Christmas decorations

The girls have been really enjoying our Christmas decorations this year.  We don't do a lot, but the window candles, tree with lots of random family ornaments and the creche scene are just right for us. :)

 

(next year there will be a baby boy in this picture!)

Family Church

When church was snowed out on Sunday, we had a little family church time.  Here's a video of Adara "helping" play the guitar and sing, and here's one of the Alasdair helping the girls do a "skit."  

Snow!

We are loving all the snow this week!  

A little snow last week - while I was unloading the groceries the girls started shoveling the driveway.  Well trained. :)

And then a foot or so on Sunday morning cancelled church, and we had a lovely snow day.

As I write this this afternoon the girls are playing happily with their new sparkly legos by the light of the Christmas tree and window candles and giant snowflakes are drifting down outside the window.  Perfection.

Reading Time

Adara has finally developed a love of reading (not that she really has a choice in this household:).  Here's Emily reading all of "Olivia" to her sister.  So sweet!  I have it on video; it's too long to post here but you can see it on our youtube channel here.  (you might have to turn up your volume)

Celebrate the Season

Hanover hosts a fun evening on the night of the Christmas Tree lighting on the Green.  A friend tipped us off to this on Friday morning, and on our last day before Alasdair came home from his week away, we needed an adventure.  So we bundled up and headed over.  Various stores were open to host kids crafts or snacks -- the girls had a blast with their friends, painting ornaments, decorating gingerbread men at Lou's, riding a mechanical reindeer & eating "snow" (popcorn and powdered munchkins), tasting free chocolate, and making necklaces, roasting marshmellows outside Ramuntos, and of course watching the lights come on on the big Christmas tree.  For the first hour or so until her husband joined us, it was just my friend Kristin & I and our combined 5 kids (aged 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)... which equaled a lot of chaos, dropped mittens, and carrying each other kids. :)   When it was time to go home, I decided at the girls' request that we'd prolong the adventure and wait in line to ride the horse drawn wagon around down.  A fun night that we'll try to remember for next year.  (This all happened on day 3 of potty training Adara, so I was very proud of her -and myself! -  for making it through 3.5 hours of running around without any accidents!)

(flash was too bright for Emily:)

(riding the "horsies")

Friends

A couple of weeks ago we had some fun with our good friends making crayons.

Also, community group buddies enjoying snack. :)

And, reading time at Romp & Stomp

First Snow!

We had a lovely family walk and some time in the first snow last weekend, and shoveled the driveway while we waited for the Leanders to arrive for a short visit. :)  Of course followed by hot cocoa and some early Christmas music.