Christmas roundup!

Well, here we are a few days after the Epiphany, and so far I haven't posted a single thing about Christmas! It always feels so bittersweet and sad when the Christmas season is coming to an end. Nothing fills me with as much melancholy as the prospect of taking down the tree and other Christmas decorations. So we will go over and relish those Christmas memories and perhaps eventually this year we (I!) will be ready to move on from the glorious Christmas season back into ordinary time and the doldrums of winter (and soon, Lent!! hard to believe!)

Our Epiphany Centerpiece

Picking out our Christmas tree was quite the the experience.

Despite the balmy (HOT even) temperatures, the Christmas tree farm was determined to give all patrons an authentic experience, and had a big fire in a trash can . . . yes. You can see the smoke in the background as Kateri and Sebastian check out who has replaced Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and all the rest.

My precious little family! :D

The Very Best family picture we got!

We found a very nice, though rather short, tree, and, determined to keep ever.last.inch possible, Pat made sure the cut the trunk as closely to the ground as possible.

Sebastian however had his own ideas about the perfect tree!

Check this one out, guys!!

Kateri closely supervised the proceedings!

Can you see the stump that Pat left?

It is safe to say we were able to get every last inch of tree!

"Really, guys! I know you just cut down a tree and all, but can we please just get this one??!!"

We also were able to go see Santa, which was a very awe-inspiring trip for Kateri. Santa first came out and knelt by statues of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus and told the story of Christmas! So beautiful. All the children gathered around and listened. Then he climbed up his chimney to sing songs and answer questions from the crowd!

Sebastian was really not sure what the heck was going on

They both loved looking at the Cresh scene.

Then we waited quite a while to see Santa ourselves and take a picture with him!

Kateri very solemnly mounted the steps to Santa's sleigh and handed him the letter she had written with Pat's help, then promptly turned and tried to get down as quickly as possible! She did NOT want to talk to Santa or sit in his lap at ALL. Sebastian felt the same way, and so we tried a family shot, and not one picture came out, but they were all rather hilarious!

It was rather special. At the end, Santa gave each kid a lollipop and a little holy card of the Holy Family signed by Santa Clause himself!

Christmas day was wonderful and very busy. Unfortunately, I only took a few pictures at home and none with the rest of the family! But here are a few of the ones we got!

Kateri's new "smile for the camera" smile

Showing papa her new movie~ Cinderella!

Sebastian helping Kateri open her big gift

Testing out one of the new trikes!

All in all, it has been such a wonderful Christmas season but it has really flown by far too quickly. So thankful for everything and everyone in our lives!!