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We are enjoying another first, this Christmas, here in our new house.

A perfect place to hang our stockings.

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Our visit to see Santa at Papa’s work today was cool and all, but what the girls were really interested in was how the distribution center works.

To the chagrin of store cashiers and random adults, these girls are not all that interested in Santa. When asked, “Who’s coming soon?” they will enthusiastically answer, “UNCLE COREY!” They have no list of popular toys that they expect to see under the tree. They do not worry that their behavior will earn them nothing but coal.

We have been expecting Christmas slowly this year. We have one ‘real’ advent calendar and several home made ones that help count down the days. We’ve been reading Christmas stories and The Christmas Story. We have been making gifts and buying gifts and making wrapping paper. We’ve been telling stories of Christmases past and retelling stories of ornaments and decorations and remembering fondly the people those memories evoke.

And we’ve been living our regular, non-Christmas life. Even in December. We’ve hit the museum. We’ve skated. We’ve watched endless episodes of Fetch with Ruff Ruffman and the Electric Company. We continue to wait for Papa to come home from work and we go on with our daily routines.

This December has been one of quiet regularity, with the excitement of waiting for Christmas sprinkled in. Christmas is hoped for and eagerly anticipated, but it has not taken over our month.

The girls smiled with Santa and thanked him politely for their gifts, but he was only one small moment in their day’s explorations.

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The ethics of bee keeping aside, the bees are one of my favorite exhibits at the MOS. If the girls would let me I think I could watch them all day!

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We are the luckiest homeowners- our tenants decorate for us!

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A not-at-all exhaustive list of things Catherine wants to do with Uncle Corey when he comes next week:

Bowling

Ice Skating

See the Dinosaurs at the Museum

Get Dim Sum in Chinatown

We’re in for a busy week 🙂

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Was this not one of the most awesome things about childhood? Pressing your faces to the window while you’re parents scraped the ice off? So.Funny.

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“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have flakes. Flakes have been sighted. Flakage, if you will, has begun. Michel, it’s the first snowfall of the season. It’s very lucky. Make a wish.”

~Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls.

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“A Curse is Put on the Princess” by Catherine, Camille, Esme and Isaac

Act One:

Trumpet fanfare.

Curtains rise.

Witch: (while rushing the princess) “Aha! I put a curse on the Princess!!”

Princess: Stands still and giggles.

Angel: Waves her wand at the Witch, who falls down in a fit of laughter.

Intermission

Act Two:

(see act one)

Intermission

Act Three:

(as above)

Intermission

Act Four:

(see act three)

Curtain call, trumpet fanfare followed by repeated bowing.

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After a fourteen year hiatus, it was especially nice to play bells again.

It was like riding a bike.

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Our friend Katadhin joined us on the ice today. She and Esme were inseparable the whole afternoon. I think that both of their skating abilities improved in the company of each other.

In Catherine’s words, “Sometimes it is easier to be confident when you’re with your friends.”