All roads lead to Christmas...

Twas’ a plain ol’ early Sunday morning and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…..well actually it’s way to early to be up and blogging, but it’s so quite I had to get up to enjoy it. The silence doesn’t roar through this house very often, so taking advantage of it is priceless.

I thought I would share with you what we have been up to ‘the Events Leading to Christmas’. At this point in our house, all roads lead to Christmas. We are spreading cheer, calling Santa daily for an update on the North Pole happenings (1-800-972-6242), tracking him on NORAD - http://www.noradsanta.org, and even doing some of our obligatory chores like school, cleaning, and work.

We started the holiday season off by attending Christmas in the Park, where we watched fireworks to music. I was a wonderful evening. The weather cooperated, so we enjoyed a picnic on the lawn just before the fireworks. We have been to lighting ceremonies all over the city that included fireworks as well. Always seems to be Jacob’s favorite part. We have had breakfast with Santa, Miss’s Claus has read to us, took a trolley to a puppet show, and made a bird feeder craft all in a mornings work. We went to visit Santa and sat on his lap for photos while telling him what we want the elves to make for us for Christmas. We have seen a marvelous train display and even rode a train. We have decorated our Christmas trees, the house, and made Christmas cards. You have seen the gingerbread party happenings and we are going to begin ‘Bakapalooza’ today (explain more later).

Jacob has told Santa this year he wants, a violin, a camera, and a piano (which is really an electronic key board that he saw while out shopping). He was then even nice enough to tell Santa that ‘she can’t talk’ (meaning Isabella who is 18 months and he can’t understand what she is saying) ‘wants a dollhouse’. Now, is that not Big Brother love at its best?

Isabella has decided since this is her first Christmas celebration, we haven’t quite done enough and the house isn’t waffling with the aroma of Christmas. Argot, ‘Bakapalooza 2006’. We are going to start baking cookies of any shape, flavor, and size today with Jacob’s expertise and help. Then tomorrow when Jacob is at school, Isabella is secretly throwing a ‘Cookie Decorating’ party. That’s right; I have lost my mind and started listening to my kids. Isabella has invited 7 of her friends over to decorate cookies (all of whom the oldest is 3), while Jacob is at school. This is the only way I thought I could do it, early in the morning, one kid, and a house full of people hyped up on sugar. You see the funny thing is Jacob literally thinks all we do is clean while he is at school. While some day’s it does fell that way, he starts the morning wondering if it’s a school day and then wondering what we do while he is at school. I made the mistake one time saying, ‘we are cleaning today’. Then when he gets off the school bus, he asks if we cleaned. I reply, ‘yes’. So, the thought of him missing a party may be just too much to bear, so Isabella is calling it a ‘secret’ party. However, like I stated above, we will have Jacob and his expertise all day today while rolling out dough and cutting cookies into fun little shapes.

For now, I just wanted to share some photos of the Holiday Happenings leading to the Big Day.

Enjoy this time and try sneaking some quite time alone in the wee hours of the morning. It really is nice. You get a chance to drink your beverage of choice while it’s still warm.

Will post photos on the Bakapalooza later,

Angela