Shopping at the Snow Store!

This year marked the very first Brooks Snow Store at Kylie's school! We had a very similiar store at St. Stans where I went to grade school that was called Santa's Secret Shop. I still remember how fun it was each December to go to school with that little envelope all filled out with my list of people to shop for and with REAL money inside! Kylie shared that same excitement today. She went armed with $25, a list of 14 people to buy for and lots of shopping energy!

Daddy was a volunteer assigned to the coffee table in the Snow Time Cafe. Kylie was quickly whisked away by a 5th grade shopper helper to do her secret shopping which left Peyton and I between the hallway and the Snow Time Cafe b/c there was to be no peeking for Mommies & Daddies in the Snow Store!

Kylie did a fantastic job with everyone on her list, had all her gifts wrapped by the 5th grade students then had a seat with us in the cafe for a well deserved break of a juice box and muffin! She was so excited for us to open the presents she had gotten for us when we got home that we went ahead and opened them. Daddy got a fantastic blue DAD pen, Peyton got a Disney Princess coloring picture with markers, Sparkles got a pink rope toy & Mommy got a set of glitter nail files! Kylie is so thoughtful and pays attention to everything. Each gift she chose was just perfect for the person she bought it for!

So as for the rest of the friends & family that Kylie bought presents for, come on over, yours are waiting under the tree!

St. Nick Was Here

Yo quiero a sweater...or 2!

Even Sparkles knows that Old Man Winter has arrived- this is what I found when I turned the corner into the kitchen this morning! Pete had put a few of my sweaters over the kitchen chairs to dry last night and Sparkles saw her opportunity to cash in on some extra warmth!

Say Cheese

Since Peyton has learned to say cheese so well in front of the camera and we love hearing her say it, we tell her to say it everytime we take a picture. As cute as it is, it leaves her little face in a less than desirable position to get a nice picture of her smiling! But this one, "CHEESE" and all, turned out pretty good of her just hanging out at home this morning. But today isn't just any day- the blanket hanging on the couch behind Peyton is fitting since it's also our 1st day of snow!

THE Tree

THE Tree is the Christmas Tree that Santa will be working with :). Since we put up 5 trees this year (ranging from a foot to 8 feet high) thought I would share a picture of the main attraction first!

2 down but 23 to go!

Thanks Oma & Uncle Gunter for the Advent Calendars for Kylie & Peyton! It's a tradition we started with Kylie several years ago so she knew just what to do when she saw your gifts. What could be better than being able to have a piece of chocolate every morning for a month with your breakfast :)?!

Our Little Elves