Tree Lighting

I still hadn't finished our advent calendar that we were supposed to start counting down to Christmas on today...I had this big idea in my head, but it was bigger than I could have imagined at the start of my project and through trial and error, I kept having to change up a few things.  Oh well!

We went to Hobby Lobby to pick up an item that would hopefully complete my struggle to create the perfect advent calendar and from there headed over to playgroup.  On the way, we saw some contruction and Alegria looked at me and said, "Mommy!  They make a mess!!!"

Yes, honey...they sure did.  :)

At playgroup, Odette found a ride-along toy, but was confused as to why the steering wheel was placed at the back...

Finally I sat Odette down for lunch...she was beginning to get fussy and I knew it was because she was hungry.  You can still see a big tear on her cheek in this picture:

At one point, she noticed one of the babies and signed "baby" to me:

Alegria reading at the lunch table:

The group (well...the older children anyway!):

Playing:

And no one can say nothing out of the ordinary ever happens at playgroup...we spotted a young buck today!  The children were enthralled!

Even though the advent calendar was not ready, I, being the advent calendar creator, knew that the activity for today was to go watch a tree lighting ceremony...and it just so happens that today was the tree lighting ceremony for the city of Copperas Cove!  How fortuitous!  ;)  Yes, yes...I planned for it!  Haha!

It was our first time ever attending the Cove Tree Lighting Ceremony.  Unfortunately, Cameron had Cub Scouts tonight and Abilehi was still at work, so it was just me and the girls at first.

Wow.  There were a lot of people!

Thank goodness it wasn't too cold.  And even though the girls complained a little about having to stay in the stroller, it was worth it when they got a little treat (there was a choice of either candy canes or cookies...the girls chose cookies) and they also each got a small Holiday Beanie Baby bear!  However; Odette lost hers at some point along the way:

A nice passerby offered to take a picture of us:

We got in line to see Santa.  As you can see, it was extreeeeeeeeeemely long:

Tired and bored, but satisfied after having eaten a granola bar:

When Abilehi got off of work, she came and hung out with us for a little bit.  She stayed in line with Odette while I went to check out the lights with Alegria:

Abilehi finally reminded me that Alegria and Odette would get to see Santa at the next story time, so we got out of line and took a few more pictures:

And that was our first fun-filled day of December!!! 

Good night everybody!!!  :)