Santa Claus on our street

One night we waited, and waited and WAITED for his appearance.

Then we heard the "whoop, whoop" of the police car and the police officer announcing that Santa was one block from our house!

You can't ask for more than Santa to show up on your driveway!!

There have been many times this year I've gotten a little lump in my throat over just how magical these ages are......and how fleeting the moment. I've tried my best to just absorb every memory and experience so that I can think back to these days of Santa and Christmas Magic.

But as I dry my eye, I wonder where my other child is.....and why she isn't participating.

Why am I not getting this beautiful picture with both my angels ??

Um......moody meltdown anyone? Emily sat on the front porch sandwiched between the front door and the screen door saying she "just wasn't into it anymore".

All the neighbors are out with kids ranging from 6 months to 10 years old. Smiling, chatting, and laughing.

William was having the time of his life and I'm trying to snap pictures and yell (in a nice, Christmassy voice) to Emily to join in the fun.

It's never easy.

Christmas Decorating

It's a little late to be posting about our tree, which has been up for weeks --- but I didn't post anything and it was a real effort on Brian's part to put the train with the tree.

It looked wonderful! Although it took up a serious amount of room!!!

Everyone had an idea of what should be displayed.

Today the ground is covered in snow and Brian finished the ice pond for some tiny skaters. Dinosaurs still roam the small villages and little fairies make an appearance.

We love LEGO!!

Brian got a real treat this Christmas!! His parents sent him his old LEGO sets!!

We are HUGE, HUGE fans of Lego over here ---- and the kids really enjoyed checking out the "old" series.

Product Review --- no. 1

Can you say B-O-M-B ? Because this little cooking/craft pack was one.

First off, rice krispies are not the easiest thing to work with. I always find that when I'm making a traditional batch, I have to work FAST. The marshmellow/butter combo gets very sticky and congeals as you're stirring in the krispies.

But this kit looked so cute --- and tasted like chemicals. It's an "all inclusive" pack. Meaning someone made the marshmellow/butter combo in a lab, packaged it and put in the box. Bllleeecckk. Then I have NO idea how I was supposed to get the sticky krispies into the mold, out of the mold and then make another one.

It just fell apart.

So, then I got the idea to just bag the molds that came in the kit and put the kripsies in a pan like usual. THEN cut out cute Christmas shapes with regular cookie cutters.

MUTANTS!!!

I know ---- hideous, monsterous things.

But I thought --- maybe the decorating will keep the kids busy for a while.

Nope.

Even the icings provided didn't hold well on the krispies.

It would have been salvageable if they tasted good. But like I said, they tasted like pesticides. I tossed them.

Not worth my time or money!!