Christmas time is here...

Happiness and cheer
Fun for all that children call
Their favorite time of the year

(A Charlie Brown Christmas)

We started the holiday season on Friday after Thanksgiving with the annual tree lighting at the train station.  This photo isn't the best but I have a hard time with my camera at dusk.  It was chilly, but nothing like what it will be in a month! We dropped off our work of art (the gingerbread house) at Gatto's and headed to the train station for the party.  It was packed with folks drinking hot cider and eating cookies.  The mayor lit the town tree and encouraged us all to do our holiday shopping in downtown Downers Grove (of course).  After the chorus sang carols and everyone sang.  Gotta love small town America.

From november 2009

Sunday we canned our plans to walk in the town Christmas parade because it was drizzling and miserable.  Jim and Erin were supposed to walk with the Indian Princesses.  Everyone was happy to skip it if we could get our tree!  We went to our buddy, the mountain-manesque guy we get it from every year.  He and his kids are from Wisconsin and boy do they have a think accent.  It must be way up north Wisconsin.  They are lovely people and we have been getting our tree from them for a long time.

We did a better job of picking a smaller tree this year.  Last year we thought we had picked a small one and then it turned out to be so wide we had to smash it in.  This years tree is a winner.  I absolutely love it.  I'll post a pic when I am done with the lights.  We ran out and so did Home Depot, Hobby Lobby and Wal-Mart.  Can you believe that?

The kids are wimps about picking out the tree.  Every year they are thrilled to go and then last all of 5 minutes outside looking at the trees.  Before you know it Jim and I are the only ones out there and they are in the car ready to pull out.  I grabbed this quick shot before we pulled out.

From november 2009