Christmas

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A Visit with Santa

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Okay, we held off as long as we could (okay that’s a lie, we started back in October), but I think it’s Christmas season here! We’ve pulled out the Christmas PJs, and we’ve even squeezed in a visit with Santa! The boys did great, mostly. E always goes into his happy place and just sits there quietly when put in a new situation, so I knew he’d do fine. Baby G was the question mark. When we handed him over, Santa looked at him and said “Oh hello, I love you!” It might have helped that he was dressed as a tiny elf.

We got a few pictures taken before G looked around and realized he wasn’t sure about his situation and started to cry. A quick reassurance, and he calmed down, and then we were done! Afterwards E let me know that he doesn’t actually like “Big Santa” and would rather be Santa himself haha. So even though they were both unsure, we got our picture, and they got a new experience.

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Holiday Cards

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By now they’ve all been sent out, and if you’re on our list, you’ve probably received ours. (And if not, let me know!) Yes, they were early - although that’s not unusual for me. As with everything this year, though, it either needs to be early or not at all. Just be glad I waited until after Thanksgiving to mail them out, because trust me they were ready before that!

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Always More Pumpkins

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Christmas is going to be interesting this year.

Well, in more ways than one. But let me back up - I’m actually talking decoration wise. And no, I don’t have my tress up (yet!). I did start pulling out my Halloween/Fall decorations, though. Not all of them, but a few pumpkins here and there. It didn’t take long for a certain tiny human to notice… and demand that he be allowed to carry them around everywhere!

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Merry Christmas

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I hope everyone is having a quiet and relaxing weekend, and enjoying whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year.

Tom and I and the Bubba are home, just the three of us, building our own holiday traditions.  It's amazing to witness everything through this little one's eyes, and think about the years we have ahead of us.  Mornings like this. 

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Our Home, Christmafied

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I've pretty much always been this crazy, but all of a sudden I'm getting some wicked encouragement.  Not only has Tom proclaimed multiple times that THIS is why he married me, but E certainly seems to appreciate it as well.  Which only has me dreaming about what else I can decorate in this house, and how to add more lights to the outside of our house without buying a 40' ladder. 

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Christmas Cookies

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Every once in a while, I see something on the internet and decide that I must immediately recreate it.  This weekend was one of those times.  

I've been wanting to make some sort of Christmas cookies for a while, but the thing is, I don't really have a favorite Christmas cookie.  Sure, there are ones that I enjoy, and ones that I used to make when I was little, but none of them were reaching out to me as the ones I NEEDED to make this year.  So I waited. 

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Christmas Party Season

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I was pretty sure I wrote this post last year.  Or maybe the year before.  But maybe not.  Because I searched my posts, and unless I did a Christmas in July special, I can't find it. So if someone else gets deja vu from reading this, help me out, okay? 

And yes I know, I've missed a few posts lately.  I swear every year I'm going to start holiday stuff in August, and every December I'm running around in circles with lists of my lists that I need to complete.  Every. Year.  

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Christmas Tree: 2016 Edition

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So I've completely succeeded in convincing Tom that we should cut down a Christmas tree every year.  Unfortunately Massachusetts has been in a severe drought most of the year (remember our beautiful lawn?), which has impacted the local Christmas tree crop.  Apparently this is a serious issue that is going to impact our local Christmas trees for years to come... Most of the available trees around have been trucked in from other states, and all the trees at the cut your own places were small and half dead.

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Merry Christmas!

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Technically Christmas Eve, but close enough!  I hope wherever you are, you're taking some time to enjoy the holiday, pretty lights, and a warm drink.  I'll be heading up the road to Jake and Jill's for their annual Christmas Eve party and then heading home to go to bed early for Santa!

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Candy Cane Memories

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Every year I'd look for it, and every year it was there.  Maybe not on the first box I picked up, but eventually I'd find the correct one.  And there it was, tied to the ribbon around the box.  Not just any type of ribbon either - she always used the puffy, yarn-like, braided ribbon, usually in red, green or white.  No thin curling ribbon here.  Sometimes I could free it myself, other times I needed the help of scissors.  And then off it would go to my mom for safe keeping, while I tore open the packages to see what was inside.  Although at the time it was never the gift itself, always treated as more of a decoration of sorts, it's the only thing I've kept and enjoyed year after year.

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Christmas Tree Obtaining

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It's not quite like Vermont.  Almost, but not quite.  Some of the basics are the same - there are trees and saws and hiking through the woods.  But there's a certain artificial piece to it.  Fighting the crowds of other families, hoping they won't fall in love with the same one you do.  And everything is so manicured.  They don't naturally come in that shape.  It's a bit odd.