Breakfast with Santa

This was our first time seeing some of the downtown decorations.  At the PPG building they had thousands of decorated gingerbread houses and Santas from around the world.

 Andrew loved the trains.

The children were totally taken with the dinosaur statues outside, especially the Heinz Ketchup Triceratops.

 The tree and skating rink

We had Breakfast with Santa at Nordstrom again this year.

Michael quickly lengthened his list while talking with Santa.

Andrew is the only one who has known what he wants for Christmas.  Since Halloween he has been asking when Santa would be bringing Buzz and Woody from Toy Story.  Andrew was tickled when Santa said he liked watching Toy Story too.

 It was nice getting to spend time with Santa before breakfast.  There weren't a lot of children so he took his time with all the families.

 There were elves making balloon animals and face painting.

 Michael decided against a holiday picture and wanted a Steelers football instead.

Elizabeth told Santa that she wanted Princess Legos.  When he asked her what else she said that's all.  And that she already has lots of toys and more presents under the tree.

Our first visit with Santa was at the Snowflake Festival.  We went with friends and saw Santa arrive on a huge horse drawn carriage.  The children were not really prepared with their requests at that point.  Andrew went first, then Elizabeth said she didn't want anything else.  When it came to Michael, he asked for a $40,000 piano.  I'm taking pictures when I don't hear Santa object.  I ran up and asked the man in red if a grand piano would be too heavy for his sled.  He reluctantly agreed.  Then Michael asked for 5,000 Legos.  

Christmas Portraits

 Christmas Portraits

 

 Trimming the tree

Elizabeth took the picture above.  She was a huge help decorating all three trees.  She was so proud that she took a lot of pictures of the finished trees.

 The children's tree upstairs with the ornaments they have made over the years.

James doesn't need the ladder to place the ornaments up high.

 

Andrew was excited to put his commemorative ornament on the big tree.  A few days later he broke his china Baby's First Christmas 2010 ornament.  But in the past few weeks that has been the only casualty.

 

Michael hung a few ornaments but enjoyed listening to the Christmas music and munching on snacks better.

The candy cottage began with the three guys helping but Elizabeth and I completed it.  They did come back to look for the extra candy.

Thanksgiving

Over Thanksgiving we spent a few days at Great Wolf Lodge.

The children had a blast at the indoor waterpark and enjoyed hanging with their cousins.

After spending a lovely afternoon with my grandmother and the Saldanha clan we took the children to Zips.  It is where James and I had our first date in 1999.