The Adventures of Wink 2014

Our mischievous little scout elf, Wink, arrived on Monday December 1st.  She went on to spend the next 24 days watching over Savannah and Walker and then flying back to the North Pole each night to report back to Santa.  Every morning Savannah would rush downstairs so she could be the first to spot Wink and see any surprises that she had in store for them.

Wink's first morning and she made blueberry muffin

blending in with the pictures

a sweet and subtle message

Wink made Savannah's school lunch one morning

she found her way into the candy jar

enjoying an early morning beverage

she TP'd the Christmas tree

helping to decorate for Walker's party

she hid a dozen candy canes for Savannah to find

she partied a little too much one night so she needed to nap throughout the day

she made a zipline

remembering the reason for the season

she gifted S and W elf jammies

the last morning and she brought donuts

We so enjoyed having Wink spend the days leading up to Christmas with us.  Every morning was like a little surprise.  We're always so sad to see her go and we're already looking forward to her return next December 1st.

Christmas Festivities

Ahhhhhhhh Christmastime!!!  So much to do in such a short amount  of time! After fully decorating the inside and outside of the house it was time to get the kids yearly ornament on the tree.  Their choices this year were pretty obvious....Walker got a Thomas the Train and Savannah got an Elsa.
This year I realized that Savannah and Walker have been missing out on an important Christmas tradition......picking out a real Christmas tree.  Ever since we moved to North Carolina we've always had fake trees just because they're easier and over time they're less expensive than always buying a real tree.  By doing this I have robbed the kiddos of the thrill of going to the tree lot, smelling the trees, picking one out, strapping it to the roof of the car, and fully decorating it at home.  Well I decided not this year.  The first weekend of December we went down the street and let Savannah pick out her very own tree.  We brought it home, put it on the screened porch, and let her decorate it with all hers and Walker's homemade and schoolmade ornaments.  It quickly became my favorite tree of all.  Unfortunately, I never took a picture of it.  Oh well, this is one festivity that will become a yearly tradition.  

putting his Thomas ornament on the tree

S with her new Elsa ornament

finding the perfect spot for her new ornament

picking out their first real tree

S helping to wrap the net around the tree

decorating the real tree

I think throughout the course of the month Savannah decorated three gingerbread houses; one at home, one at school, and one at the gingerbread making workshop at the Carolina Inn.

working on gingerbread house #1

at the Carolina Inn

On Saturday the 13th, Savannah, Walker and I saw Disney's Frozen on Ice at the PNC Arena.  Savannah loved the show.  Walker on the other hand, loved the food.  He threw a fit during the first half on the show so at intermission we bought a tub of popcorn.  The second half was much more tolerable.

at Frozen on Ice

pure happiness

wearing their jammies from Wink

my holiday baking helper

We also rode a couple of different holiday trains.  University Mall had a special holiday fair on the first Friday of school's holiday break where all activities were free to the public.  This meant that it was beyond crowded and everything had a huge line.  We waited about 30 minutes to ride the train and we jumped in line with some friends for the carriage ride.  Savannah also did a few arts and crafts.  We also attended Pullen Park's Holiday Express Train Ride.  Here we rode the train and the carousel and Savannah slid down the frozen ice hill.

another day another train ride

all aboard

he rode this way the whole time

carriage ride

Holiday Express train ride at Pullen Park 

We attended the annual dinner with Santa at the Country Club.  Walker wanted nothing to do with Santa up close but he loved to watch him and say "ho ho ho!".  Savannah was more than happy to sit on his lap and tell him what she wanted for Christmas.  

dinner with Santa at the Country Club

On the last day of school before the break Savannah sang in her school's Christmas Show.  This year the Pony Pals sang We Three Kings.  She practiced for weeks so she was more than ready for the big show.  After the show, Walker and I were allowed to go to her classroom to watch the students decorate their gingerbread houses.  Walker loved watching Goldie the fish, the class pet.  

