Breakfast with Santa

Traditions!

You might have figured this out already but Saco has a great rec department. They do so many fun things for kiddos. As we have enjoyed the gingerbread house decorating that they put on, we have also enjoyed their Breakfast with Santa for the past few years too!  And like the the Gingerbread event – we knew even more people to chat with. But we still hung with our festive BFF’s.  :)

 

Alec was fairly grumpy. We are not sure why.

We did have breakfast, too.

And then it was back to the fun!

A giant bounce house this year!

They had a couple craft ‘stations’ and of course the favorite – face painting.

I hope grumpy gus disappears before Santa comes- or Santa might just skip our house this year!

Gun Control & Santa Claus

I hate guns.

I have hated them for years.

They have and always will scare me.

I believe in tighter gun control – the NRA can bite my bum. You have the right to own a rifle to shoot bambi for food if you choose. You do not have the right to own a weapon that brings down a a movie theater full of people or a classroom full of students in mere seconds. There is NO need.

Sandy Hook has brought me to my knees. I can honestly say that I never heard news that made me burst into tears immediately and publicly. Which is what I did. I blubbered like a fool and could not stop. Could it be that I found out directly after I walked out of volunteering in Alec’s class? Most probably.  The amount of tears I have shed over this- stuns me. And yet- I still get weepy thinking about it. My heart aches for the families and for the children who now have this memory burned in their brains.

But this is not a political rant. ok. Maybe it’s my own little soapbox.

Even something as innocent as this causes me angst. Last year he wanted a noisy gun. This year- a gun that actually shoots something (at least he was polite!)

The rule in our house is that guns only shoot marshmallows and rainbows.

And I am sticking to it.

This is the end of the line, Santa.

This is gun control in my home.

Next year he had better ask for a puppy. 

 

(FYI- I don’t think it is all gun control to prevent such events. There needs to be more/better mental health avenues for treatment. But I still hate guns.)

Gingerbread Houses

Nana, Erik, Alec and I went to Saco rec department for our annual Gingerbread House making. The difference this year? I knew quite a few people there.  I have had a love/hate relationship with my anonymity in this area. Going to the grocery store looking like I just rolled out of bed? Love. Going to story time or sandbox tots when Alec was little and having no one to to talk with. Hate.  But now?  We immediately ran into Joanne and Mary. Oddly- I met Joanne through work. When she had Mary and decided to stay home – it was about the time I decided to go back to work. Not knowing Joanne at the time- I got her job. I met Joanne about a year after taking her job –as  she does some contracting work with us. Turns out she lives about a mile away from me!  Isn’t Mary so cute?

We also ran into a couple of Alec’s old classmates from the Y. :) And then we ended up sitting next to a woman that Hilary commutes to work with and teaches with.  Small world getting smaller. After social time we got to work to make this years creation.

 

 

Mission complete!

And yes, you did see it say MMC on the side- Alec wanted to build Maine Medical Center.

(I think Erik has been working too much and this was Alec’s way of coping.)

The Claus…Mrs. & Mr.

Alec, Ben, Noelle and I visited with both Mrs. Claus and Mr. Santa Claus this past weekend.  We kicked off our visits by having tea with the lovely and gracious Mrs. Claus at Dyer (Saco) Library on Saturday afternoon.

Unbeknownst to Noelle and I – we dressed the boys similarly and very coordinating.

Mrs. Claus was kind enough to read her guests a story called Peef- The Christmas Bear. What a cute story. I am such a sap- it brought tears to my eyes.

After the story they got to do a craft about Peef…

 

 

 

 

 

Ben drinking his hot chocolate. He was pretty disappointed because because he really wanted to try drinking real tea. I think the cookies they served were pretty good because both Alec and Ben went back for seconds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goofballs!

On Sunday afternoon – we met up again for more festivities and a visit with Santa. Again unplanned coordinating outfits!

A few Ninja moves before we enter the Saco Museum.

For some reason, Alec did not want to get too close to this particular Santa.

After visiting with Santa and asking for video games for Ben and a double barrel marshmallow shooter for Alec (thankfully he is sticking with that!) we walked around the room checking out the trees.

 

And after we left the museum- they were wild children again.

and oh, so cute!