Decking our halls

On the day of the Christmas in Salem historic holiday home tour, Avonlea Jane is excited to spend the day with Violet and Niccole.

She had so much fun, she didn't even notice Mommy was out of the house for five hours.

A few of the houses on the tour in our neighborhood.

Liv with her neighbor Karen (center) and her family on the tour

The day after the tour, we went to a craft fair on Pickering Wharf, where Avonlea Jane got to pick out some new hair bows and jewelry for herself. The weather outside was bitter cold, but she was excited to go shopping and to see Santa Claus. The craft fair had a room where kids could make crafts and meet Santa. (Daddy is getting a handmade ornament for Christmas.)

As a family, we're not that into Santa Claus, but she's seen him in decorations and we've told her he's Father Christmas, so she knew to some degree who he was. She was content to look at him and had no desire to sit in his lap. To get a photo, she and Mommy knelt in front of Santa.



After being in Portland for nearly two weeks, David came home to get out Christmas decorations this weekend. Avonlea Jane had a fun time unpacking all of the Christmas books.

She has a stocking full of ornaments and is ready to hang them.

Putting only non-breakable ornaments on the tree

She didn't have a baby carrier for this snowman, so she got creative in how to wear him.

Pointing out where her stocking will hang

Every night we choose a couple Christmas stories to read. Olivia Helps with Christmas was Avonlea Jane's first choice.

Mabel has found her spot. (It took only five hours of the tree being up before she knocked it down for the first time, thus only unbreakable ornaments on the tree.) Because we know our pets and our child, wrapped gifts will not make an appearance under the tree until Christmas Eve.

We have two little Christmas geese that are like Where's Waldo?; we find them in new positions all over the house every few hours.

Ready to hit the slopes