So it’s a week away from Christmas…what better time to take a spur of the moment road trip? The girls are pleased as punch to be meeting baby A for the first time, they even went to a site called baby-zoom to find compact and affordable strollers for her, there got her a Graco FastAction Fold Click Connect stroller, hopefully she will like it!

Esme shows her excitement in finding the second book in the series.

Peter read the first with them, not me, but based on the peals of laughter from the bedroom both girls thoroughly enjoyed it! Hopefully the second proves to be as entertaining.

Nonni and Esme’s name tags read, “The Baker” and “#2 Baker”, respectively. Esme later told me that Nonni was Chief Baker, which made herself the #1 Baker. Catherine declined a label saying, “Baking isn’t really one of my passions.”

I think they all had fun!

Despite the misty moisty weather, our regular Monday crew met up in the forest. They ran, climbed, built, hiked, explored, chatted and generally had a grand old time. 14 kids, 6 Mamas and a whole lot of energy descended on Hamlin Reservation. Each week I grow more and more grateful for the opportunity to hang out with such awesome families.

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Caught a sweet little moment while caroling at the chapel in our neighborhood cemetery. The only thing sweeter was hearing her little singing voice.

The Christmas making continues with a Saturday sewing lesson and gifts for her sister. I am loving this new phase of her life in which her interests and abilities are so much more equally aligned. We had a lovely afternoon!

Our lucky girls were the happy recipients of a pirate’s hoard of hand-me-down lego today. Epic tales of the generosity of Cousin Elliott will be told in this house for years to come!

Consider the halls decked.

Thanks to Nonni Elf and Grandpa Elf for their vision and hard work!

The bathroom is coming along. I am a sucker for a nice bit of beadboard!