Fa la la la la la la la la...

I love the Christmas season!!! Yippee for happiness, joy, peace, family time, yummy sweets, carols, Christmas music, bundling up (it gets really old by mid to late January, but for now, yippee :), the MIRACLE OF OUR SAVIOR'S BIRTH, hot chocolate, the magic of Santa Clause, decorating the house, beautiful ornaments, snuggling with Ethan (since he has so much more free time with the semester winding down THIS WEEK!!!), holiday spice and gingerbread candles, sledding and snow angels, Anna's face glowing with excitement while trying to figure out what it's all about, looking out the window at falling snow from a warm and cozy house (or apartment), and oh, oh, oh the list could go on. I love it.

I took the kids to Windy Hill Tree Farm today as part of the "S.K.I.P. To a Great Start" program. (That's something I'll explain more about soon.) We bundled up in anticipation for a hay ride to see the Christmas tree forest and real, live reindeer. So fun! In the top picture, it looks like Anna is crying, but really, just a snowflake in the eye. She had so much fun. At the barn there was Santa and Frosty the Snowman, hot chocolate and donuts, story time, and many fun things to look at and experience, including a hay-stack maze for the kiddies. When Anna was chatting with Santa, she only told him one thing she wanted for Christmas, even though he tried to pry more out of her. She did, however, inform him that his, "beard was a little bit too scratchy." What a perfect December outing. Sorry you weren't too into it Benjamin, but hey, I kept you warm.

We decorated the apartment on Monday night for family night. It is very festive in here, just perfect. Anna loves playing with all the ornaments we have displayed, and she is so careful with them, it's sweet. I love reading her the story of Christmas. She brings up Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus pretty often. Although, I think that she is having a hard time understanding that the baby Jesus we talk about at Christmas time is the same Jesus we refer to all the time at church, in prayers, and in scripture stories. I'm sure she'll make the connection soon enough...she's a pretty smart cookie.

Well, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Feliz Navidad everyone!