Christmas is coming...

It seems like we've been thinking about Christmas for months and months...

Remember over the summer when you had this song stuck in your head and sang it so sweetly, Aidan?

Remember when we started talking lists for Santa in early November?

Remember when it finally turned to December 1st and we could mark the 25th on a calendar?

Remember when you guys beautifully wrote your notes for Santa?

"Dear Santa- 1. Shimmer 2. Stone Necklace 3. Sewing kit" a letter to Santa from Julia, 2016

"Santa: 1 Nexo, 2 Star Wars..."

"...3 Ghostbuster, 4 Toy Story..."

..."Croc, Captain Boomerang, Cyborg LEGO- Aidan Weinstein"

Final page of 2016 note to Santa: Smiley Aidan.

Remember, Aidan, when you proudly made this adorable Santa Claus collage at school? 

And, Julia, you were so impressed with Aidan's work that you were inspired to make your own Santa picture (complete with presents...a cookie monster, an elmo and...a mystery item)?

Remember when we saw the 12 days of Christmas at the Arboretum with the Myers family?

Remember when we saw the Vitruvian Lights?

Well...Christmas 2016 finally came! 

Christmas Eve day was spent making Christmas Cookies!

Christmas Eve with Yaya, Baba, Uncle Joe, and Aunt Sham was awesome. Homemade pizza, watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and some very lovely and thoughtful gifts? Awesome!

Before bed, we left cookies and milk for Santa, along with your notes, and carrots for the reindeer!

And bright and early, just before 6:30 am, you awoke to discover that Santa Claus visited our house! And you were such good behaving kiddos this year, with such sweet and true hearts, that he fulfilled your wishes!

Christmas afternoon was spent delivering cookies and hanging with friends, and a quick coma.

...and then...the main event...Christmas Day and dinner at Yaya and Baba's house with SO many family members: Kaelyn, "other" Aidan, Tristan, Flokie the adorable dog, Mimi, Pops, Aunt Chrissy, Aunt Nessa, Gigi, Pa, Jenny, Keith, Steven, Jasmine, Yaya, Baba, Sham, Joe, your newest baby cousin, Uncle Phil, Uncle Werner, Devon, and so much fun was had by all!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Winter Break 2016: Part 1

Ah.... winter break. Man, this was a long time coming. You guys have been working so hard at school, Mommy has been working so hard too...and I have too! You've been talking about it for so long...and finally...it happened! No Work! No School! And tons of ways to play and have fun and celebrate. We had such an EPIC Winter Break, that i'll have to share the best bits in multiple posts.

We had time for songs and silliness..

...and Aidan, you learned to sew and were so proud!

We had snacks and reading in a fort...

...and beautiful Christmas light, late night stroll through a park. 

...and on Christmas Eve day, we had room for cookies. You guys made them with Mama...and they were delicious. During baking breaks, we even had room for dreidel games, playing outside, and bike rides! 

Julia, you learned to spin a dreidel all by yourself!

Oh...and don't forget: even more time for reading and snacking in our favorite in-door shack!

Making cookies was so cool that I made a making cookies movie!

There was a lot more break where that came from! That was just day 1 and 2!!!

EPIC!