Christmas Festivities

Our family is super-excited about Christmas this year. We have a lot to celebrate! Although the weather has been ridiculously hot, that hasn't stopped us from drinking our fair share of cocoa, driving around to see beautiful Christmas lights (albeit with the air blasting so it would feel cold to us), and creating a gingerbread train only a mother could love (and oh, how I do!)

The cat got the cocoa!

Sampling the icing for the gingerbread train!

Day two of the train, the finishing touches

We have seen Santa twice, and Dresden has done well both times. He certainly does not take after me when it comes to sitting on Santa's lap. I was always terrified. Dresden, this year, has shown no fear. A bit of shy apprehension, perhaps, but for the most part he's aced his visits. 

We are really having to work on the whole naughty/nice concept right now, as we are fully entrenched in being 3 and 1/2 and liking to disobey and say, "No. I'm not going to listen to you." Dresden gets really excited when he realizes he has done something well, or been extra-good, and exclaims "Now I'm for SURE on the NICE list!!!" He's kind of overly concerned, lol.

We did manage to take a family Christmas picture. Well, we took about 50, most of which went something like this...

But we were able to settle on a good one of all of us eventually...

Alex and I have decided not to exchange gifts this year; we are saving as much as we can because we are going to start looking into buying a house after the holidays, rather than moving into an apartment or renting. So the gift of finding our own place will be gift enough for us. Dresden, of course, will want for absolutely nothing this year (read: between his entire family, he will be getting way more gifts than he could ever possibly need!) He loves the "beautiful" Christmas lights and it was so sweet and fun to drive around with him and hear his excitement over all the pretty displays we drove past. Christmas really is so much more special when you have a little kid in the house to celebrate with.

I don't think I will be doing the 12 Days of Christmas Pajamas this year. He is still wearing quite a few pairs from last year, so it would be weird to see the same ones again. I think we will have to reprise it next year with his sister. Then it will be fresh and new again!

Hope all of you are having a festive, wonderful holiday season!

Love,

Cassie