It’s Begining to Look a lot Like Christmas

We had a week full of fun Christmas activities including a train ride on the “Polar Express“, Gingerbread Houses, and getting our Christmas tree. It was a busy but very fun week.

First up the Heber Valley Railroad provides a nice little Polar Express ride during the holidays. We enjoyed Hot Chocolate and cookies, a reading of the Polar Express story, a beautiful moon light view, Christmas Carols, and Santa of course. Our neighbors joined us for the adventure. I’m really glad we did this Ellie and Zak were in awe. It was a good first interaction with Santa for Ellie. He was kind enough not to scare her too much and offered her a jingle bell. When he had to leave she kept saying “bye bye Santa”.

Next up we teamed up with our friends Jen and Zak to make Gingerbread Houses for the Midway Cottages for the Children Fundraiser. They came over Wednesday evening and we built our little gingerbread neighborhood. Zak and Ellie helped for a little while but then decided playing and running around was more interesting. So it became a Mom project. It turned out pretty good. The next morning Ellie checked it out for a while with big eyes naming all the gingerbread animals we scattered around the cottages.

Finally, on Thursday we picked up our Christmas tree. We were particularly excited because it is our first little family Christmas Tree. Getting a tree and decorating it was one of the little events I was really looking forward to this year. I did missed decorating the tree Marcoccia style late into the night with the scratchy old record player. I was worried we wouldn’t have enough ornaments or lights for it but it turned out just right thanks to what we have collected over the years from family and friends. Ellie got right into it hanging up bells and ornament, enjoying hot chocolate, and dancing to the Christmas music. It was a good night in our wee little home.

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Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

We decorated the Christmas tree last night. Our plans to decorate earlier in the week were put off so that we could enjoy the company of Jill, Kevin, and Sarah. The old record player was brought out and we were bopping around the tree listening to the scratchy old 40’s spinning around. All the ancient and new Christmas ornaments were hung. Grandma Marcoccia has quiet a collection she has kept every ornament from the begining of their marrage up until the glass ornament we made last year. Each ornament is remembered by Sarah, Jill, Gary, and Kevin and each one has a story.  There are even some very special ornaments that were passed down from Great Grandma Opal. Ellie got right into the mix. She was very interested in hanging up the ornaments. She even did some dancing for us.

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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas…

There are many things to write about we have been busy bee’s around here getting ready for the Holidays. It’s been so fun. First off we got the TREE decorated. I say TREE because it is the biggest tree in the Marcoccia family yet, measuring in at 16 feet tall. Both Gary’s hauled it in through the sliding doors. It took one night to put the lights on and another night to decorate. Linda even dug out the old Christmas vinyl and Silvertone portable record player. We listened to Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer medley and we had to sneak in a childhood favorite Chipmunk Punk.

Yesterday Linda, Danielle, Ellie, and I shopped till we dropped. We took a drive up to Geneva, NY where there is a great Outlet shopping center. We hit all the good stores and I finally completed my Christmas shopping whew. Ellie was a trooper she was bundled up well and quietly took it all in. Grandma Marcoccia even let her pick out her own toys at the Carter’s store. I hate to let Grandpa McKenney know but I think Ellie a natural born shopper.

Today we woke up to the beginning of a Nor’easter snow storm. We had an early morning greeting cousin Kevin as his school was canceled due to a snow day. So we put together a Gingerbread House and then when everyone got home we went out and played in the snow. We bundled Ellen up in her snow suit and let her experience snowflakes on her face, snow angels, and a sleigh ride. All the good things a winter snow storm brings.