Merry Christmas - Part 1

For whatever reason, the 2011-2012 school year has really flown by. Actually, there are many possible reasons: a new schedule at the high school, a new program I run, a new school for Luke... The to do list runneth over in our world more often than not, but Christmas was still as busy and wonderful as usual!

I have to start with this darling picture of Luke on his last day of "work" of 2011. He was ready to PARTY!

We made out two weeks off count. We had a GREAT time!

A big highlight was our trip to the Bass Pro Shop to see Santa. The picture at the end of the looooong wait wasn't all that great, but we had a great time while we waited! We went with our cousin, and, thanks to my friend Emily, the boys had precious matching shirts:

They looked very handsome as they patrolled the store*.

We looked at fish and ducks.

We rode a tractor.

We "drove" a boat.

We rode a carousel.

And eventually, we were very grumpy and took an unremarkable picture with Santa**.

*An aside - that place is GINORMOUS. I had no idea. Madness!
**Dear Bass Pro Santa: You kind of disappointed me. He was a grouch himself. Perhaps he needed a little Wild Turkey on a cookie break or something...

I say this every year, but this year I really mean it: in 2012, we will take personal days in late November or early December to take Santa pictures, go to ICE at the Gaylord, etc. Far too often I have saved these things for December 22-23-ish, and it is bedlam!

We'll see how true to that I stay. :)

Coming soon - a second post about Christmas Eve and Day!