Traditions continued...

After our Friday experience, we then planned a trip Saturday afternoon to the Manito Conservatory. We visit the Christmas lights display almost every year.  I thought this year would be really fun because Boo was at an age to appreciate it. I forgot my camera, however, and Boo slept through the entire exhibit. We do our best and life happens. I still always like to see the flowering jade plant that must be a century old.

On Sunday the plan was to make and decorate cookies that we would deliver to grandparents for Saint Lucia day the next morning.  My mom beat me to it and brought over 5 dozen cookies to decorate.  The kids had fun eating their creations and racking up a sugar dosage in two hours that they normally don't see in a month. Okay, not just the kids- that canned frosting is addictive.  When I read the can's ingredients  I couldn't help but toss the leftovers away right then and there. I stayed up and made gingerbread scones to deliver in the morning because I didn't see the grandmas wanting there own cookies given back. I couldn't find powdered saffron at the last minute to make St. Lucia buns, so I just went with the traditional gingerbread theme.

So this morning, Monday, I got up early (for me it was early, but there seemed to be plenty of people out and about by the time we left the house) and woke the kids. They dressed in their white gowns and put on their respective head-wear while I bagged up the scones and we were off to see the grandmas. Baby Dragon kept asking me if it was really morning when it was so dark outside. He then asked if I would sew a matching gown for his doll. All this chatter happened before we left the driveway and I was just trying to escape before Boo woke up again and missed her morning snack. We made it to Great-grandma's place and she was already up. Then we went to Grandma's house and she was already up. Finally, we made it to Nana's and Papa's house and woke somebody up. Saint Lucia Day tradition is waking up family members with coffee and special pastries while singing. We haven't learned the "real" song yet, so we just sing our favorite good morning songs. The kids were greeted with hugs, dog kisses, and hot cocoa.  I think they like it.  A lot.

Some December Traditions

Friday night we headed out to Coeur d'Alene to see the lights around the hotel on the water. We like to have hot cocoa inside the lobby by their fire.  We found some coveted seats near the fire, but it became pointless as I chased Boo constantly and Grant stood in line for cocoa. Baby Dragon felt comfortable enough to sprawl out on the floor in everybody's way and Fairy Girl wanted to go on the boat ride that we never mentioned going on that night.  **Sigh** So back to the tradition that started to feel so very forced. Some seats by the windows opened up and we moved there. The seats were in a partially walled area and we relaxed a little then knowing that we only had to block one exit for Boo. Did I mention Boo had conjunctivitis and looked like she'd been wailing and left alone somewhere because of the redness and swelling? That added to the glamour we were trying to capture anyway... So here's a few photos because after all it was better to leave the house than to have stayed and done nothing. There was a little bit of fun snuck in there somewhere.