Christmas 2012

 I have been a slacker as far the blog is concerned.  For those who follow it, I apologize...I've found that posting to facebook much less time consuming and, especially since we've been running around like nuts since Halloween, much more convenient on many levels.  That being said, I'm going to bludgeon you all to death with the Kane Christmas 2012 montage. 

Santa's Visit to Levittown

We start with the annual Levittown area fire department escorted Santa visit...Christopher loved it...

 Matthew....not so much.  But, in his defense, it fire trucks were honking their horns with sirens blaring...it was very loud.

 

Christmas Concert

The next thing on our Christmas agenda was the Emilie Christian Day School Christmas Concert.  Last year, Christopher was less than interested in participating...this year, however, he was very into it.  He might have been a little over the top, but that can't really be a surprise to anyone who knows him. I don't really know what that face was he was making in that middle picture, but I found it funny.  Karen said on facebook that he looks like an old man telling kids to get off his lawn. I think that very appropriate.

 Kane House Decor

...and what would Christmas season be without some holiday decor?  The Kanes kept it simple, as usual.  We have the cool LED color changing lights, the lighted wreath, some lights and garland in the windows, and our garden bordered with ceramic lights.  I also changed the outside lights to red and green bulbss to keep the holiday season going from the front of the house all the way to the door.  Don't worry though, the holiday season didn't die at the threshold!

 We also went out to get our tree.  This is always an adventure...sometimes the adventures are good...sometimes...eeeeehhhh.  Colleen worked with the gentleman to pick out a good tree while I managed the boys and kept them from getting into anything they weren't supposed to and keep then somewhat reigned within the facility grounds (this can be quite a challenge).  Colleen picked out maybe the best tree we've ever had in our short history together.  We'll show more of it later.  For the record, the tree in the photo with the boys posing was not our tree, but I got them to stand still for a second, so I took advantage of the situation.

 The tree was the perfect height and size for our living room.  It is a fantastic tree.  Good job Colleen.  So, after letting the tree settle for a couple of days, the boys and I got to decorating.  I love decorating the tree and the boys make the experience....well...an experience mostly.  We got it all figured out though and the tree was adorned beautifully.

 

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Christmas Preporations

We made our annual trip to Santa as well.  I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

The boys and I make Santa peanut butter cookies...half old school style, and half with the hershey's kisses in the middle.  That way everybody is happy...especially Santa!  These pictures were taken with my cell phone so they're not as good as I'd hoped they'd be, but I think you'll get the picture.

 

"DONE!"

Christmas Day

This day was one of those days where I realized that having more than one child made picture-taking rather difficult.  We did more behavior managing than anything else, but it was really a good time.  The pictures I think don't give the day much justice, but I really tried. 

all the time and money spent on presents and this is what they play with!

Trick-or-Treating 2012

As Hurricane Sandy had come and passed leaving devastation in her wake, there came to pass a much more pressing and serious issue...Trick-or-Treating.  So, although the aftermath of the hurricane did strike the holiday hard, Halloween festivities were not thwarted....just...delayed. 

We were able to get some Trick-or-Treating done on Halloween.  The local mall, The Oxford Valley Mall, worked long and hard to restore power to have it done there.  I'm sure that many children were chomping at the bit to get dudded up in their Halloween costumes and get loads upon loads of candy....

 This was, however, how it ended up...one immensely long line full of hyperactive children who'd been caged inside their houses for a few days, parents who had been caged with those children, waiting forever in said line for what?  About 5 stickers and 6 pieces of cheap candy (3-pack sweet tarts and sixlets....terrible.).  We left the mall with that and a bruised right knee on the Xman after a fall he took outside of JC Penny.

Not to worry though, we were able to get out and get some Trick-or-Treating Proper done without a hitch...just a slight delay.  Falls Township had changed their Trick-or-Treating tot he following Saturday and Bristol Township made theirs the Wednesday after that.  We were hoping on making it a twin killing, but, alas, it was blustery, frigid, and miserable that Wednesday...so we got as much in on Saturday as we could.

All my wife's cousins and their kids met up in Fallsington (all a part of this Levittown phenomon...I'll get into that another time) and got rockin' it old-fashioned style.  After Fallsington everyone met up at Aunt Bet's house for the Notre Dame game and the older kids continued their Trick-or-Treating. It was a very fruitful night for all the kids, especially the older ones,  Well played, Falls Township and Bristol Township...well played.

The Cousins' kids and their costumes: Christopher (NY Giant), Max (Bat Man...I guess really Bruce Wayne since he didn't have his mask on), Ben  (Ninja), Darien (Unicorn), Kaylee (Witch), Camryn (Pebbles), and Matthew (football ref)