Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas, full of surprises for all of us! Emma, of course, was excited about Santa's visit, and left milk, cookies, and a letter for him for the first time. We were surprised that she slept in until 10 on Christmas morning! Then, Emma was surprised by Santa's gifts and for the first time needed no encouragement to tear them open! Grandma and Grandpa Isch, Aunt Kristen and Uncle Jason arrived a few hours later, followed by the rest of the Isch clan in the evening. Our final surprise of the day was a visit from mom's cousins Jared and Julia and son Justin, from Florida. Justin is just a few months older than Emma, and she enjoyed having a playmate in a house full of adults! On Tuesday the 28th, we celebrated a belated Christmas with Grandma Coe and Aunt Linda, who were unable to come on the 25th because of a too-White Christmas!

The Nights (and Days!) Before Christmas

I haven't updated this lately...maybe because we've been busy doing all the activities in these pictures! They include Thanksgiving, the holiday parade in Toledo, the Toledo Zoo lights, the luminary tour at the arboretum near us, picking out her first live Christmas tree, face painting at Mom's school party, the Victorian House near us decorated with themed trees, baking cookies with Grandma Karen, performing as a flower in the church Christmas play, playing with cousins Bobby and Lily at Papa Norm's Christmas party, going to Disney on Ice, visiting Children's Wonderland animated display, making a reindeer at Build-a-Bear with Beth, visits with Santa (who she now loves, after being terrified the last two years) and a few other activities I may have neglected to mention! Phew!

Halloween Happenin's

Emma has had 3 opportunities over the past week to dress up in her witch costume and enjoy some Halloween festivities. Last Saturday, the 23rd, our church had a "Trunk or Treat" night, with an hour of games and activities followed by a chance to walk around the parking lot and get treats from church members passing them out from their trunks (of course)! Since our trick or treat night was going to be on a weeknight, Grandma Karen, Grandpa Norm and Grandma Sheila all came down for Trunk or Treat instead!
On Monday the 25th, a restored Victorian house in town hosted a "Costume Spooktacular" event. The house was decorated for Halloween in a festive, not haunted way, with costumed volunteers (mostly retirees) passing out candy in each room. At the end of the tour, we went back outside for a hayride!
Finally, trick or treat night was on Thursday the 28th. For some reason, we always seem to have it on a weeknight, so we were lucky that several family members were still able to come, including Grandma and Papa Isch, Grandma Coe, Aunt Linda, and Aunt Kristen. Emma got her cast off that day, too, so I think she was feeling a bit overwhelmed when everyone arrived and had a bit of a meltdown. Fortunately she snapped out of it when she saw the trick or treaters coming up the driveway! It was a chilly night, so Emma wore her coat, gloves, and hat with her costume, but she didn't seem to mind. Then we all came back to the house and watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!"