S at her Christmas Concert at school

The weekend of my birthday we did our yearly trek to the pottery studio.  Not knowing that the studio was closing early, we only had 30 minutes to pick out a piece and paint it.  We went with a big bowl this year and painted evergreen trees and a little blue train engine.  It wasn't our best piece but what do you expect with a toddler in less than 30 minutes of time.  My 34th birthday was on Sunday and I started my day off with a 6 mile run with a couple of friends.  During Walker's nap I met up for coffee with another two friends and then dinner that night was at.....no not Jason's Deli, but at Lonestar Steakhouse.  Oscar got a huge slice of cake from my favorite spot, Nantucket Cafe, and I had lots of help making a wish and blowing out the candle.  

our yearly pottery making

celebrating my birthday

I had lots of help blowing out the candles

Of course we did other fun festive things, too, but I didn't take pictures..... like baking Christmas cookies, watching lots and lots of Holiday movies and shows, reading sooo many Christmas books, and constantly singing carols.  The children are at such a fun age where the Christmas magic is alive within them.  Seeing the wonder in their eyes and the joyfulness radiate out of them is really what makes this season so special.

Christmastime in NYC

Christmastime in New York City......when the "greatest city in the world" really becomes the greatest city.  There really is no other place like it.  I've often found it strange that a city whose population is by far mostly Jewish goes all out for Christmas.  I really think that there's just something about this time of year that brings people of all religions and races together.  It's almost magical.  

This year we went back to NY the first week of December.  We did all our typical city things and now Savannah is old enough that she remembers our past trips so she even has an opinion about what she wants to see and do.  I decided to brave FAO Schwartz on a Thursday night and discovered that even during this time of year it was quite manageable to get through.  Walker was mesmerized with the train display.  He sat there and watched the trains go round and round for at least 15 minutes.  Savannah loved walking through the princess and Barbie sections.  As if their Christmas lists weren't already long enough, they sure are now.  

just a boy and his snowman watching the trucks go by

train heaven

Friday morning started off with the kiddos and I going for a run in Central Park.  Poor little man was absolutely miserable.  He kept saying he was cold but he wouldn't keep his hat and gloves on so needless to say, it was a pretty miserable run.  We stopped by two parks during the five mile loop just to make it a little more enjoyable for them.  Afterwards we got dressed and braved the Fifth Ave madness and walked to our lunch at the American Girl Cafe.  Even in the mayhem the Christmas spirit was around.  We stopped to listen to a youth choir singing outside of St. Patricks Cathedral and we pushed our way through to see the ice skaters below the Rockefeller tree.

Rockefeller tree

The American Girl store was surprisingly less crowded than I expected.  We looked around, added more to our Christmas list, and made our way to the cafe.  The whole cafe experience was the same as every other time except I decided to do the birthday package for Savannah since we've never been able to go on her special day.  Of course she loved the extra attention and another chance to blow out birthday candles.  Walker was less thrilled but at least there was cake.

continuing the five year old celebrations

Walker's favorite part

Friday evening Savannah finally had her chance to go ice skating.  She has been dyeing to go for over a year now and to say that she was excited is an understatement.  She was over-the-moon ecstatic!!!  We went to Wollman Rink in Central Park in hopes that it would be the least crowded.  With it being her first time and with me being an awful skater we needed a place with lots of room to fall down.  This place was perfect for that.  She had a ball!!!  She fell down more time that I could count but after each time she picked herself up and wanted to keep going.  I preferred to stay on the outside close to a wall but not her.  She wanted to be right in the middle with all the more advanced skaters who were doing spins and skating backwards.  Our little girl is fearless!! And also a little too confident in her abilities or lack thereof.  Thankfully for me it started to rain or else she would have wanted to stay out there all night.

Saturday morning began with a six mile run in Central Park for me (thankfully with no jogging stroller) and then we all headed out to the Macy's at Herald Square to see Santa.  Really this is one of my favorite Christmas traditions.  I have yet to find a better Santa experience than the one here.

our hotel view of the foggy, rainy New York skyline

about the take the Polar Express to the North Pole

she had no problem jumping up on Santa's lap and telling him her wishes

just in case he forgets, she mailed him a letter too

Love the Virginia storefront displays

walking through Times Square

a giant Sven at the Disney store

taking in the sigts

cab ride out to Brooklyn for lunch

our old hangout sans kiddos, Bar Tabac

Sunday was our day to have brunch with the old gang.  We went back to Felix's where our rowdy group takes over the restaurant.  It's always so nice to catch up with everyone even if it's only for a couple of hours.  After brunch it's back to the hotel to pack and head to the airport.

city living Christmas tree shopping

the gang

these two......

best buds despite the miles between

Such a great weekend enjoying the sights and sounds of the city, getting into the holiday spirit, and seeing old friends.  What a great way to kick off this holiday season!!