Christmas Vacation

Okay, so I'm finally getting my Christmas pictures out. I will try to explain them.

The piano I actually got the day after Christmas. It was a great investment. It actually lights up to preprogrammed songs so that it can teach you how to play. It even tells you which fingers to use while playing the notes. The kids love it, and it isn't just crazy noise, like our little keyboard. It plays background accompianment while you practice the main notes, so it's really fun. Rob and Daniel use it the most. Daniel is determined to learn "Happy Birthday" and Rob wants to learn "The Entertainer". The others toy with it occasionally, especially Isaac, but aren't really interested in learning how to play at this point.


Rob is able to drive a golf cart home from work, so it is often used to pull the kids in their sleds. We did most of that during our vacation, as he works most Saturdays, and it's getting dark when he gets home. It would be fun to do again. Maybe this Saturday.

I was able to put together a puzzle this year, a tradition in my family. I have wanted to for so long, but the kids usually mess it up, so I didn't think it would be possible this year. I told Rob that that was my Christmas wish. Well, to my surprise, Mary and Isaac were more interested in putting the pieces together, than throwing it around the room like Robbie and Daniel did at their age. Mary helped me a lot, placing many pieces, and Isaac pretended a lot. He can actually do a 24 piece puzzle by himself. He's only 2 1/2. I was really amazed.

The dollhouse was for Mary, of course.  I really lucked out on that one.  I was looking for shelves at a thrift store, and they had this dollhouse, brand new, but the packaging had been damaged.  It didn't look like it hurt the contents, so I bought it for $11.  Later, I found the exact same thing at Target for $123.  I couldn't believe it.  I thought it was maybe worth $50.  No way I would have paid close to that.  It's pretty nice, and big.  It holds barbie size dolls, and is taller than the kids.

I'd say Christmas was a big success this year.  We had lots of fun, dispensed with many of the usual traditions (went to McDonalds for Christmas Eve dinner - but I did have my blueberry muffins for breakfast) and put ornaments on the tree several times.  That came down the next day, sad to say.  But, all in all, it was great and we didn't have too much whining about what Santa didn't bring this year.