The Christmas Season Has Arrived...

It's starting to feel like Christmas...
Bedtime stories in front of the fire, hot chocolate after swim practice,
a little biscotti baking, a visit to the Holiday Junction at the Museum Center
and the return of our highly mischievous Elf on the Shelf.
Andrew has concluded that our Elf attended some summer camp to learn new tricks.
He's zip-lined, played a round of Scramble with Lego Harry Potter, decorated the tree, raided the baking supplies in the pantry and went to town with a pack of post its and a black Sharpie.
And it's only Dec. 5th! {Thank heaven for pinterest! Ha!!}

The first weekend in December is usually blustery and bone chilling but this year

we were treated to mild temps and sunny skies {on Saturday at least}.

Giving me a chance to finish up our outside decorations.

{my window boxes still need berry sprigs.  I may or may not get around to that}
Andrew hung the lights this year!  He did a great job!!

The rest of our Saturday was filled to the brim with family Christmassy activities...
Starting with "Cookies with Santa" at Charlie's preschool.  

They decorated cookies, made crafts, sang carols and spent a little time on Santa's lap. 

 I keep thinking this is going to be the last year Andrew truly believes,
but I'm really hoping for one more.  Christmas isn't quite the same once you lose the magic of Santa.  

I know, I know, it is about celebrating the birth of our savior,  and that should be magic enough, 

but there is something so special about that wide-eyed wonder and innocence on 

Christmas morning that makes some of life's best memories.

Charlie has been a bit reluctant around Santa, but his face when he saw him come through the double doors was one of awe.  So sweet to get it on film, even if I accidentally cut Santa out.  

Charlie and one of his little friends went right up to the man in red and gave him a high five.

After nap time, {which is taking place in a big boy bed!! yay!} 

we walked to the corner Boy Scout Tree Sale to pick out our tree.  

Clearly Daddy did not get the memo that it was a puffy vest occasion.

{Note the new boot socks too.  Love.  From Madewell!! Grab 'em while you can!!}

We found the tree in lightening speed and held on tight.

While Charlie discovered the tree lot to be the perfect tag/hide and seek set up.

He brought a drum stick in case we needed a stand in for the saw.

He was fascinated watching the Scouts trim the trunk with their saws.

Of course electric would have been better,  but any sort of manly tool captivates this boy.

I wonder if this means he'll be handy later in life??!!

This Mama can only hope because I've always got a project list! :)

Once darkness hit it was time for Luminaria.

It is always one of my favorite village events every year.

Each street is lit up with luminaries and we all walk to the old towne square for

carriage rides, caroling, Santa and the lighting of the big tree.

Sunday, the rain returned and I had a matinee movie date with Andrew  

to see "Arthur Christmas" -- a very, very sweet movie!! 

Then we came home and prepared a perfect, if I say so myself,

 Sunday night dinner to the sounds of Frank Sinatra Holiday {Michael Buble Holiday is good too}

on Pandora while my boys played with their daddy.

My Mum always made Sunday night dinners special.  

I remember her spending the whole day in the kitchen with

lots of good smells filling the house as my brother and I played.

I don't quite spend all day in the kitchen.  A couple hours maybe, but I do

try, most of the time, to make something a little extra nice on Sunday.

Last night it was this Herb and Potato Chip Crusted Beef Tenderloin with

a Cherry Chutney and Blue Cheese Crumbles from the current issue of Southern Living.

Uh-Huh!  Absolutely as divine as it sounds.

Big, HUGE, hit.

{as if anything coated in a potato chip crust could be anything else!}

That's it.

Now you are all up to date.

I'm off to remove all the dead real greenery downstairs and try again.

I have no idea what happened this year, but my greens dried up in a matter of days.

Off to pull some of the fake stuff (uck!) out again.

Merry, merry!!

xo, 

Tessa