Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Pancake Breakfast & Christmas Tree

This past Saturday morning, we went to the big shebang that some of the ladies at church put on every December: a pancake breakfast with Santa.  The whole building is bedecked in holiday cheer.  A group of ladies and teens serve a delicious breakfast of pancakes with syrup, chocolate chips and powdered sugar as toppings (talk about a sugar high!).  After breakfast, the kids go through craft and activity stations for more than an hour.  One of the stations is a chance to sit on Santa's lap for a photo op.  Ethan was no more fond of Santa than he was of the Easter bunny, so he did not make it into the picture.  

On a side note, I was a little unsure how to handle the believing-in-Santa thing when Caleb was younger, but I think we've found a comfortable place: both kids love pretending, so we've just filed Santa into the "pretend" category along with all their favorite Disney and television characters.  They can have the fun of talking about him, reading stories about him, and even writing letters to him without struggling over whether he is "real."

Anyway, back to our weekend... On Sunday after church, we stopped by Home Depot and picked out our Christmas tree.  It was really cold on Sunday, so we didn't spend much time outside deliberating over trees.  We bought the first one that we both liked and then headed home to set it up and decorate it.  We have gotten a real tree every year since we moved to B'ham, and, even though I grew up having an artificial tree, can't imagine every going back to that.  I LOVE the evergreen smell every time we walk in the house!

Caleb on Santa's lap.  Ethan would have absolutely none of it :)
Daddy helping the boys make "reindeer treats" at the pancake breakfast.
Caleb and Ethan on the little train that drives around the church parking lot for the pancake breakfast.
 Ethan loves measuring and pouring anything.
 Look at those eyelashes!
 Mommy helping the boys make hot chocolate gift bags.

 Both boys loved the whole process of setting up and decorating the tree this year.

 Caleb drinking hot chocolate with Daddy after raking leaves in the cold.

No comments: