Just A Quick Note

Just wanted you to stay tuned as I am going to try to get a you tube video posted soon.  It probably will not appear here as it will be too long but will be on you tube and I will tell you how to find it here.   If anyone knows how to put a video here from you tube that is longer than allowable here please let me know asap so I can get that video straight through to here.  Thanks I will have more really soon.  Merry Christmas to All and Happy New Year too if I dont get back here soon enough to tell you.  Stay save!  AJ

The Countdown Has Begun...Los Pasados

Visiting Santa ....not a bit scared of him any more

My tormented boys 49 and 71 lbs at 3 and 2 years old yes that is correct the younger one is the 71 pounder...Jake is my big boy and such a mommas boy.
 Mikayla's stocking holder picked out herself
 Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...yum!  He gave Mikayla her first card of the night

Ahh!  The now famous Sugar Plum Fairy...who became famous for being fired by the Mayor and having some of the local shops hire her back as the Candy Fairy giving out Candy Canes instead of the Collectible Cards. 

Outside our Carriage Ride before waiting for the Parade 

Daddy and Mikayla waiting for the Parade eating cookies from our favorite wonderful Italian Pastries place. 

The parade begins...The Fife and Drum Corp

Ah my buddy, Jack Frost and The Snow Queen

The highlight of the parade....Joseph and Mary riding the Donkey looking for a place to stay, stopping to knock on doors only to find there is no room at the Inn and must go to the stables. 

The Angel announcing the Birth of Baby Jesus

Jesus is born!  Happy Birthday Jesus!

The wisemen came sheep and all

In a stable rejoicing of "The New Born King"

Today was Los Pasados.....we started the day visiting our friends at the hair salon, where they have a wonderful picture of Mikayla's first Santa visit bawling her eyes out terrified of him that is shown to all who visit.  This year they will have a new picture of Mikayla visiting Santa but I think they should have taken a picture of themselves as they all oooo'd and aaaaaa'd in shock as soon as Mikayla walked in and ran straight to the back and jumped right up onto Santa's lap.   After our Santa visit and having a chat we ventured to the store so Mikayla could pick out her own stocking holder, last year hers got broken.  Last year she had a penquin as she was crazy about them from Happy Feet.  This year she opted for a Snowman so we each have Snowmen this year except the boys who have there doggy ones.  No christmas is complete with out decorating the boys and making them sit still for photos.  Next we rushed home to get some nap time in so we can be ready for the late night.  Once awake we headed out and started our fun collecting our cards of the characters...her first one came from the Chestnut guy, followed by Jack Frost and so on.  She collected 13 of 33 this year since we started out later and we also took us a Carriage Ride bringing us close to parade time.  Of course this is also when it started to really rain hard.  We were crazy enough to stay and the parade came through....Mikayla got to see Joseph and Mary come by with the Donkey and she was thrilled as usual.  We follow Joseph and Mary to the Riverfront where the story was told and songs were sung...the angel announced the birth of Jesus and the Wisemen came sheep and all.  When they were done all gathered around the hugh yule log and sang Carols this is when we departed hungry and quite wet.   We had a great time as it is one of our traditions to do this and also share it with Mikayla year after year.  The temp was in the 60's but the wind and rain made if feel a bit colder.  Coming next will be my birthday and probably no more than a dinner as usual and then Christmas close behind, followed up with the New Year and the Ice Sculpture Competitions.  Then of course we will then have Chinese New Year racing right in.   So keep checking back as this is the busy time of the year.  Blessings to All!!!   Any one daring enough to guess on how old I will become this year? (I won't have as many of one color of Greg's candles but will have more of the other color)

Happy Birthday Greg!

The room was dark and the tree lights on yet the flash made it look the opposite....but at least it is up and done and yes it is a real Christmas Tree

It maybe small but so is she and she was soooo proud and excited to have a tree to herself to decorate.  This might be the only year too as it sits maybe a foot or two next to our Blue Spruce and will grow into the side of it if we continue to let it be.

Even though Greg was not feeling well with his sore elbow, and being it was his Birthday today, he still was kind enough to help make way for our new refridgerator to be delivered tomorrow.  After over 30 years with the one we have it definitely did its job and was due for an upgrade.  If only the new one will last that long.   Not only did he do that he also helped me get all the Christmas decorations out and brought upstairs.   He did help put up some of the decorations and tried to make some of the lighted decorations work some with success and some without.  After Mikayla came home and was being over whelmed with not more to say but "Cool", "WOW!", "Awesome" and the other such words and after decorating her own personal Christmas Tree, yes that right....see the pic....we all treated Daddy to a Birthday Dinner of his choice with a FREE desert that was big enough for 4 people to eat.  Then home it was to open his gifts and us to sing Happy Birthday to Daddy with Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake, candles included (no not one for each year but 1 for each small group of years in one color and one of another color for the difference).  So Greg is officially old, Over The Hill, down the other side, almost a Dinosaur and on his way to a Fossil. (Trivia for you...Do you know how old Greg is Today)    HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY :-)   Love Ya