Lest It Seem Perfect

Before I post our best Christmas pictures and make you believe our life if picture perfect, I will show you  the reality that was my kitchen on Christmas Eve.  Have a good laugh.  :-)

Ben laying in the kitchen floor playing with play-doh....play-doh which was supposed to have stayed in the cookie sheet.  Yeah right, Mom.  

 My kitchen table is under here somewhere.  Play-doh containers, a princess wand, box of lasagna noodles, purple tin of stickers, basket of cloved oranges, kleenex, a princess crown.....

The kitchen island.  I managed to keep it clean for a few weeks after Thanksgiving, which was quite a feat!  Now....a half-eaten banana, a half-finished cup of coffee, a gift from under our tree that Ben decided to unwrap, saran wrap, a piece of the dollhouse that needs new batteries (it still needs batteries 5 days later), family photos, coupons....

 The only crowning jewel is my clean stove tackeled amidst this chaos

(it doesn't look perfect in this photo, but trust me it was as clean as it gets)!!!!!

We'll follow-up with our fairy-tale Christmas day soon!  :-)

Quote of the Day:

"I have to get on my underwear, then I'll marry you."  Ben to his sister, after he stepped off the potty, as she was acting like the Princess-in-waiting. 

If that's any indication of our day....here's what Ben chose to wear on his head earlier this morning:

 (In case you can't see - it's a pull-up)

We've been anticipating every day until Christmas by either having a special treat or doing a special activity.  Last week we made a gingerbread house - which is now half-eaten.  :-

Yesterday we made Christmas cookies - the kind you roll out, cut, bake then decorate.  They came out very cute...we love sprinkles!

 Early in the month we attended the lighting of the Marietta Square Christmas Tree and arriveal of Santa Claus.  The kids had a great time listening to local school choirs sing on stage and then watching Santa arrive on an old Marietta Fire Engine!  Here's a photo op before the sun went down.   

Tonight we're going to drive around and look at Christmas Lights.  So I'd better go and make the spaghetti so we can get out of here.  As for Mama, I'll be up 'til midnight trying to get some gifts wrapped.  Our barren tree looks pitiful!

Choo-Choooooo!

On Sunday my long-time friend and I got brave and took our kids to ride the Blue Ridge Railroad's "Santa" Train! Ben and our friend especially love trains and were excited! On the other hand, Little Miss "C" informed us on the way there that she didn't care much about trains because they were loud. :-) But she ended up having fun anyway!

This was a "conductor" - he didn't drive the train, but gave us a good photo op!

Sitting in our seats.

We were visited during the 1-hour long ride by Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman and Sanda & Mrs. Claus. We sang Christmas carols, heard a Christmas story and were given jingle bells, a coloring book and candy canes.

Back to our house - the other morning Little Miss "C" brought me several hand-written invitations to the Ball. She and I were princesses and Ben was the Prince. He had to pick who he wanted to marry at the end of the ball. He picked his sister. :-)
Can you tell we're reading Fairy Tales in our house EVERY day????