Christmas in Pictures

I was busy this month with the holidays and preparing for our trip east for Christmas...and now it's already New Year's Eve.

Here's a recap of our month...

 Oscar and Ruby visit with Santa. (Ruby's one wish - a candy cane. She'd never had one)

 Christmas tree tied to the top of our old wagon. (In our version of the punch-buggy game Ford Taurus wagons are worth 10 points.) Abe is dressed for baseball tryouts later that day.

 Reading Christmas stories in bed. (And yes, it's so cold in our house that some of us wear ski hats to bed)

Oscar with his "First Christmas" ornament

 Abe wears the Santa hat all over town and even to bed. Perfect for tree decorating.

 Ruby's year to put the star on top

School ice skating trip -- both Oscar and Ruby spent as much time on the ice as possible. Oscar didn't want me to take this picture, he told me later, because his friends were watching, and "it isn't cool for 10 year olds to take pictures with their moms".

Watering the Christmas tree with a tea pot.*

Ruby writing her letter to Santa.* 

 Candy cane at the top of the list.*

 Walking on a frozen pond in Pennsylvania

 On the way to Philadelphia with cousins.

Cousins lined up, watching for the train.

 Christmas Eve at my parent's house.

 Ruby gives Abe a present

Oscar opening a present containing some more of the animals he collects. (He must have hundreds of these now...a clear example of "enough is never enough" in PWS, but they make him SO happy, and hey, it's not food!)

 

Abe excited about a gift

 

Oscar and cousin A. relaxing with A's dog Penny  

 

A blizzard with over two feet of snow in NJ! Abe was thrilled and played in the snow for hours and  hours

Ruby and cousin A jump aboard the sled

Oscar throws a snowball at Paul -- he thought he was so sneaky

Oscar walking Penny the day after the blizzard. He giggled and jogged along.

(Maybe a dog isn't such a bad idea?)

Ruby built a snowman with Grandpa

And Abe dug a tunnel (with cousin A and Grandpa)

We had a great trip, relaxing for a few days with each of our families. Thankfully the snow didn't affect our travel and we are home again now enjoying the last few free days before school and work and all those other responsibilities start up again.  

Wishing you all a Happy Happy New Year!!

* photos by M. Roark

Grandpa took most of the snow photos and many others too!