Cocoa with Santa & Mrs. Claus at the Art Center

This was the best picture I could get of them with Santa. Plus he's a much better looking Santa than the one at Wal-Mart that we paid to have pictures at. He was creepy and the pictures were awful and it was not a good experience. They rushed the kids and it was not fun, just stressful. This was good. The kids were not rushed.

The first picture is of Isabel telling Santa what she wants for Christmas and what Henry wants. The second picture is of Santa showing his special pocket watch to the kids.

Our family with Mrs. Claus who was playing Christmas carols on the piano while kids waited in line to meet with Santa. 

Enjoying a cookie & hot cocoa with daddy. 

 Only picture I could get of both of the kids looking in my general direction at the same time.

 Showing her jingle bell that she recieved after hearing the story of the Polar Express.

Eating her candy cane from Santa.

Listening to the head librarian read the Polar Express.



State School Orphanage Museum

Isabel was so suprised to learn that our house used to once be the home of the headmaster for the State School Orphanage, before it closed and the house was sold moved to it's current location.

Daddy wasn't so sure that this wouldn't be way over her head, but the girl is so in to Annie that it wasn't. She was very curious about all of it and even through she doesn't quite get that living in an orphanage isn't desirable (she just sees the fun of being with your friends signing & dancing) I think seeing some of the stuff & pictures from the orphanage gives her a little idea that she has it really good.

Speaking of which, the whole Toys for Tots things is working itself out in her brain and today she has been playing "donation site" and made up bins and asking us to come put toys or money in the bins to pretend donate. We do have some more toys to donate, so I think it will be more meaningful this time around.

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train

I took the kids to see the Candadian Pacific Holiday Train (which was not easy since it was cold and they are little & it was hard to see over people so I had to hold them both up - good thing I have been working out!)

Anyways, there was also a firetruck there decorated up that the kids sat on for pictures.

The train was quite long, at least a dozen cars that were all lit up and decorated very brightly. And then in one of the car it opened up into a stage and there was a band inside that played a concert for Christmas songs for a half hour.
Santa was also on the train and he got off the train and came out to greet the kids and gave them mini candy canes.

I would go to this again, but will need daddy to come along for assistance. It was just too much by myself. The kids did enjoy seeing the decorated train and hearing the music. Isabel liked meeting Santa; Henry is scared of him.

Fall Dance 2011

 Isabel loves taking dance with Miss Tia and we will continue to take it as long as she can.

 This is her new dance outfit for this year. She received it as a birthday present from us earlier this year.

 This is the start of their dance to "It's a Hard Knocked Life', and you can watch that video here.

There were 21 girls in her class this year, didn't quite get them all in this picture.

Kindergarten Christmas Concert

 They sang 7 songs total and here they are singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

 This is about all of the kindergarteners in her school, didn't quite get them in the frame, but there is about 65 of them.

Isabel is wearing her new holiday dress and the new glitrery flower hair ties I made her.