Wordless Wednesday: We’ve Been Good This Year, Santa!
How can I argue with those smiles?
Holiday Traditions: The Nutcracker
I have fond memories of attending the Nutcracker ballet at the Kennedy Center with my mother. It was a highlight of the Christmas season, and an experience I’d love to share with my boys. But, I know the sweet image of the boys, dressed in their sport coats and khakis, shoes shined, neck ties tied,…
A Visit with Santa
This year, Connor asked Santa to bring 200 Webkinz, please! Santa told Connor he’d have to see if he could find a big enough box. Ryan requested Legos, cars, and Webkinz – he said he’d let Santa decide how many. And now two very wound-up, excited little boys are tucked in their beds, visions of…
An Engineer’s Dream
“See the engine master pull the little throttle…” Today we made our annual holiday pilgrimage to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum (in Baltimore). Last year, shortly before Christmas, we made our first trip to this wonderful museum and had to carry Connor out kicking and crying at closing! We have been back several times…
The Big Man in Red
Every year since the boys were born, I have struggled with maintaining a balance between the commercialism of an American Christmas and the real meaning of Christmas, the miracle of Christ’s birth. This year, at four and six, the boys were better able to understand and to participate in the Advent celebration, and the true…
Eating Socks
“Santa, please bring 10,000 LEGOs!” I am convinced that my children eat socks! I buy socks in pairs; I wash socks in pairs; oftentimes I even put socks away in pairs… so why then when it is time to put socks on their feet can I not find pairs of socks?! Today, we were going…
Christmas Baking
Each year at the start of our Christmas preparations, I have lofty plans of baking a variety of cookies in time for the holidays and each year, I manage to bake one or two batches of cookies at most. This year though was going to be different! Ryan and I were going to bake each…