Thanks to lots of other CLE bloggers, I had a huge list of holiday cheer I wanted to experience.  And in the last few weeks we have been busy checking things off that list.

I finished off my shopping at local places and hit the Bazaar Bizarre where I scored a couple of things for me (90% of the shopping was done before Thanksgiving, given my general fear of shopping centers during the month of December). I got my “Hot Rod” Williams shirt from C.L.E. Clothing and will be sporting it at the game next Tuesday.  We hit a bunch of fun things and the girl is so enamored with all things Christmas that it’s been lots of fun.

There’s been lots of unbloggable things going on lately, nothing bad just not for public consumption yet so I don’t have much to say.  So, instead of rambling on anymore, here are some highlights of the last few festive weeks:

The Night of Lights @ Legacy Village
(tip for anyone going next year – go a little early and get a spot on the balcony near Melting Pot – best view, no crowds)

Helping me get the assigned side dishes together for Thanksgiving at my parents

The annual making of graham cracker houses at grandma’s house

Cousins M & A and M stringing popcorn and cranberries for the birds and deer at grandma’s house

At Kringle’s Inventionasium in Tower City. Very cool for me and Mark, M was a bit freaked out by it all

Meeting the Abominable Snowman & Rudolph at the Public Square Tree Lighting

Watching the fireworks at Public Square, with Terminal Tower dressed for Christmas in the background

Of course she helped decorate the tree.  This meant she put every single ornament on one branch. We did some rearranging.

Her favoriate ornament – Rudolph (purchased for her in 2008)

1800 lights and countless ornaments from my childhood (the oldest, still in tact ornament being a 1984 breaddough angel I made in Sunday School). We get a new family ornament and M gets a new ornament every year.

Last night we started a new tradition – lighting a menorah and playing dreidel. M is learning all about Hanukkah at her Jewish preschool and was asking where our menorah was at home.  We figured why not? So after a mad scramble on Friday night (after I realized that Hanukkah started this week and not next) to get a menorah failed, we made one together using Play-Doh.  It’s a fun new twist on our holiday and assures us at least 30 minutes a night of all 3 of us around the table playing a game.

All that’s left is an early Christmas celebration with my family (my parents travel during the actual holiday), a relaxing Christmas at home and then the Cleveland Children’s Museum New Year’s at Noon party.

I hope you all are having a great holiday season and are avoiding the stress that can come with it!