Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

I did intend for this post to be up a little sooner. Like, before the New Year. As I sit here typing on the evening of the 30th I'm thinking it may actually get there. But it may not.

We are on hour forty-three of Holding Silas. Who has been throwing up for as long. So, we'll see.

But, on to Christmas!

First, of course, we needed a tree. So we cut one down at a nice farm nearby. Much to our delight the trip to the trees included a hay ride. A hay ride in December!

Our tree had to fit certain criteria: small, narrow and cute. We found one that did, and cut it down.

Here's the trophy picture. It almost escaped, but the kids caught it before it got away.

And then there was a little bonfire, around which we enjoyed some hot cocoa.

And here she is, all dolled up. Christmas Tree 2011.

Then we waited impatiently for Christmas. Even the chocolate advent countdown calendar couldn't quell the incessant Mama, how many more days until Christmas? Okay, how many more days if we don't count today? How about if we don't count Christmas? And so on and so forth.

Finally, Christmas Eve arrived. And we pulled out our Santa plate and some of the chocolate -covered pretzels we made. And, of course, oats and carrots for the reindeer.
And do you know what Sadie told me?
Mama, Rudolph isn't REAL! Not like the other reindeer, and Santa. 
Oh, of course.

Christmas morning before sunrise. So excuse the terrible pictures. Plus, it's not like the sun ever rises around here between the months of December and May.
The garbage truck!

Legos!
Walkie-Talkies!
Books!

Trampoline! Roller skates!

And more and more.
All this loot will keep them busy for weeks.
And we had the inaugural fire in our wood stove. Which makes the house about 6,000 degrees, but I'm not complaining.

Does anyone else's house look like this late Christmas morning?

For dinner, roast beast, mashed potatoes and string beans. These kids love my string beans.
The requested dessert was Make Your Own Sundaes. Yes, we're very into make-your-own stuff around here. Being the master of one's own destiny (or dessert) is very exciting.

Especially when you dump half the bottle of star sprinkles on your own sundae.
And here's Sadie as she's looked almost every day since Christmas.

It was a peaceful, quiet, present-filled, treat-filled, exciting Christmas Day. The best kind.

A Long Post is Coming

After a trip to Ikea, among other things. I haven't forgotten to get Christmas pictures on here.

I should be grateful that it is even possible to be putting pictures on the blog and that I didn't wipe my old computer clean after getting a new one 4 weeks ago (right, like I'm that on top of things. I should say that Will didn't wipe the laptop). Why?
Oh, because Silas pulled it to the floor and it's now at the repair place with a broken hard drive. The Laptop Accident Program, a friend to mothers of toddlers everywhere.

And speaking of toddler boys, we have had the wood stove on for the last few days and it is absolutely wonderful. And hot as heck. We even have a big, ugly gate that goes around said stove so that no kids can fall into it. But that didn't stop Silas from reaching through the gate while I putting a log in and pushing the open door. That didn't end well. But cold water, motrin, burn cream and an episode of Sesame Street later, all is well.
Although he did feel the need to tell me 'Tove hot! about six times before he finally fell asleep last night. Let's hope the lesson has been learned.

And, Sadie, who has become permanently attached to her new set of roller skates, watched that Folger's coffee commercial from the 80's this morning on Youtube. You know, the one where the kid comes home from college and wakes everyone up with coffee? Don't ask, there was random link somewhere.
And she couldn't watch it because made her too sad. Such a sensitive little kid. I guess I shouldn't show her the Cat Chow one where the girl comes home from college and sees her cat again. I remember crying for fifteen minutes at that one.

But we are all well. Holiday Market is over, hurrah! And now the season of blog posts begins. Promise.

Five!

She's five, folks. I'm not quite sure how it happened. Next year she'll be thirty and move out.


But for this year, she's five, and was up at the crack of dawn. And she was remarkably patient about opening her presents.
.

Her birthday cereal was Lucky Charms, same as last year. You just can't beat florescent marshmallows.


Silas enjoyed his first taste of sugary cereal too.


Finally, she got to work playing with some presents.



And then, for the fourth year in a row we headed to "Dancing Mouse." I think that none of you will be surprised by this.
She actually wanted to go somewhere else and we were all set to go and then she changed her mind.


And for the fourth year in a row she still hates this ride and insists on being taken off midway.


Sadie, when asked what kind of cake she wanted, said she wanted to decorate her cake by herself. I want to squeeze those tubes of icing, mama!
Then, she wanted a fairy cake. While looking at fairy cakes online, she spotted one of those barbie cakes with the giant skirts, and she said she wanted a fairy skirt cake.
So I asked her if she'd like a fairy skirt cake that she got to decorate.


And, yeah, she did. Here it is after she went to town on it.


And here it is after the fifteenth time Sadie and Silas ran in to "eat a star sprinkle."
Silas, not known for his delicacy in such manners, grabbed a  handful of cake.


Then the requested dinner of the day, Make Your Own Pizzas, commenced.



They were really good, and made us wonder why we ever buy other pizzas around here. They were tons better than was passes for pizza out of New York City.
Then I remembered why: sheer laziness.

Sadie made her wish.


And then pulled out the doll.


And she said, I love my birthday! I'm having such a good day!
What more could we ask for?
Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!