(Insert long sigh here.)  I can't believe Christmas is next week.  While I promised myself I wouldn't get stressed out during the holiday season, the craziness has crept up again like it does every year.

We're busy checking things off of our Christmas to-do list, including visits with Santa, Winter Wonderland Christmas lights, and gingerbread house decorating.

Last week was Jason's birthday, so I ordered him a cheesecake from Top Tier Cheesecakes (his favorite).  Oh my goodness it was good.  If you're in the St. Louis area (or even if you're not, they deliver!!) you must try them.  Nothing like a birthday cheesecake to start off the holiday eating season.

On Friday, after a loooooong day of shopping I brought home a gingerbread house kit for Katherine.  She actually loved it.  Most of the candy ended up on the house.  Only some of it ended up in her mouth.  I think she liked the candy as much as she liked decorating the house.  I can't wait to carry on this tradition with her in the years to come.



Another one of our favorite Christmas activities is watching A Charlie Brown Christmas.  Katherine loves Snoopy and Charlie Brown.  She calls them "Soupy" and "Jim."  I don't know where she gets "Jim," but she calls Charlie Brown Jim.  Whatever.  Anyway, Katherine loves A Charlie Brown Christmas and always asks to watch it.  So, we've watched "Soupy" and "Jim" a lot this week.

On Saturday, we went to Afternoon with Santa where we had pancakes, decorated a Christmas cookie, and of course, saw Santa (for the second time this week).  We saw Santa earlier in the week at the mall.  Katherine is a huge fan of Santa this year.  She talks about him all the time, so seeing him twice in one week was a great idea in her eyes.


On Sunday night, we checked another item off of our Christmas tradition list by going to see the Winter Wonderland lights.  Katherine absolutely loved it, and the 60 degree weather was great too.

Next on our Christmas checklist is baking Christmas cookies, watching Christmas Vacation, and seeing the Singing Christmas Tree at church next weekend.  I absolutely love Katherine at this age.  Everything is so exciting for her.  I love how her little mind works.  Christmas is going to be so much fun this year!