tales from a far-land

Christmas morning started as it has every Christmas for the past eight years.  Josh and I awake before the kids.  We had time to enjoy coffee, start a fire and enjoy winter sunrise.  It really blows our minds.  Neither of us remember our childhood Christmas mornings like this.  When we were kids, we were up way before our parents and anxiously waited for them to get up (and sometime woke them up) so we could open our presents.  Not our kids.  They have slept in every Christmas morning they have ever had.  In fact, our kids did not wake up until 8:07am this year.  They set a new record.  It cracks me up. Once they awoke, we opened presents and enjoyed some playtime.  The Landers family joined us at around 11:00am for brunch, conversation, more present openings, and some more playtime.    We concluded our holiday at the Pattee home for dinner and fellowship.  It was a perfect way to end the day.  The kids enjoyed playing with other kids and we enjoyed some adult-time.  Merry Christma

We enjoyed a pretty low-key Christmas Eve.  We spent the morning delivering gifts to Oma at her home since we knew we wouldn't see her on Christmas day.  It was nice to spend time with her, especially since we really hadn't seen her much this year.  The kids helped her open her gifts and we FaceTimed with my parents, Lynsey, Tonny and Mina.  Micky was pretty excited to wish them all a "Merry Christmas".  And we enjoyed spending a little quality time with Micky. That evening, we hosted about twenty of our closest friends whom we choose to think of as family.  We all enjoyed an evening full of food, fun, games, gift exchanges and conversation.  It was a great way to begin the holiday! Madilyn helping Oma unwrap a gift Aiden's turn Oma, Madi and Aiden Friends gathered at our home The Raetz family Our family Paige and I The annual reading of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

Three days before Christmas, we visited Santa at the North Pole.  This was the kids fourth year visiting the North Pole Experience.  Every year, it seems like the experience gets better and better.  For starters, the decor and ambiance at the North Pole changes ever so slightly every year to make the magic seem more real.  The other component is that our kids really believe.  It is so much fun to watch their faces as they walk through Santa's workshop.  They are in such awe.  It makes me smile to watch them experience such wonder and joy.  The North Pole Experience begins by boarding one of Santa's Magic Trolleys at the Little America Hotel.  The trolley then is transported through a Magic Portal to Santa's Workshop at the North Pole.  Inside the workshop, there are a multitude of rooms the kids visit including the Toy Hall of Fame, the Toy Factory, Mrs. Claus' Bakery, Elf University, the mail room, and the sleigh hanger.  The last stop at the Experience is Santa hi