'Tis the Season

We are getting into the holiday spirit around here.



We are well on our way around our gingerbread house advent calendar, and Sabine remembers to ask what day it is about 45 seconds after waking up each morning. Her memory is certainly stronger this year!



She made her first Christmas cookies with Grandmom two weekends ago,

and we went to our local parade of lights with some of our good friends this weekend.



Sabine thought the flash was too bright, so just preemptively screwed her eyes closed as soon as I reached for my camera. sigh. When did she suddenly become such a big kid?



We stayed out waaaay past bedtime, but it was worth it. The girls had a great time.

We also tried ice skating at our local rink for the first time, with our same friends. Sabine did stand on her skates by herself, and even took a few steps on her own, but mostly I held her up, or, when she had it her way, she sat in the sled while I pulled. Thank you, daddy, for risking frostbite on a bitterly cold morning to document the occasion!







 We also got our Christmas tree over the weekend. We continued our tradition of going to a friend's property in Conifer and cutting down our own tree. It was really fun, as usual.

Sabine, I think, was most impressed by the "bear tree," an aspen with visible claw marks going up it.



But we did eventually drag her away from the bear tree and found our own Christmas tree.

At first there was observation.



Then there was direction.



Then there was, "move over, I will do it myself."



And thus we let our three-year-old wield her great-grandfather's saw.



She was reluctant to give it up once she had it in her grips.



Eventually, though, she did trade it in for some well-earned hot chocolate.



It was quite a gathering, and a lot of fun to see several generations come together to enjoy the experience. (And the mulled wine.)



We got our tree home with no trouble, and Sabine got to help decorate it this year.



Sabine's favorite ornament appeared just before bedtime.



Daddy put the angel on the tree as the very last step, and we've been enjoying her ever since. We hope you are having a beautiful and bright December, too!