santa does home visits

santa comes by tractor

sometimes all it takes is a friendly neighbor to make the holiday season merry. "come over for some carolling" we were told and we arrived with three bundled children to a tractor and a "santa" pulling a trailer full of hay to take us through the neighborhood. covered in blankets, we all sang merrily (and a little off key). happy holidays to our neighbors, friends, and beloved family!

polar express

just the 5 of us we rode "solo" this year on the express train to the north pole. todd and all the kids were lulled to sleep on the ride back home. i hated to wake them, but we had to get back to "sunny florida" to times of holiday preparations!

holiday show

festive schooling

owen was very tolerant for the school field trip to see the "nutcracker." it definitely did not seem like a first choice for a first grade boy. he just seemed happy to be with his best buds! wyatt's 4th-8th grade group had a gingerbread house making contest followed by a catered lunch from olive garden (i am sure the highlight being soda at school). each of the groups creations were very different ranging from piles of sugared destruction to perfectly crafted traditional houses to horse drawn carriages. wyatt's eccentric group did "a view from above" taking a different approach where one would look at it from a top view down instead of looking at it face on. i think that some of the decorations were gradually being eaten by the students though...as time passed the houses started coming down!

girly reindeer magic

did you know all santa's reindeer are girls? grace was very happy to hear that tid bit from her zoo class about reindeers and to spend the morning with her buddy alex! check out our lawn christmas eve to see ALL the reindeer magic we will be putting out--we are loaded up with tons of sparkly glitter to attract them!

generations in new york

as our trip came to a close, the goodbyes filled my heart and were difficult, even though our paths all headed to the same destination and we would meet again within a few days or weeks. our vacation felt as if time stood still. we could enjoy each other and each moment. there was time for conversations and even moments of quiet and calmness. home feels so rushed as if we are in fast motion. i am trying to slow down, breathe in each breath, and take in each moment. thanks to my grandparents and parents for an unbelievable time together!

sunday morning in nyc

straight to battery park to catch the ferry to liberty island to see the statue of liberty! it was a great time for our group. the kids ran on the grassy field below the statue and the weather was so cold. after our liberty tour, we visited ground zero (which words cannot even begin to express) and then to a long lunch in little italy! sad to say, trip is coming to a close :(

saturday night in nyc

we came out of mary poppins to find SNOW! it was GREAT especially walking by all the shops and restaurants playing christmas music...it was a white christmas for us that evening. we walked times square and then to the HUGE toys r us store! we were SO cold walking home...owen and grace literally were FROZEN and blue, but it was worth it and memorable. stopped at our little friendly deli across from our hotel for pizza and then to a warm bath and bed. tomorrow...lady liberty!

supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

please please please...adults and children...if you have the chance...see mary poppins! it was fantastic! absolutely amazing! not sure if i loved it so absolutely much because the girls were so excited to see it or if it truly was just my second favorite broadway show (nothing will EVER top cats for me). the stunts and music were GREAT and mary poppins was just fabulous! grace was SO excited she could not contain herself. i was shocked that she did not sing all the songs...i think she was just so stunned! it was so super-califragilisticexpialidocious!

saturday morning in nyc

onto another highlight and wyatt's favorite event of the week...museum of natural history. wyatt's current love of dinosaurs could not have taken him to any better locale that here. we honestly could have spend a year full of days exploring our way through each of the exhibits. but, we eventually had to move on...next stop broadway!

tea at american girl cafe (still friday)

tea on friday was an absolute highlight. from the hairband napkin ties (to take) to the chairs and tea service for the dolls to the delicious birthday dessert for hadley, it was all fantastic! the best part was spending the hour with 4 generations of family members! it was spectacular.