Holiday cheer

I have been trying to get everyone in my house to board the holiday spirit train; however, I have not been very successful to date.  Whenever I put on holiday music I am begged to "turn it off- we want LMFAO!".  And our Christmas tree...well, Oliver is very much in to turning the lights on and off and he's quite interested in jumping from the couch on to the tree; our poor tree may have no pine needles by the time Christmas arrives.

This past weekend I decided it was time to break out...the gingerbread house.  A gingerbread house is sure to get young and old into the holiday spirit - right?  Instead of the holiday spirit emerging, candy monsters emerged.  The little folk were so shocked to see our table covered with candy that they decided to shovel as much as possible in the shortest amount of time possible into their mouths -- probably thinking (rightly so) that a table full of candy only happens once in a long long while.  Bellies full, sugar racing through their bodies, gingerbread houses not really decorated - we went for a family run and get all your wiggles out trek.



Attempt #2.  Yesterday the craziest thing happened.  Both kids napped.  At the same time.  For 2 hours.  Never ever ever has this happened.  Unfortunately their timing was horrible - they woke up at 5:30.  Just as I was beginning to wonder what we'd do given they would clearly not be going to sleep at their normal time - I saw that there were seats available on the twinkle trolley ride - joy!  I called Davis so excited at our great fortune (Davis was skeptical).  After a quick dinner I put long underwear on the kids, bundled them up, grabbed extra hats and mittens and we headed off to enjoy an evening of holiday cheer and to get ourselves in the holiday spirit.  Moments after arriving at the event it was clear I had not fully read the description - while my kids looked like the State Puff Marshmallow Man, the other children were wearing their jammies.  Oops.

We pealed off a few layers and handed Henni to Santa.


Oliver was unsure of sitting on Santa's lap, but at the last minute decided he would like to approach the big man in the red suit.  So we did.  Oliver asked for a bag of snakes.

Then we headed off to the trolley- the enclosed, heated trolley.  We drove around for a half hour singing and looking at lights, or at least attempting too - seriously, in our little area (four of us in a bench big enough for maybe 2 people) it was so steamy we couldn't see out the window.  Davis swears he lost 30 pounds on the trolley ride and Henni's long underwear was damp (from sweat) by the time exited the trolley.  BUT Oliver said he had fun...so, I am declaring the Twinkle Trolley ride at least one feather in the holiday spirit hat.