Help Wanted: Elves Please Apply.

We all want to shrink ourselves down to size and move into this house for the holidays.  Move over Ma in your kerchief you've got company...we love how you've decorated the place and we see you've got your baking done and the fireplace is just begging for someone to sit by it to roast some chestnuts and sip some eggnog.  

We haven't quite reached the point of relaxing by candlelight, singing Yuletide carols in our real house yet.  Mrs. Clause still has quite a bit of work to get done before she can put her feet up. Although, making Christmas memories has to be the best kind of work of all.

While Mrs. Clause has been busy with preparations, Mr. Clause has been busy teaching his girl about poker faces...

...and he's been busy climbing ladders, sliding down chutes...

 ...and having discussions about how the people got bent in half.

With the shortest day of the year nearly upon us, playing outside at four o'clock means the sun is setting behind the tree line.  Callie likes being outside.  The temperature doesn't scare her.  It hasn't always been this way, though.  A couple of winters ago I could not get her outside.  She would not wear mitts or a hat.  She would sit and watch all the other kids go sliding down the hill but never attempt it. Now she is the instigator. She is always trying to persuade Lexi to go outside with her.

A few more layers on the snow fort.

 When we came in from outside, this is where we found little sister...

Mrs. Clause still has lots to do on her Christmas memory making list but there are a couple of things that have already been checked off.  One being our first party and the first opportunity for the girls to wear their new, red, Joyeux Noel shirts.

And a few batches of cookies have made it out of the oven.

But that is about it.  I'm thinking I may need to get myself a couple of elves to move in.  Happy memory making everyone.