{the JOY of the season}

Our celebration of the Christmas season offically began on Friday evening with the annual lighting of Tinley's tree on Oak Park Avenue. Isn't she a beauty?!

The season is so magical--especially this year. Lola really knows what’s going on and to be able to experience the joy of Christmas through your child is like nothing else. She can’t get enough of Christmas carols and the classic Christmas cartoons and LOVES driving around in the evening, looking at all the beautiful, twinkling lights (something my Dad and I would always do together). Last night, we were out running errands together (love shopping dates with my girl!) and we drove through our neighborhood before we hit the stores. One of the houses had a beautiful Nativity display, so we got out and walked up their lawn for a closer look.

Speaking of the Nativity, Lola is busy preparing for not one, but two Christmas performances. She has her Nursery and Sunday School performances in two weeks and listening to her sing the Advent song “Jesus is coming...” around the house (and in the bathtub!) has to be one of the sweetest sounds ever. We have been talking about Mary and the Angel Gabriel this week and how special it was that Mary said “Yes” to Gabriel. She loves playing with her Nativity set Mom got her a few years ago and our Elf on a Shelf is working like a charm. She wakes up every morning to see where he has landed--and is always glad

he returned from the North Pole. The other day, I walked into her room to find her sitting on her dresser. Her explanation: "Look, Mommy! I'm on a self." Oh, the preschool imagination is awesome.

Speaking of the North Pole, no Christmas season would be complete without a visit to the big guy. We hit up Bass Pro Shop after hearing rave reviews from friends. They had an awesome workshop set up and offered free pictures (and allowed me to snap my own!). The Santa was totally legit, too. We enjoyed a yummy meal in their restaurant before putting in our requests with the jolly ol’ fella. When we were getting ready to go visit him, we asked Lola what she was going to ask him for. Her response: “A vanity. And something for Johnny.” She loves her brother so. The have really begun forming a true bond these past few months.

Here’s a cell phone pic of the picture they gave us. I’ll have to post my own soon, as Johnny was actually laughing at Santa in some. I can’t get enough of our boy in overalls and I’m a sucker for dressing Lola up like a present!

And one more special moment--This is a house in the neighborhood I grew up in--just a few blocks from Mom’s. This family has decorated it to the nines, in this exact way, since I was a little girl. We took the kids to see it tonight and it was just so special. Lola loved it and to see her enjoy it just as I did as a little girl is the definition of JOY.