trees

 We go to the same lot of an ice cream store every year to get our tree. We went after work last week and let Elinor feel the trees and wonder around. She really liked the white pine tree which is always Dave's favorite. He has been wanting one every year but we never find a perfect one.

 Elinor found the perfect one! Dave was so excited. She kept walking passed it and petting it.

 We came home and decorated it right away. We fight with our tree topper every year. This year we didn't even bother with it. We are going to get a new one soon. I put softer ornaments near the bottom which Ellie has already torn off. She brings them back to the tree and hold it up like she is trying to put it back on.

With her being so interested in the tree, I made a felt tree on the back of the door. There are felt ornaments with velcro on the back so Elinor can decorate it herself. We used to make boards like this at the daycare all the time. I think I'm going to start keeping different boards up through out the year for her.

Her and Henri love it. Henri likes to pull them down, hid them and then put them back up. Elinor would only pull them all down for awhile. She now will start putting them up. While I was downloading these pictures, she came up behind me to see them. She walked away and when I looked up again she was at her tree moving ornaments around. What a smart baby!

Did you get a chance to read Elinor's 12 month update that Dave wrote yesterday? It was so sweet and I hope to get Dave to write more often on here. Read it here

last week (very picture heavy)

Still trying to waste time before tonight. Here is a photo heavy post of last week

-picking my mom up from the airport-decorating the house for her 60th birthday!-vegan soy free blueberry birthday muffins

-our town had a little tree lighting outside of our house

 -new glasses from costalcontacts and sad faces because the induction was moved back a day-cow patties cloth diapers we got on a black friday sale-Dave's star wars advent calendar my mom bought him

 -Dave making me cookies because I mentioned I needed some-tofu press he bought me for my bday-tofu scramble he made me for breakfast-did I mention he is the best?

 -tree shopping with my mom!

 -Dave takes tree shopping very seriously

 -me and my mom-me and Dave

 -Dave picked the perfect tree, then we decorated it-star wars/indiana jones xmas-our front door

Pre-Christmas

Before heading to Ohio to see my family, we stopped in Philly to visit Dave's family. Only being there for less than 2 days we had a lot to do driving around dropping off gifts and didn't even have time to see everyone. I felt bad but we will be back there very soon. Thank you everyone for such an awesome pre christmas! I wish I had any pictures to post of our time there...Maybe Dave's mom has one of us trying to get her tree to stay up! It was a lot of fun.

We started our trip to Ohio early Tuesday morning making many stops on the way. It was nice not to rush and take our time.

coffee and trying to finish a blanket for my niece before xmas!

 This is what most of the trip looked like. Good thing for good conversation and dancing (wiggling) to 80's rap. 

An occasional cute barn with horses or cows hanging out

And we finally made it! Later than we had thought but everyone was still up

One of the many trees here

Box full of Sweet and Sara treats!!! We already ate some (or a lot)

our little tree

birthday garden

Dress/Tights-Target

Belt-Anthro

Cardigan-Old Navy

Boots-Alternative Outfitters

For my birthday we were still in Philly. Dave always tells me about Longwood Gardens and how he thinks I would love it. After Thanksgiving they decorate it for Christmas with lights and tons of Christmas trees. We left for there around 3 so that we would be there when it got dark and all the lights come on. It was so perfect and pretty there. I'm going to try to limit the pictures I post but sorry in advance.

I can't wait to go back when it is warmer out. There are parts of the garden that were closed for the winter that I would love to see. It was such a perfect birthday and ended in Dave giving me an amazing present...flowers (which I thought was the present) and a trip to ICELAND in April!! He had already requested off work for me too! He made my birthday the best and most special! Oh and he even made me a birthday pie too which I still need to download the pictures but I will post soon.