Pre-Christmas

 A few weeks before Christmas, Rudy and I went out to look at Christmas decorations. We visited a local house that always has a big display.

Rudy pretending he doesn't like the lights.

Then we went to Smithville and looked at the lights on the lake.

While there Rudy got placed in the stocks. I think his crime might have been bubble blowing.

The talking tree wasn't working but he went over to look at it and actually posed for a picture!

 We were very late getting our tree this year. But the weather was just a little cold the day we got it which was the most Christmas-like it's felt.

Rudy (photobombed) by our chosen tree.

Pretending to be Santa.

This is the first time we've had to put the tree on the roof. I don't know if this tree was that much bigger or my new car's trunk is that much smaller, but it survived the ride home.

I didn't get any tree decorating pictures but Rudy's friend, Jaedyn came over to help us (seemed fitting since Rudy helped decorate his tree!)

Christmas Tree and a Recital

Last weekend we put up our Christmas tree and decorated it.

Then this weekend Rudy has his piano recital. We weren't sure how he was going to do because his practices hadn't been great, but he pulled it off.

Christmas Trees and Trains

Friday night we went to pick up our Christmas tree. N was in a much better mood this time.

Pictures by the tree as we waited for it to be cut down.

Saturday we headed out to ride the Santa Express.
N admiring the older trains sitting on the track.

Monkey see, Monkey do.

Finally the train headed toward the station. Rudy is covering his ears as the train whistle blows.

Santa and Mrs. Claus waiting for us on the train.

As usual when on a train, I wonder who enjoys the ride more- Dad and Paul or the boys.

Rudy was not happy as we sat on the train preparing to ride. As soon as the ride began, he popped right out of his bad mood.

N was happy to jump back and forth between laps the whole time.

Enjoying the ride now.

Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving in our train car.

Merry Christmas!

Santa took time to talk to each kid. N didn't have much to say to him. He didn't seem to know what to make of the whole thing.

Santa and Rudy had a nice chat. He talked to Rudy mostly about school, including asking about what books he had read recently. Rudy was really impressed that Santa knew what grade he was in (after asking Rudy his age) and Rudy accused us of telling him ahead of time.

N was actually in a great mood, but just as Paul took this picture, he wanted to get down and made this face.

The train ride was pretty cold- we were told that usually it takes an hour and half to warm the train, but since the weather had been so cold lately, even though the train had been warming for 3 hours, it was still not fully warmed up. At the halfway point, we got off the train and had about 40 minutes before the train left again. We, and everyone else on the train, headed to a local restaurant for some hot chocolate.

On the ride back, we were serenaded by an accordion player.

The conductors came around and punched the kids' tickets into Christmas pictures.

Five minutes before getting off the train, this one fell asleep on my lap.

Sunday night we decorated the tree.

Yes, he is partially restraining N while posing.

Rudy orchestrated who was supposed to be in the pictures...

So we are officially ready for Christmas here.