Early Christmas Celebrations

 December 16 - 21. So much Christmas with events, cookie decorating, celebrations, band concerts, and the first days of Christmas break. 

[December's event at the Des Moines Children's Museum was Family Game Night: Games From Around The World. The highlights were an eskimo blanket toss (read about it here) in which kids tossed a stuffed whale on the parachute, and pitch pot. We also had mancala, dominoes, dreidel, card games, and classic board games. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't great, so we didn't get a huge turn out, but I kind of love it when it's like that. I get a chance to speak with each visitor and thank them for coming. It's a more intimate experience for everyone involved]

[Find The Pickles scavenger hunt was so much fun. The prize was a pickle ornament to take home]

[The minis are still on a slumber party with mom (where we all sleep in the living room) kick, but we've gotten it down to every other weekend]

[We had quite the holiday celebration at my parent's house. My mom and sister baked all of the sugar cookies, then we showed up to decorate. We opened presents, ate dinner, and stuffed ourselves with holiday baked goods. Dogs were invited too]

[Elizabeth put on as many of her new items as she could]

[I forgot how much trouble kittens can get into. One kitten is attached to me, but only when the rest of the family isn't around. Two kittens found the closet where the youngest removed the panel and played in the walls until I could coax them out. It's slightly exhausting]

[The youngest had her first band concert. Between the nervous kids and the squeaky instruments while playing, it was one of my favorite concerts ever]

[Above: needy kitten; Below: new toys. The games didn't get to be played because the weather had big plans. Only four littles showed up for daycare on the 22nd and canceled daycare for the 23rd due to low attendance for the day. In my (almost) 13 years in business, I've had that happen in the middle of January, but never in the busy days before Christmas]

[I walked into the daycare room on a non-daycare day and find the minis playing with all of the daycare toys. That hasn't happened in quite a while and it made me giggle]

[Above: kitten begging for food; Below: needy kitten]