Santa, Santa, Santa...and Santa!

 She was pretty stoked about her new snow shovel!

 All dressed up for Breakfast With Santa at Brookfield Zoo.

 The best Santa was at the HIP!  (Harlem & Irving Plaza)  No smiles for the camera.

 "Pretty, pretty."

 The wonder of snow!

 Making her first gingerbread house.

 Busy little hands!

 Santa at our local Park District location.

Best pals!

It's been a fun holiday season so far that has included visiting FOUR Santas!  Overkill?  Sure!  Margaux is just so much fun this year that we kept doing the Santa events with her...fun for us too!  We look forward to spending time with family and friends in the weeks ahead, as well as taking the time to remember what this holiday is REALLY about.  Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year!



The Snowy Day

"One winter morning Peter Margaux woke up and looked out the window.  Snow had fallen during the night.  It covered everything as far as he she could see." 

-The Snowy Day, Ezra Jack Keats

Forest Park Holiday Walk

 Our little animal lover meeting Prancer!  She and DaDa enjoyed the holiday walk on Madison in Forest Park.  Fun for kids and fun for the adults to browse the cute shops.

 Meeting Santa for the first time this season...planning to hang out with him again a few times in the weeks ahead!  Patrick overheard this "Santa" complaining after he put Margaux down that it wasn't good for his back.  Nice.  She weighs a whopping 29 pounds!

GoGo loving on her Christmas tree!

Holiday Prep

 Margaux and Daddy spent Thanksgiving with dear friends.  I worked.

 Heading out in the bitter cold to cut down a Christmas tree!

 Jasper & MVP checking out the animals at the tree farm.

 Patrick prepares to conquer the tree.

 Margaux demonstrating how Daddy had to crawl under the tree.

 This is my kind of hunting...no bundle of deer carcass!

 The finished product!  Went kind of girlie-fun theme this year for MVP!

The Greatest Show On Earth

 All dressed up and excited for the circus!

 Ryan and Margaux

A few weeks ago we went to Ringling Bros & Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show On Earth at United Center.  We met up with my friend Melissa, her mom and her kids.  I have never been a fan of the circus because I struggle with the ethical issue of the animals that they use.  However, I went to the circus when I was little and it just seems like a rite of passage in childhood.  I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of this production and how 'Cirque Du Soleil' it was.  The elephants seemed happy and healthy enough (?) but I wanted to cry when the tigers came out.  There were so many of them and their part in the show was so minimal.  The cages...*sob*  Anyway, MVP thoroughly enjoyed herself and paid attention the entire time!