Visiting Santa

Legacy Village has a very nice set-up to visit Santa, so we returned for the third year in a row. Ainsley was a little wary of the man in red this year, so Mommy got to be in the picture, too! We told Santa what Ainsley wanted for Christmas (a tiger), and we got a candy cane and a little surprise (a rubber ducky with reindeer antlers).

After meeting Santa, we enjoyed some of the Christmas decorations at Legacy Village.

What a huge Christmas tree!

Up close

Smooth and shiny

Santa Land

This season, we took two trips to Kraynak's to see Santa Land. The first trip was in early November, during a Christmas shopping trip, and the second trip was in mid-December, so Daddy could come with us. 

It was interesting to observe how Ainsley's reaction to Santa Land has changed as she has grown and matured over the past year. Last year, her reaction to the characters could be described as surprise & delight, squealing and jumping as she recognized each scene. 

This year, Ainsley displayed more of a sophisticated curiosity, identifying what each character was doing (Grover was riding a motorcycle) and asking where all the music was coming from (hidden speakers somewhere)!

But no matter how you look at it, Santa Land brings Christmas magic for everyone!

Oscar the Grouch

Mommy!  Look!

Ainsley said, "It's beautiful!"

This is so much fun!

Playing with the reindeer

Some of the beautiful displays:

Mickey & Minnie Mouse - a sure favorite!

I love the penguin falling through the ice.

...a one-horse open sleigh! Hey!

The Nativity

We enjoyed some cookies and Christmas decorations at Great Grandma & Grandpa Paul's house after our day at Kraynak's.

Grandpa Paul played a Christmas concert for us

Great Grandma has Santa & Mrs. Santa - how fun!

Tree Time

When we went to our favorite lot to pick out a Christmas tree, they were already sold out of six-foot trees! It was only December 8, and they only had five-foot trees & seven-foot trees left. So Nathan decided, "Go big or go home!" and we picked a seven-foot tree. The kid struggled to get the tree to the front of the lot, where it took two guys to pull it through the little machine that wraps a net around the tree. What did we get ourselves into?

The kid and Nathan finally get the tree tied to the roof of my car. It was all good until we got the monster home, and the tree didn't fit in our tree stand. So Nathan headed back out to the store to buy a bigger stand. Back at home, the tree is so big and heavy that Nathan can't get it through the front door. I have to grab the trunk and bottom branches to give an extra heave. With sap all over my hands and a bump on my head from where I ran into the door hinge, we burst into the house with our big honkin' tree.

When we finally got the tree upright in the new stand, Ainsley was very interested in helping with all aspects of tree decorating. Christmas music played on the radio while we enjoyed some festive holiday decorating fun.

Hanging lights, while Ainsley
sweeps the needles

Helping with the beads

And the angel on top!

Carefully selecting a spot

What a good helper!

Our beautiful tree!

Christmas Pictures

Last weekend was our annual Christmas photo shoot, and Ainsley was a rock star! She was so excited to sit in the little princess chairs and watch everything going on around us. She smiled for the photographer, and pointed or looked wherever he asked. I love her expressions - perfect images capturing our smiley happy girl for the holidays!



Our family

I see Santa!

Our sweet princess, in a fancy princess chair!

Santa? Is that you?

For me?

Just the girls

Daddy's little girl

Hi, Daddy!

Merry Christmas!

Kicking off the Season

We kicked off the holiday season with the Larchmere Stroll in Shaker Heights and the Winterfest in downtown Cleveland. It was a cold day, but a lot of fun, and it really got us in the Christmas spirit! 

In Shaker Heights, we explored several of the independent shops, including a bookstore and yarn shop. The bookstore offered cookies, warm cider, and live music while we browsed, which made the space that much more inviting and cozy. We had no idea how many unique things were available in these local shops - a great discovery for us, and we'll certainly return!  We also took a horse-drawn carriage ride down Larchmere Blvd, which made us all feel so festive. Ainsley felt like a princess!

In the evening, we braved the cold at Public Square for the tree lighting. We waited outside for about 15 minutes for light-up time. Ainsley kept asking to go inside, and we promised, "Just a few more minutes." When the tree was finally lit, Ainsley's eyes lit up as brightly as the tree. And then she said, "NOW let's go inside." So we did. :)  Poor little Peanut was cold!

Playing in the holiday train in Tower City

In the engine, "driving" the train!

Before the tree lighting...

...and after!

Pretty lights and trees in Tower City