Bring on the Holidays

 Since Dan doesn't like starting the Christmas season too soon, we waited to decorate the tree until it was officially December (i.e., yesterday). The kids spent all week looking forward to it, but in the meantime, we tried to keep them occupied.

Evelyn was supposed to have swim lessons three times this week, for her final week of lessons. However, we kept her home on Wednesday, mostly because she had a cough, but also partly because Andrew had Tae Kwon Do at 7, the same time that my book group was meeting, and we couldn't figure out how to make everything work. (And she was sick).

I enjoyed my book group, although the book we read--Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers--was sobering and wrenching (about life in a Mumbai slum). I came away incredibly grateful that we have so many blessings and aware of our responsibilities to serve. Because I'd been reading the book, for FHE on Monday we talked about different ways that we can serve during the holidays and put some of those into practice during the week.

Wednesday, we took several bags of old coats and some new clothes (as requested) and donated them to a community drive. We also picked up some tags off the angel tree. We're hoping to come up with a few more service options, but we don't have all the details yet. (Ideas, anyone?)

At the Black Friday sale at the Gymboree outlet, I found Evelyn a girlie version of pajamas that the boys already had, so the kids get to sport coordinating Christmas jammies. I love Evelyn and Oliver's expressions here. Andrew, I think, looks like his dad in this picture. It makes me incredibly happy to see him looking more like his dad as he gets older (and not just because everyone always comments on how much the kids look like me. And like each other. I was at Jo-Ann's with Evelyn and Oliver on Friday--one of our first ventures out with O.B.--and a woman looked at Evelyn, looked at Oliver, and said, "Oh my gosh, your kids look a lot alike!")

 We also pulled out the finger paints, which the kids loved, but which also reminded me why we don't do crafts more often (even though I loved them as a kid): it takes almost as long to set up and clean up as the kids spend doing the craft.

 Trisha made this cute little pumpkin hat for Oliver. It's still a little big, but he'll grow into it. I took him out on a couple of walks earlier in the week when the weather was beautiful (in the 50s). And then a cold, bitter wind moved in and I didn't want to subject Oliver to that, so we stayed inside.

 

 I love this sweet little intent face.

Finally, on Saturday, we got the tree up. And the 3 nativities (a little ceramic one, Little People and Playmobil). And 4 advents. (I do like advents). Two are new this year: a second Lego Star Wars (Dan's idea) and a Playmobil princess advent for Evelyn. So far, they've been a big hit.

 

Dan and I have decided that Evelyn is going to be trouble in a few years. Somewhere in the last couple of weeks she's discovered boys. There's a little boy in her preschool class that she wants to marry (barring that, her dad will do). This morning she told her dad "I like boys the most." To which Dan responded, "talk to your aunt Sarah about that."