'tis the season

With close to just 2 weeks left of Christmas, I decided it was time to buckle down this weekend and get some holiday spirit going. The weather cooperated and helped put us in the mood - it was rainy and chilly and so hot-chocolately.

Daddy was home so he put his expert engineering skills to work and put the train around the tree. Taylor gets the 'most holiday spirit award' for his dancing skills and love of loud Christmas tunes. As soon as he realized we would be doing something Christmas related, he ran to the stereo and found the music and pumped it LOUD for all to enjoy. He danced on his own and with Gabriel and each loved it equally. Gabriel wins the 'most excited about the train award' - he was the first to sit down to watch the train and the least willing to go to bed and leave the train. When the train first started up, he just laughed and choo-chooed and signed 'train' over and over.

Luckily, Paige was enthusiastic about decorating, otherwise it could very well be another week until it was done. She wins the 'most helpful award'... sort of. We had fun putting up the tiny trees that I allow the kids to decorate however they want. She had an unscheduled invitation to play in the middle of our decorating party, and rushed off - leaving me to finish it all alone.

That evening, Mara had a gingerbread making/pizza party at her house. The kids look forward to this each year. Taylor and Paige make houses and Gabriel decorated a gingerbread man. All the cousins were excited about their crafting skills and did a great job on their projects. I'm reminded, though, each time all the cousins get together that outside parties are much more fun for the mommies. Inside parties wear a bit on this mommy's ears. :)

As if all that wasn't enough fun for one weekend, we got really crazy and went to our ward Christmas party. The kids were happy to put in their requests with Santa- with the exception of Taylor who declared that he was officially too old to meet Santa and he sat this one out. Awww... I guess it was bound to happen. We were nearly the last in line and it was a long, hot wait. Paige and her little friend were just silly and cute, I enjoyed watching them run around holding hands and giggling together. Gabriel was a tad nervous about his visit with Santa until he was told that it was Grandpa (not his, just a grandpa). Then he sat on his lap and stared suspiciously. When he was all done he signed 'thank you' which brought many aahhhhs from those still around to watch.