My Christmas play list is one of the kids favorite things to listen to this time of year. Last night we spent a good hour singing and dancing by the fire. It doesn't really get much better in life then watching children dance...so not worried about what they look like. Linc was running around like a mad man belting out the Ramones (who have some of THE best Christmas songs). He kept saying he was a rock and roll man. Ian was just holding a stuffed animal laughing and spinning in circles. Liv had some pretty great moves of her own.

Oh sweet Lincoln. Last night was his preschool Christmas program. Jonny had to work late so I took the kids in the pouring rain (thankfully it wasn't cold) down to the preschool for a night of sweet festivities. We started out in the gym and the little people all paraded in and stood in a line in front of us. There were a lot of people there and I would be overwhelmed...and I'm not 4. For the first song Lincoln wouldn't turn around, he was nervous.Liv got his attention so he could see us in the crowd....  then turned around so we could see him singing for the rest of the program. I'm so glad he did because it was the sweetest thing ever! It made me cry. I love that little boy so much, he is so smart and sweet. After the "singing program" we met in the basement for cookies and punch and a gift from Santa (books the parents had sent in earlier in the week)
Liv asked "mom, did you wrap this"? Lincoln informed her quite serious "These gifts are from the North Pole!" They ate way to many cookies...played around....then we came home and went to bed.
Sorry these pictures are so horrible...

                                                               Linc avoiding the crowd
                         

                                                                             

Olivia had some art she made in school displayed at the library....
here she is posing with it last night.
& as a bonus, cute ian playing in the tub:)

We fixed Christmas. It was sad to not have a pretty glowing Christmas tree. So Jonny and I took the kids to get a new tree. The boy scouts have a little tree lot set up in the next town over, so we headed over there to get a nice big tree in the 20 dollar range. The kids loved it and now we have a pretty glowing tree again. Louie cat also loves the new tree and spends a lot of time sleeping under it.

Last night was also Sinterklaas ...a Dutch/Belgian holiday we have celebrated with the kids for a long time. They put out a wooden shoe by the fireplace and in the morning it is filled with goodies and such.

I have also been trying to plan a bunch of things in preparation for our big car trip out west...do you have any games or activities or things you use on long car trips that I should know about??

We put our Christmas tree up on Sunday night. The kids (especially liv) love to help match up colors on the pole (aka trunk) and the branches. It's artificial. We got it all nice and pretty but Ian just couldn't leave it alone. He was climbing behind it and pulling the ornaments off. Yesterday we were taking an inventory of the candy canes and he pulled something and it fell right over on him. In the crash the plastic feet broke that hold it up...so I had to take it all down and put it away. Im feeling very on the ball...getting my Christmas tree put up and taken down before December even starts! Ian is fine by the way.