Christmas 2013

Ok, let’s finish up with Christmas already, shall we?

We continued the tradition of having the girls pick out a new ornament at our favorite store, Callister’s Christmas! (No really, that’s the name of the store. We asked them who the Callister was and they said they picked a name out of the phone book that sounded good with Christmas. Go figure.) Summer chose ballet, Hannah chose gymnastics, and Tessa got the same one the other girls have that says “Baby’s 1st Christmas”. We really should go into the ornament business…those ornaments are pricey!

Much of the first half of December we were wrapped up in planning and executing our ward Christmas Party. There were a lot of moving parts, and lots of delegation that had to be trusted, but in the end it turned out great and either everyone lied to us and said it was great or it really was. We were so busy running around and helping in the kitchen it feels like we didn’t really go to the party, you know? But we had Santa, who made his first appearance at our ward’s Christmas party since we moved here 10 years ago, so there’s that. 

One Saturday we went downtown to the BMO Harris Building and looked at their big Christmas display that they have in the lobby. This year’s was based on the books by Richard Scarry. There were lots of huge stuffed animals all spread out through a village. Then we drove through Candy Cane Lane and found a couple of awesome homes with amazing light displays, complete with AM stations you listen to in your car. We’ll have to remember to go back to those houses next year. Pretty sure the highlight of the day for the girls was going to Noodles for dinner, though. 

We spent Christmas Eve at the Farrenkopf’s, which is always fun and delicious. Then it was home to get ready for Santa! We opened our PJ’s and took the obligatory pictures in front of the tree then went right to bed so Santa could come! Summer asked for a Barbie house and Barbies and Hannah asked for a pretend pizza and cake. They got just what they wanted, and then more. Too much.  We had Christmas dinner at the Spencer’s with the rest of our Wisco family, which was also delicious and fun. Christmas is always over way too fast, and I hate going to bed that night. It’s just so magical and fun and for one day we just play and not worry about chores or anything else. The girls said it was the “best day ever” and I have to agree.