Easter Buckets!

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Thanks to the generous and thoughtful people at Personal Creations, the girls have personalized Easter buckets this year! It made my jaw drop when I realized Easter was 2.5 weeks away already, yikes. We have been getting a bit of our Easter on around here and the arrival of the buckets was the catalyst for some decorating and some crafting and some reading of my favorite Easter story. And A LOT of talk about the beloved magic seeds. We’re all wondering how they might grow in this still very snowy place though… hmmm. It just might be one of those snowsuit-over-the-Easter-dress years.

So, these buckets! We’ve been playing a lot of games with them like throw the plastic Easter eggs in (Bozo the Clown style), balance a plastic Easter egg on a spoon from bucket to bucket and a lot of pretending to BE the Easter Bunny and filling the buckets. It’s fun to have something personalized, especially for Wren who is beginning to recognize and “read” more and more words and loves to see her name in print. It reminds me of something my grandparents might have given us because they gifted us with monogrammed or personalized things every once in a while. So “thank you!” again to Personal Creations for the lovely gifts.

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welcome, winter!

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Real winter is finally here and not just according to the calendar. It’s alive and well in northern Michigan as our nest is tightly tucked underneath a fresh blanket of white. Finally! Let’s just hope it lasts beyond just a white Christmas. I’ve got skiing and sledding and snowman-making on my mind. You?

We started the shortest, darkest day of the year with a candlelit breakfast. Everything tastes better by candlelight, no? Although crepes always taste good to me, who am I kidding?

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To take advantage of the few hours of sunlight we have today, we promptly headed outside to our winter wonderland. Snow days are so fun!

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We came in to get warmed up and dried off.

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And to make some more cookies this afternoon because Christmas Is Coming! Thank you, solstice. Thank you, snow day. Thank you, family. Thank you, advent. Thank you, readers!

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dear santa

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As dictated by Wren today…

“Dear Santa,

I do want that water slide now. I’m at my house and I want you to come and give that water slide to me.

I want something else too, in addition to the water slide. I want some pink moose antlers because I’ve been such a good girl.

I want some pink wrapping paper and I want a small, blue blanket for Phoebe. And I want more pink wrapping paper just for Phoebe to rip.

I also want a pink rosemary plant for Phoebe to rip.

I want Mama to have another elephant book. Bring Papa some new duckies to play with in the bath with me. I want Papa to have a new lantern in his room. And I want Mama and Papa to have new socks like I got last year.

Love, Wren on Fifth Street in Traverse City (where there are NO monsters!)

Oh! Also I want a new sweatshirt that is pink and blue on both sides, well actually not on both sides but on each side.”

Harold at the North Pole

 

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You know Harold and his amazing purple crayon, but have you read Harold at the North Pole (Harold and the Purple Crayon)? It’s this year’s favorite Christmas book that we checked out at the library. We just love Harold and his imagination, don’t you? I get those oh-my-goodness chills when we turn to the snowstorm pages. Incredible work, Harold.

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What Christmas books are holding the attention of the birdies in your nest this year?

welcoming the waiting

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Welcome, Advent! We’ve been preparing our nest and hearts for this special period of waiting. Waiting is hard work for children and who am I kidding? Waiting is still hard at 35. It helps to have a special “Christmas is Coming” activity every day. Instead of getting too wrapped up in the rush, rush, rush, buy, buy, buy, owe, owe, owe, we’ve been trying to do things at toddler-speed with a bit of decorating here, a bit there. Some gingerbread cookie baking and some Christmas decoration making. Of course we’ve been doing a lot of Christmas story reading and listening. It is indeed a magical time and even more so through the wonder-full eyes of wee ones.

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Some new activities we’re looking forward to this Advent season include a special Wren-and-Mama-only (rare!) date to see The Nutcracker and Wren’s first part in a play: Mary in the church Christmas pageant. Whee!

Chris and the girls have been decking the halls together… Fa la la la la la la la la.

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May your Advent be filled with quiet, peace and time with friends and family. And perhaps even a few swigs of Sambuca while looking at the neighborhood Christmas lights. Ahem. Enjoy!