Fort Wayne Christmas

We continued on the non-traditional path with Christmas in Fort Wayne! Since Christmas was on Sunday, we opened stockings on Christmas Eve night (though Lilah was asleep), and then opened Christmas presents after church on Christmas morning. Regardless of tradition, it was merry indeed!

One tradition that did make it through was Christmas eve pjs for our family. Wes and I got matching Small Paul monkey pjs, Elise got ho ho ho pjs, and Lilah got 'I love Santa' pjs (but eluded the camera for the pj pictures).

Ready to open presents

Tim and Molly opening presents for Colton - who managed to avoid the camera spotlight (sad)

Elise with her princess suitcase gift - she is ready for some traveling!

Lilah kissing her new baby.

Elise and Nana - Elise painted a birdhouse for Nana for Christmas

Papa J and his new Cowboys gear

Mike with a record from Wes - I have no idea what it is, though....

It's Beginning to look a lot like (a non-traditional) Christmas!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, and we were loaded in thte car to head to Fort Wayne. We made it about 20 minutes north, and we heard some gagging from the back seat. I turned around just in time to see Lilah vomit about four times all over herself and her car seat. The kind people at Holiday Inn Express went above and beyond to help us. About 45 minutes later, we had Lilah back in her carseat (covered by a bed sheet with holes cut for the car seat straps) and were back in the car on the way home to Bloomington. Magically, Santa had delivered presents and stockings to our house while we were on the road. Elise was hesitant initially about touching the gifts (it wasn't Christmas morning, after all), but we convinced her that Santa wouldn't have delivered the gifts if we weren't to open them. So, on December 22nd in the evening, we had our first Christmas celebration. Poor Lilah didn't feel too great, but she was back to her normal self by morning.

Checking out the Christmas tree before Santa's arrival

 

Elise's first present from Santa - her favorite movie - Fantastic Mr. Fox!

Opening the stockings

Lilah practicing her baking with new play kitchen food

New Michigan gear for Wes

Elise enjoying her new toys - Nina Ballerina and Fold and Go Castle (both Melissa & Doug - great toys!)

Lilah hiding out in her princess castle from Santa - this was taken the next morning - she was feeling much better!

Oh Christmas Tree!

We've enjoyed an annual tradition with our great friends, the Arnolds, to cut down a Christmas tree for four or five years now. Before that, I was an artificial tree girl, but they instilled in me the magic of the real Christmas tree. We had absolutely beautiful, unseasonably warm weather this year. I wore a scarf to appear wintery, but it was unnecessary.

Elise was so excited to decorate the Christmas tree once we got it home. The first week we had it, I would catch her just sitting and admiring it. It is so sweet watching the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child!

Elise's best bud Rebekah - they used to be only an inch different in height - Elise has fallen behind....

The Arnold Family

The Erwins

Eve and Lydia - cutest Santa's helpers I've ever seen!

Decorating the Tree - Belle and Wardrobe ornament from Nana and Papa J

Dopey ornament for Lilah - Wes says there is some resemblance....

Putting up the tree topper

Christmas Fun!

I had to take a blogging hiatus - our computer had a major virus that had us down for a week or two. But we're back! We've been busy enjoying the holiday season. Elise had her first preschool Christmas program. Oh my goodness, nothing cuter that 20 3-5 year olds singing! Well, the parents and grandparents all poised with cameras and videos were pretty cute, too.

Last weekend we traveled to central Illinois to visit Wes's grandma. It was such a nice trip. The girls loved Great Grandma Z's house, and they got to play with three of their second cousins, which was very special. Elise was especially taken with her Great Grandma and enjoyed helping her make Jello! Sadly, we forgot our camera, so don't have any pictures to share.

We've been up to other Christmas fun as well - enjoy the pictures!

Lilah is ready to watch Elise sing, so long as she has her goldfish crackers

Getting ready to sing

Two of Elise's preschool buddies - Adeline and Molly - these three have been together at school since their one year birthdays

Elise loves helping bake... and eat the Christmas goodies!

Got to meet and pet a reindeer at the Wonderlab - "Look Mom, there's a reindeer behind me!"

Petting the reindeer!

Petting the Arctic Hare

Watching the Christmas music/light show at a local church

The light show - it was pretty impressive!