Quick Successions: New Mexico Edition

We opened a few presents on Christmas Eve, but most were reserved for Christmas Day. I got a new sewing machine. My other one died in August. I bought a new one and it broke on the first use. I sent it back and got a refund. I bought another one and chickened out on trying it and returned it. Then I ordered this one at a very nice price for Black Friday. I hope to open it when the holiday craziness is over.  I ordered Hannah and American Girl snack stand. She uses it more like a mini kitchen. She hasn't quite got the idea of using it with a doll yet. She has a doll that she got from a cousin, but she doesn't play with it much. But this set I bought her she visits everytime we go to the mall. Honestly, we both like playing with it. She was very good about helping me with presents. Here she is helping me with a bracelet from my mother. Hannah picked me out this necklace in a store. She brought it home and wrapped it. For dinner, I made sweet and sou...

Hannah and I enjoyed an abundance of Christmas crafting. This year we made gingerbread cookies. I haven't made them in about 5 years. At first, Hannah wasn't sure if she was going to like them, being a diehard chocolate chip cookie fan. But, one taste was enough to convince her.  She was also better prepared for gift wrapping responsibilities. We went shopping and picked out journals for each other and then we wrapped them together. I put the sticker on so she could write the name, but Hannah had other plans. I actually think her dexterity is still insufficient for her to write on that little tag anyway. It just looks funny to have that sticker and then "Mom" written below it.  When we were in a store Hannah saw this gingerbread house kit and wanted to buy it. We ordered a pizza one night and started it while we were waiting. Then we ate. Then we finished decorating. It sat as the centerpiece of the Christmas season on the kitchen table.  I got a...

The Saturday after Thanksgiving I took Hannah to a breakfast where Santa was the honored guest. The child ahead of her said he wanted a trampoline for Christmas and so when Hannah got on the jolly old elf's lap she said she wanted one too. Then when she got off, she started crying because she realized she didn't know what a trampoline was and she really wanted other stuff. I told her she could write him a letter and make the correction, but that would not do. So we waited 35 more minutes after all of the other children had visited The Claus so that she could amend her Christmas wish. It was worth it.  While sitting at the breakfast, she colored a picture and we listened to carolers. Back at home, she decorated a tree she picked out from the craft store and hung the ornaments all by herself. The next Tuesday, I took her to the festival of trees. There were lots of traditional trees and some very modern ones. Here is a glass bottle tree. Sesame Street....