Legendary Santa

 Auntie Nora got us tickets for "Sunset with Santa" at the local Children's Museum.  On the way there, the kids were actually more excited about the possibility of getting frozen yogurt on the way home than about seeing Santa, but once we were there I think they really enjoyed it.  It was pretty much just Santa coming down the chimney and then the kids getting to talk to him, but the advantage of going when we did is that there wasn't too much of a line or wait.  The kids talked to the Snow Queen first, then to Santa, who, as you might imagine, was very nice.  (Even though I'm pretty sure he had no idea what Matthew was talking about when he requested "a stuffed Citron from Plants versus Zombies from the same place we got it last year.")

Grandpa and Grandkids

It's a challenge to get four kiddos to smile all at the same time, even for Grandpa!  :)

Grandpa went home on Saturday, and we're back home now as well. Such a great trip!

Twilight Playground

  Before dinner on Friday, we made a quick trip to a playground.  (It was funny -- Seth wanted to go to a playground, so we got everyone ready to go, and then it turned out that by "playground", he meant Daniel's playset out in the backyard! But he was pretty easily convinced to go, and they all had a great time climbing on the rocks and monkey bars.)

Tubbin'

 The little boys convinced Auntie Nora to let them play in the hot tub!  (Which was not a simple matter, since it hadn't been open for a while, and she needed to get all the chemicals in balance.)

All Fired Up

Auntie Nora got paints and pottery, so we have  our own "paint your own pottery" experience right here at home!

Mike did the Terence (Red Angry Bird) ornament, and Matthew did the Bubbles (Orange Angry Bird) ornament.  Matthew also made an orange trivet (apparently to give to Seth for Christmas, although a trivet is not a traditional gift for a four year old), and a jack o'lantern.

Wipeout

Daniel has a Xbox/Kinect game called Wipeout, which is a bit like American Ninja Warrior -- you have to go through various obstacle courses. The twins and Daniel all like it, but as you might guess, James has been especially obsessed with it!

Good Fortune

 The boys have been looking forward to seeing their former babysitter for weeks, and we all had a wonderful time with her and her husband!  We are really glad that they are back on this side of the country. :)  (Interestingly, the boys had a great time collecting acorns even in the middle of the city. Who would have guessed?  And Matthew enjoyed doing origami with N!)