I think our Christmas Eve tradition is to do something different each year (it drives Kyla batty).  But this year was more low-key that usual, so we make plans to go to the Brazilian churrascaria (sha skah DEE uh, at least that’s as close as my English tongue can get) in Bellevue.  We had an early 3pm reservation so we could go to the 5pm candlelight service.  Since my parents were with us, we managed to even show up a little early!

This had been on our list for a while—our new thing to celebrate Dad’s birthday is to try a “unique dining” experience.  Last year, it was the medieval Bors Hede Inn, and this year, we decided to treat him to a traditional Brazilian Steakhouse….two months late (Need-time). 

If you haven’t been to one before, it really must be experienced, so with that, I let myself off the hook of giving more details.  However, I will admit that Fogo de Chao is the nicest churrascaria we’ve ever been.  It was the perfect meat, I mean meal, for everyone!

But what turned greatness into pure magic was the snow that began to fall halfway through the meal, making the afternoon even more perfect for 6/7ths of us.  Sorry, Mom. 

Honey, take an ‘elfie!

My parents karma ran into Need carelessness and, of course, we were 10 minutes late to service.  And coming out, the world was white and wonderful.

A white Christmas is coming!

We’re off on an adventure, starting the day with smiles.

We met Rochelle, Mabel and Ruby to carpool downtown.  The first stop?  Convention Center for easy parking.  (Because you are either going to take the first parking spot you find and pay $25 for it, or you drive around looking for a cheap spot, and you park farther away, and still pay $25. That’s my experience, anyway.)

And then we quickly found the Gingerbread Houses!  Mama love.

 

The octopus is made of Swedish fish.

 

It made me hungry for candy and I don’t even like non-chocolate.

Then off to the carousal!

  

All that makes us hungry (again), so the monorail brought us to the food court and Seattle Center with the Winterfest Train. 

Everything looked great until I got a closer look at hotballooner. 

Then we’re off to the much anticipated ice-skating…with real ice this time!  Badly groomed, but the kids were thrilled with the upgrade from last week. 

We let them get the rest of their energy out at the playground before taking the Monorail back to downtown.

Nearing the end of the day, we made a quick stop at the Fairmount Hotel to see the life-size Gingerbread House (and what kid doesn’t want to lick the walls?).

Then even a quicker turnaround, as we see the line into the Teddy Bear Suite, and decide that no teddy bear is worth a queue on the Friday afternoon. 

But even with a dead car battery, and ahem, bags of candy, we still ended the day with smiles, too. As Wesley chirped: This is the best day ever!

Wesley had heard a song about a kid who wore 17 shirts at one time.  You know where this is going, right?

Wesley could only find 12 to wear, but he wore all dozen for an entire night and day.  Under strict orders, he only put two in the hamper.

Grandpa calls for Piper’s help whenever he’s ready to bottle the new batch of wine. 

First, she helps prep the bottles.

Then, she uses a syphon to fill them.

Next,  it’s time to secure the bottle cap.

Finally, the bottles get a personalized label.

Nice Job, little Elf!

After a drenching 24 hours, we woke to cold blue skies. So I took myself for a walk around the long beach loop.  The island is still magical to me, as an eagle soared overhead and the fresh snow on the Cascades stood out against the blue water.  Love this place!

We celebrated family Christmas a bit early and let the kids all decorate their gingerbread houses as they waited for dessert (hardly eating any of the extra candy, I’m sure)!

Can one call it “ice skating” when the ice is plastic pieces fit together and coated in a thin layer of oil? But the kids liked it well enough before demanding I take them to a real ice rink over break.  Okay, kids, I promise.

The cabin wasn’t rented as much the first half of December , so we got a few days there.  The kids spent time building and playing.

Kyla was proud of her tower.

Wesley did the same the next week, and threw in a bedroom barricade to up the ante.

All the kids got time with their island friends.

Sun sets just after 4pm these days!

She saved and saved and saved…and finally she was able to go to pick out her new pet.

She’s proud to introduce to you

Bumpy the Leopard Gecko!