More December Fun

Austin started a new basketball league and Brian agreed to be the coach.  It was cool watching Brian coach the kids.  Austin and Brian really enjoy basketball.  Austin has a few more weeks of the other basketball.  So on Saturday s, he has two basketballs for 3 weeks. 

In early December we are always so busy.  We took the kids to a local police station to have their picture taken with Santa.  We went last year for the first time.  The set up was so cool so we wanted to go back this year.  Then we went to gingerbread tea.  The kids had juice and cake before the show.  We watch a cute short play.  The kids went on stage and sang a Christmas song.  It was fun.  Austin remembered it from last year.  He wanted to make sure we went back.  That evening we had a extended family Christmas party.  It’s always so much fun.  There is Santa and lots of good food.  We all had a great time.  The kids saw Santa three times in one day! 

One of our favorite activities is Breakfast at Lake Farm Park.  Before breakfast, Austin and Sydney played in the playroom.  We ate a good breakfast.  That is the kid’s favorite meal of the day.   Santa comes around and gives the kids a little gift.  We take pictures.  Then go visit him in the theater.  Austin told him he would like a camera.  Sydney would like an Anna and Elsa princess sleeping bad and a flat sled.  After our visit with Santa, we go to the workshop were the kids build a wooden toy.  Austin built a Mine craft guy. Sydney made Olaf.  They painted and put lots of glitter on them.  We played for a little longer before coming home. 

Santa came to our house on a fire truck on evening.  That is very exciting for Austin and Sydney.  Last year it was warm out.  This year it was cold. Brian and kids played outside for a bit but I stayed inside.  However the fire truck came by the top of our street 3 times.  Each time we would run out there to see if he was coming down our street.  Each time he did not.  Finally he arrived.  It was fun for them.  We came inside and they opened their gift.  They were star wars and princess boxes they could put stuff in. 

Also in December we had our first experience with a snow day.  First they delayed school start for 2 hours.  That is so hard for working parents.  It was decided I was going to work.  The roads were horrible. I knew they were going to call of school.  Luckily our daycare never closes.  Brian took the kids there.  It happened to be Sydney’s Christmas party at day care that day.   It was weird thinking Austin wasn’t going to be there for it.  But has it turned out he was.  Sydney made a bell ornament.  Austin was a little bored there.  It’s crazy to notice that he has outgrown it there.  He likes is regular school better. 

Another one of our favorite activities was the Polar Express.  It’s  fun having the kids wear their pajamas for it.  We read How the Grinch Stole Christmas while waiting for it.  It’s better to have them to an activity instead of getting bored and then they fight.  Sydney was very involved in everything.  She wanted turn signing songs in the microphone.  She would go up the aisle and do whatever they asked.  Austin knew it was not the North Pole.  It made me sad to hear that but he still had fun.  They enjoyed their hot chocolate and cookie and listening to the story. 
They enjoyed signing the songs.  Santa came on board at the North Pole. We got to visit with him for a minute while the kids told him what they wanted.  The things always stayed the same.  Towards the end of the ride, Austin was really tired and almost falling asleep.  It was definitely a fun night. 

We tried something new this year at the Akron Zoo Wild Lights.  The weather wasn’t the best for the day we had tickets.  It was like a freezing rain.  Part of us really didn’t want to go but since we had tickets we went.  Brian had an umbrella so his camera didn’t get wet.  I had the kids in snow pants just because it was so wet.  We enjoyed looking at all the lights.  The kids had fun playing on the playground.  And because they had snow pants on they could.  After we went around the zoo, we saw Santa.  The kids wrote him a letter and mailed it to him there.  Then for a special treat we even let the kids get s’mores for $8.  Brian had me pack hot chocolate in the care so we had that too after we left.  We were glad we went but not sure we will do it again next year. 

We ended the week before Christmas with conferences at Sydney’s school.  We have also been stressed about the decision of when to send Sydney to Kindergarten.  With Austin it’s obvious.  With Sydney not so much.  If she was public she would wait a year but our private school allows her to go.  Many years ago, we thought we would just wait.  No need to rush her.  But she has always done so well in school. And does almost everything Austin does.  So we had conferences with her teacher, it was confirmed she believes Sydney is ready for kindergarten.  This wasn’t a surprise to us.  Just a little sad for she will be starting school soon!  Sydney was so excited that she will be starting kindergarten.  She thought she was going to start tomorrow. LOL. 

Austin had polar express day at school.  He got to wear his pajamas to school.  They even had yellow tickets and he made so art projects.  It was a fun day for him.  That night we went shopping with Meemaw and Papa for Christmas.  The kids had fun with that!  We even went out to dinner.  The kids even got a milkshake.  Special treat from Meemaw. Austin knew that would never happen with us.