Waibel Family: A festive weekend...

Jake had 4 days off work, and Eli had 5 days off school. So we took advantage of this family time and made it a Christmas weekend to kick off the season. We purchased out tree in town from the high school baseball team. We typically do this because it helps those kids raise money for their sports and activities, but also becuase they are super cheap and we get really great trees. This year we got a 7 foot tall perfect shaped and freshly cut tree for $15! We went home and decorated it. Usually our tree is covered with ornaments, but we decided that since were taking down our tree before Christmas morning (since were leaving for Mexico and Im a paranoid freak about it combusting and burning my house while were gone!) that we would only put up some of the ornaments this year. So we pulled out all of the boys' ornaments and had them put those up. It acutally looks really great, not so crouded. The next day we took a trip to the Haggs tree farm. Why when you already got a tree from baseball players, you ask. Well, to get the tree farm experience still duh! We've been going to this tree farm since I was pregnant with Eli. Its locally to where we are, and they have alot of fun festive things to do....and Santa is there. Bringing along our own camera to take a free picture of us and Santa with no lines to wait in is so much more enjoyable than standing in line at the mall to pay $100 for a picture with him. They have a fun little petting zoo, craft shopping section, a tractor ride, free coffee and cocoa...and Santa. It makes for a fun few hours. The boys were very excited about Santa, and sat with him just fine. They told him they both want Pixos...and later Eli tells me in a very concerned manner "mommy, when I told Santa I wanted Pixos he looked at me funny. I dont think he knows what Pixos are and he wont bring them to me probably." So I had to explain to Eli that there are so many toys in the world that sometimes Santa doesnt know what all of them are, but thats why he has elves..because they know all the toys since they make them. So he should be a good boy and maybe the elves will make some pixos for santa to deliver to our house.

Then the next day we decided to write letters to Santa and make ginger bread houses. Our town has this fun little program they do every year for the kids. If you write a letter to santa and put it in his mail box...located all over town...with a return envelope...then a few days before Christmas you get a letter back from Santa. Its one of the best Santa letter programs Ive ever come across. Its free...and they hand write them and personalize them to your kids responding to actual things they wrote to him instead of the generic letter most places print off and just put your kids name on top. And to top it off, the kids get a free treat from local companies in town...last year was a free cone from Dairy Queen if I remember right. The letters are just so personal and the thought put into them is amazing. It makes me cry to read them every year they are so good! And of course, the boys love receiving them. This year was especially cool for me, watchign Eli write his own letter to Santa. I cant believe how much he's grown up and learned already. Every year I write the words as they tell me what to write, but this year Eli being a kindergartner and all...wrote his own letter. Im sure Santa will be proud too!