Laughing & Learning: Christmas 2012

(Make sure to keep scrolling down to catch up on the last few months)

To document Christmas 2012 I'll just give you a picture post with some commentary.

The Monday after Thanksgiving we went to Macy's to Santa Land. Our thoughts were that we'd go ahead and go and beat the Christmas crowd. We were right, we practically had all of Santa Land to ourselves!

Our first stop were the window displays outside of Macy's.

Entering Santa Land (top floor of Macy's)

Having a chat with Santa... Parker's first visit.

A week or so later we decorated our tree. As soon as it was finished Lillie wanted to lay under it to look up at the lights. Freddy T. did this as a child every Christmas. It was sweet that Lillie wanted to do it not knowing her daddy loved it too.

Our annual picture in front of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree

The Sunday before Christmas the kids sang a few Christmas songs on stage at church. That morning I allowed extra time once we were ready to get a picture of the kids in front of the tree. I think I took 60 pictures that morning, LOTS of out takes! These were about as good as it got.

Singing at church

We made a fire place this year, but it was simple compared to years past.

These are a few pictures from the evening when "Santa" came. I have 2 funny stories to share about that evening. Since we were traveling to TN for Christmas we did our little family Christmas the Sunday before we left. I told the kids that morning on our way home from church that Santa might come that evening and Jack said "Oh you mean Daddy is going to take us out side and tell us to look for reindeer and while we are out you'll put our presents out. That's what we did last year." So I said, "we'll then yes, that's what you are going to do again tonight!" Jack knows the truth about Santa, Lillie and Elliott don't.

The day we planned for Santa to come Jack had to go to a birthday party in Union Square that afternoon. I got a baby sitter to come stay with Elliott, Lillie and Parker so I could take him. That morning at church I asked the babysitter if she could come early so I could put the dollhouse together. While I was in the bedroom working and the babysitter was doing something with Parker Lillie came and slightly opened our bedroom door (it doesn't have a lock). She didn't open it much and I quickly got her away from the door and shut it. Several minutes later I had to feed Parker and she came up to me and asked me why I was building a house in my bedroom. I did my best to change the subject, it seemed to work. Later that night after Santa came Freddy T. said "Everyone show me what Santa brought you and Lillie instantly burst into tears. She said "Santa didn't bring me anything." Freddy T. said "yes he did, look at that fun, new dollhouse!" Lillie through her tears said "Santa didn't bring me that... Mommy did!" Terrible isn't it? It's funny, but sad. Poor girl.