a Christmas Eve trip to the mall!

This year I did something I have NEVER done before. We went to the mall on Christmas Eve. Sounds like madness huh, but it really wasn't. Ever since I was a little girl we always went to my Grandma and Grandpa's house for a Christmas Eve party (Rhone calls it Ro Rose house). We play the wildest, funnest, meanest, and sometimes even scandalous game of white elephant. I was feeling sad that we are missing out on the fun and I wanted Rhone to get to do something special on Christmas Eve. So we headed to Build a Bear World in the mall bright and early. We were the only people in the store! Rhone got to pick out and help make a new stuffed animal. It really was a great way to start our Christmas Eve.

Rhone picked out a dog

Then he picked out a cute little heart and gave it to the lady to put inside his new dog. She filled him up with stuffing. Rhone wasn't sure about the noise.

Then Rhone picked out a football to go with his new dog.

Ben and Rhone typed up a birth certificate and named the dog Peyton (he does have a football). Rhone calls him Peyt.
Peyton is already getting welcomed into the family.
Peyton got put in his house so Rhone could take him home.

We stopped at the ride on the way out of the mall and even put money in it to make it go.

Per Rhone's request mom and dad also got on the ride. All 3 of us fit perfect. It was Christmas Eve and those are the silly things we do to make days special for our little ones.

Christmas Prep

Our last few days before Christmas sure did feel busy. Ben worked really long hours and I got really sick. Rhone and I still managed to find time for last minute Christmas activities and candy making.

We assembled a ginger bread house. Ben was even home for this one.



We finally got enough snow to play in. I pulled Rhone up and down the sidewalk on our yard sale toboggan.

We had our friends over to make ice cream cone Christmas trees. It was the perfect length and difficulty for little boys. It's definitely a keeper.

This picture is random, but Rhone took it all by himself so I thought I'd throw it in. I'm opening the huge box of gifts my mom sent.

Rhone working on his Santa letter. The lucky little guy got everything he asked for and more!

Mailing the letter to Santa in the Macy's make a wish box.


Hanging Rhone's painted ornament on the tree. We dropped acrylic paint into clear bulbs and shook it up. There was hardly any mess and lots of fun.

Rhone colored a nativity set made out of toilet paper rolls

let the celebrating begin

We celebrated my birthday last week. Ben was sweet and took leave, ensuring that he would be on this continent and even in our house. My boys did a great job of making sure I had a special day. I had fresh baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast, we did a little shopping at the outlets, then I met up with some of the girls from the squadron for a manicure and pedicure. I came home to buffalo wild wings, a Colts game, and a German chocolate cake from the Frankfurt bakery. Thanks to everyone for all the gifts and sweet birthday wishes.

mmmm... warm cinnamon rolls
My favorite birthday gift was hearing Rhone say, "hap birday mum" again and again.

Here's a quick run down of how else we've been celebrating:

Rhone and his friend Travis, fencing on the wii Rhone's been thrilled with all the machinery that's been in our neighborhood this week. He loves looking out the window at the "dump" Rhone is sleeping in his big boy bed. So far, it's been a success! Rhone went to a birthday party and to a Christmas party at Chuck E Cheese. It was his first time there and he loved it. He rode the "backhoe" 3 times in a row. He's going down the slides at the birthday party here. They were pretty fun. We got all dressed up to shop- I mean play in the few snow flurries. You gotta celebrate the first snow of the season. We went to the joint squadron children's Christmas party. Rhone's tactic for this Santa encounter was to avoid all eye contact. He didn't looked at Santa once, but he didn't get upset.

All bundled up at the squadron party.

December is here

December came fast this year. We are trying our best to get into the festive spirit. Today there are even a few tiny snow flakes. Ben has come and gone a few times- it's getting hard to keep track already this month. I have been busy putting on young women in excellence and we've all been getting ready for Christmas.

Rhone opening his day 1 of his German advent calendar. Secretly Ben and I hope he will forget a day so we can sneak the yummy chocolate.

A few decorations for young women in excellence. This picture really doesn't do it justice, but it's the only one I have. Our theme was, "What heaven sees in you". So we kept everything white with a little silver and gold.

Our church had a Christmas party complete with a visit from Santa. Rhone wasn't very impressed, but the candy cane sure seemed to warm him up.

Looking for the perfect tree. We only had a few minutes before Ben had to head out on a mission.

We went back a few days later to cut it and bring it home.


Rhone putting his special "baby's 1st Christmas" ornament on the tree. It's the only one he put on. He wasn't that impressed with tree trimming.

Family picture by the finished tree

Winterthur

Rhone and I were blessed to meet up with Cole over the long weekend. It's always nice to see Cole, but it was especially nice to spend a little bit of the holiday weekend with family. We met up in Delaware on part of the old DuPont mansion. The home is called Winterthur. It is quite the interesting home and the property it sits on is really beautiful. We saw the house decorated for Christmas, which was a nice festive touch. Rhone did amazingly well on the 1.5 hour no touch/no talking tour (but I totally forgot to take pictures of the house). The funnest part about the trip was that everyone assumed we were a family. Of course, it was much easier to play along than to explain to strangers the actual family dynamics. I am so sad that I didn't ask anyone to take a family picture. Rhone loved playing in the "Enchanted Forest" so we might have to take Ben back in the spring.

The reflecting pond

Rhone and Cole in the "please touch" room. We all needed this break after the tour :)

The back of the house

The tree house in the Enchanted Forest

Rhone was falling asleep on our way home, so we stopped at Trader Joe's for a few things. Rhone was in heaven with his own shopping cart. We did end up with a few items I hadn't intended on purchasing- like strawberry soy yogurt- yum! I know it's a terrible picture but he was so thrilled!

While Ben was gone I had a few friends over for a little ladies night. We worked on muffin tin advent calendars. It was fun to just be together even though most of us finished the night with only half done calendars. I think we all managed to get them ready for Dec. 1 and that's the important thing.

Amy is hard at work with the circut.

My calendar showing you the treats inside. I am still planning and drilling holes and hanging it with ribbon and spray painting the tin red. I wish I would have made all the numbers red because they stand out a lot more, but there's always next time right.