Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas!

Trying to get into the Holiday Mood. The house is still a mess, just like one of thresuries states:), but I am working to get it all organized!
Happy HOlidays to all of you!

Our first Tree or Holiday Smells

We got our first real Christmas Tree yesterday. It's our 7-th Christmas--New Year together as a family. All the years before we used a small artificial tree that we got from a flower shop in Midtown. I love that tree..I looks very real, and it grows out of a real tree stump. And I was against cutting real trees for the pleasure of having them in your home for a couple of weeks. Blah, blah, blah...Here we are. Why? Partially because I wanted my kids to know what a house smells like when you put a tree up (I remember waking up to that smell as a child), secondly I wanted to put our presents actually UNDER the tree, rather than on the table, and third I could not put another "no we don't do that" thing on my son this year. Halloween was the big "we don't do that" for this year. So one thing at a time.

It was great. We all went out around 8 pm last night, to the corner grocery that sells trees now. Picked out a fluffy green beauty, and then carried it home. Everyone smiled when they saw us on the street, and I felt particularly proud of my family, marching all together in the cold wind. Bundled up in scarfs and woolen hats. I like seeing my family dressed warmly:) I have no idea why.

And then we decorated it, with random things that we found around the house. I did not have any toys in store, but we had a few thing here and there that fit the purpose. And an Ikea straw toy collection came in very handy.
The cat thought that the whole thing was done to please him, and to make up a new game for him. I did not want to disappoint him, but when he tried to climb the tree, it had to stop.
So now we have a real, green, wonderfully smelling Christmas tree! YAY!
How about you? Are you getting ready? What smells do you find most holiday like?

I am being Santa

Yes, it's this time of the year again. Wishes are being written down, miracles are expected and dreams about the Holidays are swirling around in my kids heads.

The older one (will be 5 on Dec. 23) has a very defined wish list, so being Santa for him is not too hard. He is still into knights and castles, Roman soldiers and good books (which makes me really proud)

The younger one 2.5 years old is just approaching the phase when girlish pink stuff seems more and more attractive. And you should see those pinks! Most of them are the horrible shade of the medicine you use for your upset stomach. I do admit that pink can be beautiful, but somehow it is not the kind that you usually see. So I am on the conquest to fight the excessive princesses and try to give her a slightly broader perspective to life. Which makes finding gifts not that easy.

So I will settle for some puzzles and games I think. And a toy bed for her stuffed animals.

And then there are always books....Toys and children's books are personal favorites of my to look for. I enjoy a good hunt for a great illustrator, an original puzzle or something that is well made and pleasing to the eye.

Last night I was making my list. THE LIST. And these are a few of my favorites that I have come across.

I find the books very well drawn, the colors are fantastic, and the elephants (especially the grey ones) have fantastic faces:) The story itself leaves a bit to be desired, but it is still good. I thoroughly enjoy looking at these books.

The book above is not the one I purchased for my kids, but the illustrator is the same Valeri Gorbachev. I remember him since the days I was little, he draws very unique looking bunnies and wolfs. So when I saw one of those critters on the shelf of Barnes and Noble the other day I had a very strong flashback. I am very glad to see that he has made a wonderful career here in the States. Books from our childhood do stay extra special throughout the whole life, it's been more than 20 years since I saw his illustrations:) Yet I remember them as clear as can be.

The one above has amazingly great watercolor washes ! Such delicate yet strong line work, I should rather say absence of the lines and the watercolors at their best. Also you can see the fox, which I liked so much that put into one of my last watercolors. The book is written by Hisako Aoki and illustrated by Ivan Gantschev

Movie Monday 6

Getting into the Holiday Spirit. My personal favorite, a Nativity animation that is both very naive and extremely deep, like the story itself. And for all of you music lovers a great way to combine Bach with animation. This animation gave me a new understanding of how music can become visible.
Sory folks for not having it all together from the beginning. For some reason I thought it went untill the end, but it only had the first half.
Part 1


Part 2