Christmas Merriment and Melee

I'm just now getting around to writing about this weekend because I'm pooped.  It was all fabulous, but wow are we tired! 

Poor Bray got his fill of culture this weekend.  Friday night was dinner and a show at the Alley with a couple friend of ours.  Sunday night was the annual Vincent family arts night out which included dinner at Brennan's followed by the Houston Symphony Pops (both were good but I've had far better experiences at both in the past...).  Then Saturday was breakfast with Santa at the kids' school.  We'd been preparing them that they could sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they'd like for Christmas all week.  The baby had been very clearly saying, "tractor - BIG tractor" (who does that sound like?!?!), and the little lady had been saying "baby" (as in the doll, not the infant), but the eldest was a bit muddled and settled on a tractor as well (he tends to be more interested in what others want, I'm waiting for that to pass). 

So the event was wonderful and none of them cried and they fell in love with the Frosty and Rudolph characters walking around - so much so that they began to stalk them and hug them fiercely. Not to mention all the nativity scenes out for them to play with - they are seriously in love with camels these days, go figure.

Resting before the Santa Photo Shoot by the Natvity

Loving those Camels

Who doesn't love Frosty?

This Christmas is really fun.  Now that we've had our Santa encounter, the baby walks around saying "Santha, Santha" which I have to capture on video because it is the most precious Santa you've ever heard called out.  They LOVE the tree that's up and keep taking the ornaments (all shatterproof) down and we keep hanging them higher - it's definitely not one of my Martha Stewart trees.  The presents, sadly, aren't around the tree because they enthusiastically want to rip into any of the paper - I'm assuming this will go on for a couple of years and then I'll be able to show off my presents again!  Bizarrely, they're starting to potty train themselves and I'm kind of hoping they'll hold off til the New Year because of the travel - the baby especially is doing it ALL in the potty, we're thrilled at the thought of no more diapers, but it's going to be a pretty hassle intensive time I know for the next few months.  They have hand bells and we sing Jingle Bells all around the house while they play their bells.  They even got to take presents to Baby Jesus at chapel at school last week which left an impression (a live baby in a nativity at chapel - so great that they're already learning the meaning of Christmas).  They're also reading all the time, on their own they spend time with books, especially our Christmas ones.  It's a very sweet time for us all and we're trying to savor every moment instead of getting caught up in the melee.  What a treasure. 

Reading Time

Trying Out our Christmas PJs