The kids decorated their mini trees tonight. They are so full of excitement over the snow happening tomorrow. It began snowing around 8pm tonight and we saw it coming down after we finished playing Rummikub together. We ended up playing that for a while because it was our first time through but by the end of the game we got the hang of it.
This year the kids got special ornaments. After years of princesses and such Eva got a Black Widow ornament and she was thrilled! Andy got Buddy the Elf with Mr. Narwhal and it makes noise. So Andy absolutely loves that aspect of the ornament. Apparently with a snow storm on the way Andy figures it is the best day to wear a sleeveless shirt.
Another one of our Christmas time traditions is heading to La Salette. This year we went with my parents and my sister Shelby and my niece, Kylie. It was a mild night so we were not freezing our butts off. We did bundle up, though. I even wore the giant sweater that Allison made me years ago. It comes out on the coldest of days because it is so warm. She made me a replica of the sweater that Wash wears on an episode of Firefly.
We got to La Salette right around 4:30pm to be there for the lighting of the lights at 5pm. It was already packed in the parking lot. There are actually two very large parking lots and they were already directing people to the secondary parking lot. We had Shelby and Kylie over to the house for a while before we went over so they were able to park near us. My parents arrived a little later and ended up in the secondary parking lot. We gathered at the Nativity Scene and from there walked around one side of the Shrine looking at the lights. At the halfway point there is a museum of Nativity Scenes and there is a huge collection of them made from so many varied materials. One of my favorite ones appears to have just had a Playmobil Bull stuffed into it. It is so strange to see it.
After the nativity scene we ran into a few people that we knew including my cousin’s kids and my Aunt Donna. they joined us as we walked around the other side of the Shrine. That side has a set of large signs with the Christmas alphabet. They are very beautiful and they circle a little pond. It is at the far point of the pond where we take photos looking back across the pond to all of La Salette. It is very pretty.
We said goodbye to Aunt Donna and the cousins and also to shelby and Kylie. Mom and Dad took us out to Briggs Corner for dinner where we enjoyed a Meat Lovers Pizza and a Buffalo Chicken one. Mom had a nice Gluten-Free mushroom. It was a great night with everyone.
