Christmas

 

Back in the snow!

 

Good day to torch something off!

Warming up

These two were super impressed with my snowman pancakes.

Complete with bacon scarf!

Christmas cookies!

Much improvement in the frosting arena this year!

 

Peeka returned with a suitcase on his last day and a letter for the kids.  He requested that they fill his suitcase with snacks for the long trip home.  Stopping at everyone's houses on the way back to the North Pole with Santa takes a lot longer than when he just flies straight there by himself.  An elf gets pretty hungry!

The kids were happy to fill it with any small thing they could find...peanuts, pumpkin seeds, bunny cookies, duck crackers.

Guess what is more fun than burning stuff?  Getting to play with your neighbor's excavator while burning stuff!

Saying goodbye to Peeka.  Once again, they were able to hug him his last night if they wanted because he didn't need his magic to fly back.  He was riding in the sleigh with Santa.

Kya says goodbye by eating his face....or maybe that is a kiss.

Ready for Santa and his reindeer.  Ryker insisted on 9 apples and 9 carrots this year so I told him to just leave them inside and Santa could pass them out to the reindeer.  Yes, I am so cheap that I wouldn't let my kids scatter them outside.  I peeled all those carrots!  I'm eating them!

Ryker got all dressed up before he even came downstairs.  He usually runs around in his underwear for half the day and puts on jeans after that.  Guess he knows Christmas is a dress pants and polo shirt kind of day!

Oh that silly Santa!

Best present ever.  He's passes out jelly beans to everyone he sees.

Ryker and Kya exchanging gifts they bought for each other.  Then they exchanged hugs...awe.  Ryker loved his Spider man sweatshirt and Kya her overhead coloring projector.

Hitting the road on their new bikes!  Kya's is just Ryker's old bike but it is bigger than her old one and goes way faster so she loves it!

Merry Christmas Ol' Buddy!

Presents at Grandma and Grandpa's.

 

Time for the magic show.

Looks more like a circus with these two clowns!

Singing time

 

Christmas Fun

Almost done decorating

 

Kya made the sweet Gingerbread Man on the left at Story Hour at the library so Ryker had to make one when he got home from school.

Kya named hers Sweetie

Ryker's was a cowgirl

 

Bow Hill Santa Train

Miss Abby

This farrier was there and he punched the kid's names into old horse shoes.

Contemplating where the train will take them next..... 

The train wasn't actually running this year because repairs are needed on the tracks.  The kid's were not the least bit disappointed.  They played on the train cars and pretended they were going to different places, some imaginary.  I think they may have even liked it better.  They ran around with all the other kids while the parents stood around and talked.

Washington Park Winter Wonderland Walk

It gets better every year!  The kids had a blast.

Still not thrilled with this Grinch, but at least they got close enough for pictures.  Kya wouldn't look at me though.  She had to keep a close eye on him.

Story time with the library staff.

 

This is how it looks walking in, but then it opens up to all the lights shown above once you get up into the forest.  Their favorite stuff this year:  Larry the Lighthouse, Clover the Balloon Fairy, and Robotics Team doughnut maker (because they got mini donuts).  On our way outwe grabbed hot chocolate for Ryker and since Kya hates chocolate and they didn't have apple cider, Kya opted for clam chowder.....haha.  Whatever works.

On our way home we stopped at the lights set to music on Hwy 20.

All of a sudden this started driving around....what the heck?

Yep, it's Santa on a lit up lawn mower.

It was really funny and the kids loved it.  Actually, I might have enjoyed it the most.  After watching him walk around after his joyride, we're pretty sure he was a little tipsy!

 

Mixing up Christmas cookies

Treats and more singing at Ryker's school after Christmas Caroling

Yes!  It snowed!  I'm so happy it was on a non-school day.  Good thing I had breakfast ready when they woke up because they went out immediately after and stayed out for most of the morning.

Ryker didn't even take the time to find his own hat.  Purple was just fine.  He needed to get out there!

Trying desperately to find a hill.