Mommy's Blog: Its beginning to look a lot like Christms...

All of a sudden it is December. As I type tonight, a dusting of idyllic snow is falling. Our decorations are up and the main rooms of the house are suffused with glowy light and greenery. We've just returned from a winter festival complete with bonfire and trolley ride, Life is rather like "a picture print by Currier and Ives" just at this moment...

Also, it can be noted that my children were in a screaming match at bedtime about whether stocking presents are acceptable for family gifts, and my daughter was sobbing over how much gift-making she has yet to do, and I can't walk into my office for all the boxes, and I am already exhausted without having even begun the wrapping...

THAT'S the real indicator that Christmas is upon us, isn't it??

Meanwhile-- we've celebrated birthdays, seen lights, started Advent traditions-- and carried on with the living and growing up that's always happening around here, Christmas season or no.

My birthday fell on a Thursday, which happened to be "bargain night" for Deck the Hall at Stan Hywet. So, you know what we did to celebrate! A lovely, mild night at my favorite place, with our best friends, and NO crowds... who could ask for more.

Oh! They are too big!! But-- silver linings! They can not only be trusted on the house tour... I think they are starting to LIKE it! Ivy said as we rounded a corner, "We get to go *upstairs* next.... I *love* going upstairs!" Me too, daughter, me too.

Will and Nat enjoy a walk in the magic of the birch tree allee...

Our beautiful friends. I am so grateful they joined us because everything is more fun with them around.

We stayed up til a ridiculous hour for a school night, so we could do presents and cake at home. These are the kinds of sacrifices we are willing to make for birthdays...

Mere days later... time for Light Up Lakewood! More lights than you can handle around this town!

This festive Dalek was our favorite.

We went mostly for the parade...

... but lingered for the lights and the fun of walking amongst the crowd in the middle of the street. Until it got TOO crowded (its a fine line, for us), and we skedaddled back to Gram's for a lovely birthday dinner. This year's birthday theme appears to be: "Combined with Christmas just a little bit." I am ok with that, because I have been needing a little bit of Christmas recently.

A quiet day at home on Sunday. This boy has taken to bringing ALL of his bedding downstairs with him, and thereby becoming the very picture of cozy repose.

Also this is pretty much an accurate image of him 90% of the time these days-- earbuds, eyes tuned to the screen, tremendous focus in effect. Sometimes we forcibly remove the device and either send him to school or pose him for pictures, but I thought you ought to know the truth.

Also, we decorated the tree. This is the face of a man who not only has a 70 pound child on his shoulders, but is being forced to decorate the tree BEFORE his birthday. He's a trouper.

Finished out the weekend with my West Shore Chorale concert. But first--a trip to see and photograph the Supermoon over Cleveland. With 500 other photographers. It was a moon-photo party by the script Cleveland sign!

The concert went surprisingly well for having only had 5 weeks of rehearsal. Aside from the stage being crazy-hot, it felt great to be up there singing. I am so grateful for the opportunity to make music with this group of dedicated and talented people. And for the gift of singing "O Magnum Mysterium." That song is magical.

Birthday time, again! A Monday night birthday is a quiet affair...

...but we did manage to liven things up with some help from Nat's new cordless leaf-blower.

And now-- we are in full Advent mode. December is clicking by, in the way that only December can. We expedite the process with all of our counting down... this year we not only have chocolate Advent calendars, and our nightly Christmas book, but we're also filling a basket with food donations. Evenings are busy with remembering and counting. So much anticipation! It is no wonder that we are frayed and quick to argue by the end of each day.

Luckily some nights are peaceful. Behold: Jack laying "inside" his new bed, reading "The Nutcracker" to his sister. (And occasionally critiquing the over-use of certain transition words. That's my boy.)

Wednesday: Last ballet of 2017!

...and, "Sneak Peak" at Heights Middle School. We are pretty psyched about the transition after seeing the space and hearing about all the opportunities. Even the boy is beginning to wrap his mind around it. He was so nervous walking in for the presentation.

But by the tour, he and a friend were leading the group through the halls, asking questions of the middle school guide and making 10-year-old plans.... When did he get so grown up??

Here is picture of the rabbit begging my daughter for ice cream in the light of the Christmas Village. I think I need to print this one out and look at it every time I start to think that my life is not perfect.

Also, this picture. Because this is me snuggling one of the puppies we met today. One of whom will be our new family member after Christmas!

We went to the dog show just for fun but then decided to see if our breeder was there. She was-- AND had brought the puppies! They are perfection. I am still on a puppy-endorphin high. It was the hardest thing to walk away without one...

...but now, we have one more thing to anticipate!

We ended the evening with the Coventry Winter Festival. Despite the idyllic scene, the children were non-plussed by the activities on offer.

At least til we went in Big Fun. They are old enough to enjoy Big Fun now, it turns out. I think we were in there for 45 minutes....

Closing for now with some views of our Christmas 2017 decor. While its no "Deck the Hall" around here, I'm still pretty pleased with how everything looks. I think this house just shines at Christmas, festooned in red and evergreen. The soft lighting hides a myriad of flaws and cracked plaster, too.