Little Brick Houses for You and Me: It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

Christmas is coming fast. We have made it through three Christmas programs (elementary school, and church) football playoffs (Frisco again!) and we have managed to fit in some fun extra festivities which the kids kind of missed out on last year due to Calvin being born early. Speaking of that, Calvin turned one six days ago. I will post about that next. He deserves a 1st birthday post like the rest of them got!

So, first things first, Tessa had her preschool program on December 8. We had to (gasp) miss a playoff game for it. She was so excited though. It was part of a larger celebration for the community and we spent the day doing crafts, seeing Santa and watching a tree lighting at dark.

She accessorized all by herself with her pearl sash. She also held her little purse the whole time and managed to do the hand motions to the songs while working around it.

It was almost as exciting as that snooze-fest blowout of playoff game would have been!

Christmas buddies!

Also, she won a drawing and received this foam puzzle North Pole kit which I got to assemble after she ripped it open and spread it all over the table before I even had my shoes off at the door.

Next, Ben's school music program. First we got to listen to the fifth grade and sixth grade bands and Milo, tactless as he is, was covering his ears the whole time. I'd like to see him do better!

Here he is in his dress clothes. We had to buy a new red shirt and pants that didn't look like capris.

Next, the Sunday School program. It was a traditional nativity play featuring many of the same costumes that were used when I was a kid and possibly even when my dad was a kid. However, the costumes Ben and Tessa wore have been added the last few years.

Tessa was a stable animal (sheep) and Ben was a Roman soldier. Also, I got to get involved as the piano player! The woman who played for many years died last year a few days before the program and the church organist filled in. I was asked and I said yes and I pulled it off! I played seven classic Christmas hymns and also helped coach the soloists during the rehearsals.

After a few weeks of very cold weather it has been more temperate and I have been sending the kids outside. They built this snowman over the weekend and luckily we have black rocks in our landscaping. The poor thing melted by the evening.

After trying for two years and not making it we finally saw the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train! It only stops on their rail lines so we drove to a small town in Minnesota to catch it. It was quite a sight.

It barely looks like it could be real in the pictures. It is hard to tell from the pictures but there was a huge crowd. One of the cars opens up to a stage and there is a short Christmas concert. It was kind of hard to drag the stroller around in the snow. Hopefully next year we won't have to worry about that anymore!

Last year we took the kids to see Santa the night of December 13, before Justin went out to play darts. I had a feeling something was happening and I ended up heading to the hospital later that night and Calving was born the next day! He missed the annual Santa picture by one day. So, although it isn't his first Christmas here is his first Santa photo.

I'd say it is one of the better ones we have done. No crying, half smiling. Success.

Last year, one of the activities I did manage to do with the kids while I was uncomfortably pregnant and home alone because Justin was working on cleaning up an oil spill for work was making popcorn strings with the kids to put on the tree. They have been asking so I finally set it up for them. The delay was because I needed a tray for my microwave air popper so I could make popcorn without oil or salt.

Even Milo managed a few sticks with a needle although I did most of his chain.

I don't plaster it all over social media because it's not that interesting but we do have the controversial Elf on the Shelf in the house. Lucky for me our new house has a lot of shelves which makes it pretty easy to move it around. Earlier this week Ben set up this crazy elf trap with a lego airplane dangling from a ceiling vent over Allan's cat tent. The elf fell for it!