Glad Tidings to You

As usual, my best efforts to clear the camera prior to Christmas were to no avail, so sit back and settle in for a long winter's blog...

Christmas prep and Advent season came fast and furious this year. Allie had a few more roles (2 of which were of the bovine variety), which added a new element, but we had a blast with a few new additions to our Christmas-time celebrations.

Some things will never go out style, though...

like pizzelle-making at Grammy and Grandpops.

Allie was dressed as an angel for her school's Christmas performance. She felt less than angelic though, and we took her home right after the performance so she could knock out whatever she had and rest up for our big NYC trip that next weekend. But she was a trooper and the whole class did a great job.

Dressed for success.

Admiring her own artwork...shocker.
After the show, she asked if we had a pen and then magnanimously autographed the program for us.

While the house was decked out in Christmas cheer, the continual home improvements shifted to Allie's new neighbor's room. Wes' room is being lovingly transformed from the computer-dust-filled-brown-in-home-office to a happy tiny blue corner of our home. Just like the kitchen (which deserve's it's own before and after post later), Chris has done a great job prepping, painting, and fixing. Most of this one was done after-hours, but he did get some assistance from a certain bed-time-procrastinating-almost-5-year-old.

Daniel-son and Mr. Miyagi...

She will most certainly claim credit for the whole room after this.

The weekend before Christmas, we took a trip to New York City to see it all decked out for the season. I love NYC at Christmas time and have successfully brainwashed Allie to do the same even before she stepped foot in the Big Apple. We snagged a deal of a hotel room (hence the sleeping bag) and packed into the car early Saturday morning for the trip.

We made it to New Jersey for lunch at a pizza place that Chris used to frequent in his EY transition days - well worth the trip. We parked at the station and took the train from Jersey to New York City, so we carried everything we needed, which meant that Allie turned into one big pink packhorse of Disney characters. Even just at the train station in NJ, this kid was the pinkest thing going amidst a sea of black and grey...which is about right.

You want me to carry what?

Checking out the skyline from the train.

'NYC or bust!' Selfie.

We stayed right near Rockefeller Center and walked by some of the highlights on our way to the room.

Just me and the big tree! (And a few hundred other visitors.)

One of the highlights of the trip was meeting up with Auntie Erin, a NYC resident. As Allie pointed out, 'Auntie Erin loves me a whole lot. She always gives me lots of hugs and kisses when she sees me because she doesn't get to see me very often.' We caught Erin before her shift at night on Saturday and let her tour us to the best candy stores and best routes through the city on our way to ice-skating in Bryant Park.

Family mugshot in front of the Rockefeller Christmas tree at night.

Al and Auntie Erin in front of one of the many Christmas windows,

At Bryant Park, Al tested out ice skating for the first time and Chris put on ice skates for the first time in almost 20 years. In one of her post-skating accounts, Al stated, 'I did really well for my first time. Daddy did alright.' All of this is to say that Chris got one of the best abs workouts he's had in a while trying to keep both of them upright. Everyone came back with all ten fingers and all ten toes...mission accomplished and nice work, Daddy.

Testing it out...

Getting the hang of it...

Feeling confident...

Made it!

:o).

And the back-of-the-jacket-technique, which proved to be the most effective at making it around the rink in under 20 minutes.

We finished off our first big day in the city with dinner at the Japanese restaurant right next to our hotel where Al channeled her inner city-mouse and tried the noodles and sushi.

The edamame was a hit, the noodles...an experience.

On Sunday, we grabbed a bagel, tripped out to a few stores in the city and then headed to Battery Park to catch a glimpse of Lady Liberty. After this point, it was the 'Berry' show as Allie's new hot pink NYC bear stole the spotlight of any future pic.

Daddy, Al & Berry at the park.

Daddy, Al & Berry checking out the Statue of Liberty.

Allie and Berry in front of the Statue of Liberty...you get the point.

The next weekend, we started our Christmases on Christmas Eve day at the Shaikos...

Stocking smiles.

A new toy for our favorite fixer-upper. (Paired with a manly infinity scarf from his sis.)

Daisy got into the Christmas festivities by finding all of the mud-puddles in the backyard.

Two Auntie-Erin sightings in less than 2 weeks!

The adults all got a scarf or a wrap of some type for Christmas, so we bundled up for the 70 degree weather and posed for Ansel-Adams-Allie Eicholtz.

After the Christmas Eve service (in which Allie was a cow who refused to sing, but stood vigilantly by Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus), the whole crew came back to our place to relax and eat some more. Our neighbors Zack and Kelly came over and delighted our girl with a gift of hair glitter presses. If you look closely, you'll see...

pink hearts...

blue stars, and smiles.

 This year, Allie wrote out her letter to Santa...on multiple sheets.

Translation...

'To (Santa - implied, apparantly), Love Allison. Carrots are for reindeer, one each. Cookies are for you. The ones you don't eat, we will save!' She's nothing if not precise.

All of the tools and construction were put away with the goal of leaving a spot for Allie's new big girl desk, which she got for Christmas.

Success.

Daisy was happy with her Christmas gifts from Santa as well as she now owns the most number of beds out of all of us to aid in her transition from downstairs administrative assistant by day to family-pet by night.

Thank goodness we just upgraded the kitchen sink so Ariel could fit and serenade us on Christmas day.

Al was pretty tickled that Santa remembered that she wanted rainbow-hair-color for Christmas. I don't know whether Santa was aware that this came with an instant transformation into a teenager, though.

Christmas Dinner surrounded by food and family, we'll take it!

Al tried to convince Daisy to join in for a post-dinner performance, but Daisy, unlike Allie, shied away from the stage.

It was an exhaustingly good Christmas and we hope yours was as well!