It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

While driving through the Linden Hills neighborhood with the trees all lit, Meadow said, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Oh that's what the song means!"

Since it was the weekend after Thanksgiving we had to make that a reality.

We decorated our little place with the Christmas decorations that made the cut in our downsize.

You didn't think we'd get rid of our collection of nutcrackers? Did you?

My good friend and realtor Nate invited us to his companies Christmas party. Meadow was super excited.

Upon walking in they had her favorite cutouts for photo ops.

Meadow was also super pumped to pick her own cookies.

First we ate said cookies.

While waiting for our turn to see Santa Meadow wrote him a letter.

Both kids did great.

Though none of them smiled. Nate later asked me, "Is Santa smiling?" Indeed he was not.

We were number 87. I'm sure he was done with smiling by number 50.

Meadow even stayed to chat with Santa. She told him she wanted a Snow White dress and that her little brother wanted a camping chair.

Nate wanted his photographer Chuck in the group pic. So, I took the pic. That's just what I do.

Meadow continued coloring and eating her candy cane until we were kicked out.

On the way back we were driving past Bogart's Donuts. You know we stopped by. Brooke and I were good and shared one. Meadow got an epic sprinkle donut.

When we first moved into our neighborhood Bogarts was always sold out by 10. We were shocked to see they were still open at 1:30.

Back at home Meadow found my headphones and decided to recreate an iPod commercial.

I had to leave everyone to go into work for a few hours.

Looks like you had fun.

Right about the time Brooke got to work it started snowing pretty hard. The three of us gazed out our big windows and watched the mini-blizzard.

We missed mama, but we stayed cozy indoors.

For dinner I made our go to homemade mac and cheese except I split the difference between cheddar and mozzarella cheese.

Theo truly has loved everything we have given him.

This is the one meal Meadow loves, so I sure hope so.

It finished snowing outside so we went out to play. Theo wasn't so sure at first, but then he was fine in the sled.

After shoveling our walkway and getting the saucer we headed to our neighbors to get Meadow.

After Meadow played with the neighbors we walked over to Lyndale Farmstead to go sledding.

Brooke had never sledded at the "The Bowl," as locals call it.

I finally got to sled it. It's been years.

It was pretty cold and Theo looked like he was ready for bed. Shortly thereafter we took the sleds back home.

Meadow tried pulling Theo, but I ended up dragging the two little fools home in the sled.

Back at home we put Theo to bed and sipped apple cider and egg nog. Not together of course.

The next morning Meadow said, today was a really good day.