Picking out a Christmas tree. Though we ended up with three instead of one. A tiny one went to work with Michael, the middle sized one lived in the great room on the homework table, and the regular sized one in the family room. It was a fairly mild evening at the tree lot and smelled wonderful.
Before leaving we did stop momentarily by the fire in a big metal drum to warm our fingers.
Kate, Lizzie, and Sabrina took care of the tree decorating downstairs again this year. It was cheerful and festive well into February... or March? (The beginning of the year kinda flew by.)
Alternating sunshine and below zero temperatures led to epic icicles this year across the porch on the west side of the house. The largest one morphed from stalactite to column!
Shopping at the mall as a family.
The girls were very excited to take part in "Ugly Sweater Day" at school. I found some base sweaters at the thrift store and picked up some random things at the dollar store. The girls got to go to town with needle and thread, hot glue guns, etc. Kate's even had a battery operated line of Christmas lights decorating a tree made of ribbon. Sabrina loved her sweater (poncho) so much she carefully removed the ornaments afterward so she can wear it again!
We shared a huge Hershey's Kiss. It was hilarious watching Kate and Lizzie try to get decent sized bites off the thing! Sabrina was missing both front teeth, so she finally gave up and got hers trimmed off with a paring knife.
Lizzie's 3rd grade Christmas Program! She even got to play the ukulele for one of the pieces. Sabrina entertained herself, as the program started to get kinda long, by coloring pictures. Including the freaky yellow skinned monster!
Snow piled up around town all winter, and was reluctant to melt off. The fellow who does snow sculptures nearby did some great work! The top right one was specially for the so called "Mayan Apocalypse" on 12/21/12. If it had actually happened I suppose I wouldn't have to catch up here ;)
The church (ward) Christmas party included a program my the children. Lizzie is the shepherd on the right in a blue gown.
by this time the countdown until the holidays was in full force!
