The Monday Before Christmas

Christmas Break got off to a great start, since I was able to sleep in until AFTER SEVEN thankyouverymuch.  I came downstairs to find the kids in pajamas, with morning jobs and breakfast partially completed, and I was so thankful for a day when we didn't have to hurry to go anywhere and we could just relax.  It was great.  We did a little coloring and hung out a bit before leaving for a doctor's appointment and an even-more-fun-than-usual trip to the library.

How did we never know that the Orem Library has a tarantula?

LEGO Hogwarts

The library's Festival of Trees tree got Cat's wheels turning.

A patron made this amazing gingerbread version of Elsa's Ice Castle,
with edible characters and everything.

"I'm going to Chicago."

That evening when Ben came home from work we all went to the mall to make our Giving Machine selections.  It was fun to talk about what the kids wanted to use their individual spending/Elf money to buy for people in need, and what we thought we should buy as a family.

As we walked through the mall afterward Jack found a calendar kiosk and
asked me, in all sincerity, "What are these?"

Then we drove to the Lights and Music House to watch a little bit of the
show there before going home for the night.