Holley-Day Hodge-Podge

It seems as though the Holidays got the best of me, and I just haven't had time to post about all of the fun things we did this December, so seeing as how it is almost the 'night before Christmas' I thought I better catch myself up! Enjoy the pictures of our holiday traditions. This truly was such a magical season. The kids are at the perfect age, and I enjoyed every last minute with them this year.

I found the most fabulous sugar cookie recipe in our ward cookbook, so we made a batch or two, or three, and had fun decorating them too! These seriously were the tastiest sugar cookies I have ever had, so light and fluffy! The recipe made a gazillion, so we sent about 30 with my Mom to her work, and they were a HUGE hit! Yummy, Yummy, Yummy.

We saw Santa for the second time at the Kid Time Museum, this was such a fun event, and thankfully the kids are still holding strong to their Pogo Sticks and Transformers! I was a little nervous that their requests would change! (side note: Can you see the yellow headband Aiden is wearing, in both the cookie making photo, and again with Santa? They made these 'I can be Honest' headbands at church, and he seriously wore it for like three days straight! Thanks Crystal, we love you!)

We still got the same result with Adeline too! It seems as though she hasn't warmed up to the Jolly Ole' St. Nick yet! Give her time!

After their little chat with Santa, the kids all got to decorate a sugar cookie. Thanks 'playplace' for another wonderful family event!


Later that evening we attended the Medford Light Festival, and I must say, Kudos's to them for a fabulous evening. I think Medford's Christmas Extravaganza has always been in Ashland's shadow, so this year they moved it to the next weekend, and came out with a bang. The kids started off with a little coloring contest, and when you turned it in you got a cookie, and not just a cheap cookie, but a Dark Chocolate covered graham cracker cookie from Harry & David! Yeah.

The Kid Time museum was also there doing crafts. The boys enjoyed making snowman picture frames. Lithia Toyota was also taking pictures behind a winter scene, you know the kind where you stick your head through the holes, but we opted out, since there were only three holes and seven of us!!

Let is snow, let is snow, let is snow!!

The highlight of the evening was the snow machine. They rented a huge snow machine like the ones they use in Hollywood, or at the Disney Christmas Parade. After a few false starts, and trying to maneuver the machine into just the right spot, the snow came down. My boys just loved it, you can see them trying to catch the snow on their tongues and with their hands. Santa came on a giant firetruck that the kids enjoyed climbing through, and choirs of children from different High Schools sang carols. There were different vendors, and free Hot Chocolate and Cider. You could also go around and rate the different holiday window displays too!

Here we are in front of the giant Christmas tree, trying to get a good group shot, but as you can see, this is as good as it gets!! Stay tuned for Holley-Day Hodge-Podge II. Where we go sledding, visit a Victorian Christmas, board the Polar Express, and make Gingerbread Houses to boot!