Usually Cory has a Saturday morning counseling client to see, but he didn't today because of the holiday weekend. That was so nice for him to be able to sleep in a little. Last night I had started getting Christmas decorations out and set up, and today we pretty much finished that. The kids and I set up the tree and decorated it, while Cory hung up outside lights and set up a few wooden cutouts that Myron made for us a few years back. The only thing left to put up are the stockings, and I can't find one. Hmm. We're so Christmas-fied over here that I'm even drinking my coffee out of a great big Santa mug that our friends Amy and Paul gave us about five years ago or so. Accalia has been listening and dancing to this cd. She's playing Christmas songs on the piano. The kids have watched "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" (the cartoon not the Jim C. version) twice today. Yes, we are going to be so ready to be done with the holidays by the end of next month, but that's okay. Time seems to pass so quickly, and I just want to enjoy this season as much as possible.

Our home is now even more of a wonderland for Ella. She's in love with our tree and stands there looking over each ornament. When one comes off the tree, she runs to me to put it back on. She's been constantly asking for me to hold her up at the entertainment center so we can look at the top where the Christmas village is set up. She points to each piece so I can tell her all about it. Her favorite is the old-fashioned library. We have to play a game of me directing her fingers where to go: "Walk up the steps. Open the door. Walk inside and check out books." Her favorite is when she points at a balcony on the top floor and I have to say, "Go! Go! Go!" That delights her to no end for reasons unknown to me.

Cory's delivering pizzas, and Ella is going from happy to cranky right now thanks to no nap. It didn't help that she was dancing in the kitchen with Accalia and Cole and Cole accidentally tripped her, resulting in a bloody nose. There's one of the true challenges of parenthood - trying to keep a two-year-old with a bloody nose calm and comforted while attempted to keep the blood from going all over the place as she shakes her head back and forth while screaming. Ah, good times.

Hey, guess who wants to look at the Christmas village?