Christmas A

Christmas 1.0 - that is Christmas in Miami - Christmas in Ohio and Christmas in Arkansas still to follow! This year my kids definitely came away with an important Christmas lesson: brush your teeth, or they will fall out. They got toothbrushes in the stockings at home and from both Grandmas!

'Twas the night before...this is becoming a little tradition for us - seeing the lights the night before we open gifts.

Lots of people decorate their homes, but there are also a few displays where you can get out and walk around the private property to see a "Chevy Chase" level of twinkling lights. Usually the family is also collecting money for a charity and handing out candy canes.

No slave to the calendar, we had Christmas morning 4 days early, so we could have a home Christmas before our trip.

Checking out the goods.

Our other tradition I like too much to skip - the cinnamon roll Christmas tree. Caleb likes it because it means I will buy maraschino cherries!

Behold!

I like to make this because it reminds me of my Nanny...which is funny because I really can only remember her making it once. I remember one Christmas morning where we had a big breakfast at her house and she made a cinnamon roll Christmas tree - so it's not like her chicken and dressing that was at every family gathering. It just made an impression on me!

Both kids got sleeping bags for Christmas. Caleb actually helped me wrap Annalise's, but it was several weeks early, so when he saw the wrapped bags he was still excited.

My gift to Caleb - a magnifying glass - that is, a very low tech microscope.

Tossing paper and Christmas flip flops - or fip fops as Annalise calls them.

Up next: REAL snow and something he'd wanted his WHOLE life!