CHRISTMASSING HAS BEGUN

You know I'm crazy about Christmas.

This year I printed off a blank calendar. And then I printed off every Christmas activity happening in the Lower Mainland this month.

The kids agreed that they want to do all the Christmas and especially the things we've done before.

And so I planned. And I wrote down every Christmas thing we were going to do on my little calendar. And then I looked forward to finally managing to do all the things we wanted to do this Christmas season (because we never quite hit everything).

The first thing I was supposed to do was go to Capilano Suspension Bridge to see the Canyon Lights with Ashlie and my friend Natasha and her daughter. But the day we were supposed to go it POURED. Really bad. And so we didn't.

And then the next day we were supposed to go and watch the light parade in North Vancouver. There was lights and a parade and a parade of lights on boats on the water. But it was miserable that day too. And so we stayed in Langley and watched the Langley parade. It might be the last year we do that.

Then Sunday was gorgeous. And so we went to Vancouver to the Rogers Santa Claus Parade.

Which was everything we'd been hoping for.

We started by writing and mailing letters to Santa.

And posing for pictures with Gingerbread people.

And as snowmen.

And then making crafts.

And taking selfies?

We decorated gingerbread men (I bet you're wondering where the parade comes into all of this. Be patient...)

Ashlie met Cliff Ronning.

Elisabeth got her face painted.

And all the kids tried out these virtual reality thingies.

We posed as elves.

And more selfies!

And finally took our places to wait for the parade!

With Starbucks in hand, of course!

And finally the parade began!

We arrived home with a couple of hours before sunset. And so we decided that we would take advantage of the sunshine and go find a Christmas Tree.

Ashlie was very excited about it all.

We found our tree!

So all in all, super good day.