Vacation Recap

In 4 days we accomplished:

20 hours in the car:

 

Celebrating Hannah’s confirmation

Spending 3 nights in a hotel

You will note- I said spending….not sleeping. It was difficult to sleep in the same bed with someone who insisted on sleeping horizontal and not vertical.

A quick and VERY rainy trip into DC to visit the Holocaust Museum. Thanks Aunt Pam for taking Alec to the Air and Space Museum. Alec is still talking about the fact he couldn’t go in the Space Shuttle. Why? Why? Why?

 

Celebrating Hanukah and lighting the menorah. Thanks to Aunt Fran for explaining as we went through it.

Opening Hanukah presents!

Great family moments (missing Jeff, Adam and Nick who were not there and Debbie who must have avoided the camera cause I only have a couple pictures of her)

oh wait..here is Deb Deb Debbiiiee (as Alec says)

Sometime soon I will share with you all the knowledge Alec acquired on this trip… here’s a taste….older cousins with Nerf guns are FUN. And “what’s a grenade mom?” I think I need one to blow up some people.”

And what to my wondering eyes should appear but ...

but my in-laws getting a tree.

o.k. so that may not be surprising to you but Erik, Alec and I and went on a Tuesday at 1:00 (since we got back from our trip a little early) . Random. We were the only people getting a tree and then we heard a car pulled up. And guess who it was? It was pretty funny.

It was, incidentally, the very first time we have gone to look for a tree in the daylight. Pre-Alec we would always just drive up the road to get a tree one night after work. Going to get a tree in the daylight seemed almost vampire-ish (those Twilight books are rubbing off on me)…our eyes hurt…it didn’t hide the flaws as easily – it was garish. Amazingly, we got a nice tree this year (but MUCH smaller than I am use to).

And even though we moved, we went back to the same spot to get the tree…they always have the best selection.  I had mentioned to Erik that maybe next year we could cut our own but I don’t think either Alec or Erik (who is probably still groaning about it) will be interested in that…Alec kept asking why we couldn’t just put up the fake one that is in the basement and why were we looking for a real one? ….my practical boys.

Is the mall in the North Pole?

We went to see Santa. Yep we did...and for the first time Alec sat on his lap. Actually we’ve been twice this year so far. The first time, we went to the mall before Thanksgiving and stumbled upon Santa.  No lines, no waiting and Alec hopped right up on his lap and asked for a few items. After we left the mall Alec wanted to know if Macy’s was in the North Pole and the conversation went like this:

Alec “Does Nana work at Macys?”

Me “Yes, why?”

Alec “Is Macy’s at the mall?”

Me “Yes”

Alec “ Is the mall in the North Pole?”

Me “No” (pausing cause I now understand what is coming now…)

Alec “Then why was Santa at the mall? I thought Santa lives in the North Pole”

Me (a big deep breath) “Well, because Santa does a tour of all the malls before Christmas so that he can meet all the kids and see what they want for Christmas” (pausing) “He flies home to the North Pole every night to check in on Mrs. Claus and elves”. Phew! I think I did it. And boy did I!

Since I explained that Santa is otherwise occupied, now, Alec does not believe that Santa knows when he is naughty and nice because Santa is either at the North Pole or in malls. So, we got the Mark (The Elf on the Shelf). Mark freaked Alec out so much that Mark ended up in our cup cupboard for a few days.  We are on our own now…no fat man in a red suit or magical elves to keep our child in line during the holidays.  Just good ‘ol parental meanness.

And since Alec has no fear this year, we went a second time with Ben and Noelle to visit the jolly ‘ol soul. Apparently Alec has figured out that the dude brings gifts and its best to get in as much lap time as you can to get the goods. He’s not asking for much this year just a train set and a blue ball. Santa is psyched cause the elves are certain they can fill that order. Wahoo!

Ben was not too sure of Santa this year so Alec showed him the ropes. For the record, Alec also showed him how to have a massive temper tantrum leaving the mall but that is a story for another day. Let’s focus on Santa:

Ben talked to Santa a little but then he was done and out of there! Alec lingered a little longer.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Holiday Parade

Sunday Erik, Alec and I ventured to Old Orchard for the their holiday festival. We met up with Erik’s Aunt Jane and her granddaughter Haylie who I think would be Alec’s second cousin. Ummm maybe?  It’s Erik’s cousin Pete’s daughter. Pete and Erik would be cousins..so Alec and Haylie would second cousins…right? I get so confused by these things.  I digress.

The kiddos got balloons and we waited for the parade. It was quite chilly so we kept busy people watching. And let me tell you…the best of Old Orchard Beach was out Sunday! I’ll share my irritation at the teen (with 8 year old brother in tow) who came to tell her FATHER how F%$#ing far she had to F%^&ing walk just to see the F*%^ing parade. I imagine Alec will now go into school talking about the F*^&ing parade he saw thing weekend. :)  Seriously..it was giving me the warm and fuzzy holiday feeling like never before. UGH!

Erik and I tried our best to manage Alec’s expectations about the parade. Alec loves a good parade. This was not going to be a big parade.

And there it was. Done. For the sake of honesty I will add that there was also the middle school band and a couple cub scouts marching. And yes…that really was it.

Next up was the horse and wagon ride. Still chilly!

 

After the wagon ride we walked down the square to see the tree and get warm by the fire on the beach.  Last year, for the tree lighting, there were vendors and and a band playing by the beach. This year…there was a tree. It was looking a little sad and lonely this year. We didn’t bother to wait around for them to turn on the lights this year.

But the fire felt good. We didn’t spend too much time standing next to it because Alec wanted to throw the logs on it. And he just kept asking and asking and asking.

And of course we took a walk on the beach. I love the next couple beach pictures…I took about a gazzilion but don’t want to bore you with them…..I love how the balloon pops against the gray sky.

While it wasn’t as fun as last year, it was still a good day out!

Gingerbread House

After swimming lessons on Friday night, we went over to the Saco Rec department to decorate a gingerbread house. It was a little unorganized as this was the 1st year they offered this event but still a good time. You “reserve” your family a portion of a table, a house, and a tray full of goodies. Perfect…I had nothing to buy, create and no mess to clean up and yet Alec got the experience of decorating a gingerbread house. In my book…perfect….cause man he had the frosting everywhere. 

As you can see –Alec was not the only one who had a good time. Erik was a bit of a project manager on it but Alec and I beat him down with our “creativity”.  And speaking of creativity, everyone was very impressed with my chimney.

Pretty much the house still stands as seen except for the walkway to the house. Alec licked it clean off the tray last night. I suspect by the end of today other parts of the house may be missing. Yum…hard crusty candy. Does it get any better than that?