Picture a Christmas

Christmas morning dawns bright and clear. We slept in until 8:00, which is pretty typical for us but unusual I know. What can I say, our kids are well trained.

After about an hour or so of blissfull preoccupation, breakfast of sausage and scrambled eggs and we are set for probably the quietest and most relaxing afternoon of the year.

Throw in a little baking, and dinner with good friends and all is right with the world.

Merry Christmas!

Dinner with Santa

It has been many a long year since we took our kids to the mall to see Santa. We took the boys a few times when they were little, but really it seems like a lot more work than it is worth. Really, taking a bunch of kids to the mall at Christmas time? Just shoot me.
This year some friends invited us to go downtown to see Santa at Macy's. This has been a long tradition among a few families that we know. Since many years ago when Macy's had a floor dedicated to Santaland complete with dinner, or breakfast I believe. Now it is just a small room, and dinner is eaten out in the food court, but a tradition nonetheless.
We were happy tag along and nothing beats being downtown at Christmas for getting in the spirit. The kids had fun with their friends and the only complaint was Luke's exclamation before we left, "there is no way I am sitting on Santa's lap!"

In Which I get into the Christmas Spirit

Last year Christmas came and went and I barely felt it. It was just a blur for a few weeks and then it was gone and I felt like I hadn't really tried to make it merry. This year my goal is to do more family activities in the spirit of the season.

We started with our ward Christmas party which I skipped out on last year because I was just too tired to go. Let me say that this is no ordinary Christmas party sitting around at the church eating treats and listening to the choir (although we did do those things). This party takes place out at a barn owned by a family in the ward. Last year it was newly finished and it is something to behold. With a full kitchen and a big loft with bench seating all the way around, it has become the go to place for our ward activities.

The big attraction this year was the horse drawn carriage rides. Nothing like a little turn around the barn on a crisp December night pulled by this to get you in the mood for Christmas.

My kids rode it a few times and if I were better at using my flash I would have a better picture.

The girls favorite part was vising the animals. Despite my description, this is a functioning barn where people board horses. And what barn would be complete without cats?

Next year I will think twice about skipping out on this event if I am feeling tired. I actually feel like it's Christmas time now.