Rosy Cheeks and Runny Noses

To pick up where we left off...when we returned home last weekend this is how Henry chose to decorate the tree. I worried that the mask was going to scare Clara, but she thought it was hilarious.
She helped Papa put up some of the ornaments, like this one that was from Auntie Liz for Christmas last year. "But wait," you say, "Clara wasn't born yet- you didn't know she was a girl!" Yes- that's true. And Liz let us know that if we didn't produce a girl we would have to return the gift. Fortunately, we came through.
We decided to retire a couple ornaments this year. Just a couple that were hideous or didn't mean anything to us. Here's a little photo vignette, which I accidentally got backwards. It demonstrates what happened to the little plaster angel I made once in Girl Scouts.
I would say that here is the final product, but we're still decorating. I thought we were missing a few ornaments, and a couple days later I realized our main box of decorations was still in the third bedroom.
Fast forward to today. After a busy morning at the library (I think we got one of everything- Christmas books, Christmas craft book, non-fiction books about polar bears walruses and elephant seals, audio book, Christmas movies, Christmas cds, a book for myself!) we drove through Starbucks for some hot chocolate. I had told Henry we could get some, but then Clara was very sleepy in the car. It turned out well, we drove through and parked in the lot to watch a big crane at work, sip our cocoa and listen to Wiggly Wiggly Christmas (The Wiggles!!!) while Clara napped a bit. When we got home we were going to have some lunch and nap, but Anna and Sebastien were just heading out for sledding. So...(Mom of the year? At least for these last couple days?) we snacked, bathroomed, snowpantsed and headed back out. Don't ask how I pushed the stroller and pulled the sled over unshoveled curbs...it was a workout.
Here is Henry sharing his sled. Helena pushed the kids and I caught them (usually with my foot- since I was holding Clara, who was unhappy in her stroller) at the bottom.
We stuck around for a bit and then headed back home. Clara was pleased to be back.
On the docket? Casserole comfort food for dinner. Christmas dvds (The Grinch!) while we await the snowstorm. More cookies (thanks NPR!) and a gingerbread house tomorrow....? I might be crazy...I've never even made one with pre-made pieces before, and we're starting from scratch. Well, a mix...but still...

As an aside...check out my classroom website (over there in the links) and our new blog! Yay!!