Christmas 2015

The week before Christmas was a quiet one.  Great Grandma came to town from Southern Cali, so we hung around the house, although we did get in a couple ski days.   Emily was in charge of cookies for Santa, and she made gingerbread Christmas trees.

Christmas morning was a 6 AM wake up call.  First the stockings, then the Santa presents.  Left for her was a gymnastics mat, a k'nex roller coaster kit, magworld magnets, robotic animals, and a (toy) talking bird.

 Then came the rest of the loot.  A new sled was the big gift.  Goldiblox engineering kits, games, puzzles, and a paint making kit came from family and friends.

Emily was thrilled, and spent the rest of the day playing and building.  Dad had the most fun taking on the roller coaster kit!

Santa Visit at the Sun Valley Village

Saturday afternoon meant a visit to the Sun Valley village.  However, when it was her turn she refused to talk to him! She did allow a picture, and I mentioned the things she had put in her letter.

Then it was time to go inside and decorate a cookie, before taking several rounds on the train.  We finished up with a scavenger hunt where her prize was a sparkly snowflake ornament.  The snow was falling, and it was a great day.  And speaking of snow, it fell all weekend and gave us almost two more feet of it.  We spent all day Sunday playing in it (and snow blowing a record 4 times).  This is the biggest snow Emily can remember, so she had a great time building two forts in the yard!

Gerda loved it as well, and we had a two hour delay to school as the town digs itself out.

Ice Hockey? Maybe.

On Saturday morning, Emily went to an introduction to girls hockey camp.  For two hours, she skated around with a stick and a puck.  At first, the transition from figure to hockey skates was a little rough, and she had quite a few falls.  But she figured it out, and was smiles the whole time!  As we left, she exclaimed that it would be something she would love to do.  I suggested she watch a game first, before we make that decision!

The Traditions

 This year's ornament is Emily's artwork.  She painted a picture this summer of Nadia and her on a canvas that hangs in her room, and I had it made into this metal ornament.  The artist was even able to capture her signature for the back.

And the 2015 handprint is on the tree skirt.

Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

I want a bird that talks and a gymnastix mat and a roller coaster building set and a remote control animals and a magnets santa