Storybook Land

On Wednesday, a friend invited us to Storybook Land to check out their Christmas spread. It is out towards Atlantic City, but totally worth the 45 minute drive!!! The decorations and lights were amazing and it is a magical place for 2-5 year old children! They can go on most of the rides themselves, and everything is nursery rhyme or children's book themed. Clark LOVED the beanstalk bouncer, having hot chocolate and funnel cakes and staying out until almost 11pm!

Macy's/Love Park

On Monday, we went to Macy's in Philly with friends and enjoyed the amazing light show and Dickens Village! After the show and learning about the Ghosts of Christmas, we went to LOVE Park and checked out the Christmas market and giant Christmas tree!

Don't mind the floral scarf that Clark is obsessed with and insists on wearing :)

It's beginning to look....

A lot like Christmas! We are having so much fun preparing for Christmas and taking advantage of all of the many Christmas activities in the area!

We headed out towards the Morris Arboretum yesterday for the Holiday Train display, but it was POURING so we stopped at the Please Touch Museum instead. They have some fun Holiday displays and their usual fun activities. Yesterday afternoon we made gingerbread houses. It totally fell apart because of my lack of patience to sit and hold it together, but Clark had a great time decorating and spreading frosting all over it. I asked him not to eat very much of the candy because it had been in the attic all year (leftover from last Christmas). Clark tasted a few and then made eye contact with me as he was reaching for another gumdrop. He then said:
'Mommy, maybe you should go in the family room and take a little rest'. Haha, I was laughing so hard--I asked him if it was so he could eat his candy in peace and he knew he was busted. Pretty cute.

Every morning he is so excited to open the next door on his advent calendars! One has candy, and the other has a scripture and felt replica of some part of the manger scene. It makes each morning so exciting and fun.

Other plans include the Franklin Institute on Saturday (Todd and Clark), Macy's light show/Christmas village next week, The Morris Arboretum (weather permitting), a date with Todd to see Handel's Messiah at the Kimmel, the Comcast light show, Love Park Christmas village, live nativity at Mount Laurel Baptist church, and of course spending Christmas with my family. We are excited--and Clark is really wrapped up in all of the magic.

Catch up!

Thanksgiving weekend Todd and Clark went and picked out a real tree! Todd's parents came down for the weekend and we had a wonderful time with them and Ben setting up Christmas! We have a more formal tree in the living room/entry way and a fun, quirky tree in the family room.

I have been very busy with the final organization and implementation of 'The Prince of Peace: a Celebration of Christ through Music and Art'. It is next Sunday, and I will be very glad when it is over.

Today I took Clark and a little friend to Johnson's farm. They play so well together and had such a fun time looking at the reindeer, playing in the sand, decorating cookies and taking advantage of the other activities there.