Old and New

It's December.  And it certainly feels like it at the Cibula cottage.

I am up to my eye balls in wrapping paper and ribbon.  The lights are shining outside and the tree is up inside.

The stockings are hung by the fireplace.  And, merrily, there is even one for our little Lucy up there.

So much "new" this Christmas.  A new place for the tree, a new fireplace for the stockings, a new exterior to hang lights, and most importantly, a new family member to celebrate with.

New traditions being made daily, but some of our old staples still in place.

One of our "olds"...Christmas parties at school.  I helped out {well, actually planned} Jack's at school.  It's either this inner teacher in me or the control freak or possibly both, but I took the reins on this one...and I must note...everybody let me.

We did a snowman theme.  I was trying to be politically correct.  Ugh...hate that, but loved spending a full 40 minutes in my favorite Kindergartener's room.

We sang along to Frosty the Snowman on CD, read a snowman book, and then made these cutesie snowmen on a stick.

I wish I had gotten a close up of the final product.  But, I was lucky to get these few photos.  I forgot how demanding a classroom of 18 five year olds can be.  No camera time, but oh, so fun!  Nostalgia at it's worse.

Another "old"...good ol' Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer at Puppetry Arts.  I missed Jack being there with us.  It's the first time in four years that I didn't take him.  And at the same time I couldn't wait for Lucy to join us one day.

For this year, it was Maggie and me.  And you know how I adore my Maggie time.

We joined the Miccas and Ansley {her mommy is about to pop any day with baby number 3 so Cristina caravanned her there}.

After the show we headed upstairs to make our elf puppet.  Herme is his name.  And my, how my Maggie loved adding every little detail.

And a family favorite from the "old" file...Clarence.

He's back!  And he is keeping this family on their toes this year.

Clarence has already filled a bathroom sink with marshmallows, turned the milk green, and over flowed the mudroom sink with bubbles.

So, in with the new and keeping the old at the Cibula cottage this Christmas season.

Merry "Old and New" to you and your family!