Disney Princess tree in her room.  This year Kevin wanted one too, but we couldn't find a character tree.  We found a little green one, but decorated with Grinch, Frosty, and Rudolph ornaments.  He loves his tree and Caroline is a little jealous.  She doesn't have a tree topper.  Can they ever really be happy?

Kevin loves to stand on a stool at his dresser by his tree to play legos.  He has become quite the little lego freak lately.  Hopefully Santa will bring some new ones.  Our little starter set doesn't make many guys/guns/animals/cars/whatevers.

We got our tree last Sunday.  It took a few days to get the branches to settle down, then another day for me to get the lights up, then another day for Tom to get the angel on top.  But we finally got it ready for ornaments on Friday.

 At last!  The kids have been so excited to put the ornaments on!

Kevin had a hard time understanding that you have to put the hook further in on the branch.  I had to go along behind him and make sure they were on right.  When we were done, our tree was beautiful.  Unfortunately I didn't get a picture.  Today we went out to Lowe's and when we came back, our tree had fallen over and we lost a lot of our ornaments.  Most of them were just stupid glass balls, that I bought a bunch of years ago for our 1st tree.  But we did lose 2 that had sentimental value.  Very sad.

We stopped by the big Catholic Church nearby to see the life size nativity scene.  It was very nice.  Of course I forgot that baby Jesus wouldn't be in it for another 2 weeks.  We'll have to come back then (I said that last year too and never made it.  Let's see if I can remember this time!)

 

Kevin is the "Star of the Week" at school this next week, so he got to bring home Lambie.  He loves that little lamb.  I remember Caroline did too.  It is so cute.  He brings it everywhere with him.