sugar and spice, naughty or nice?

And, so it begins....the holiday season. 

List of things to do:
1.  Christmas pictures for the wee one -- to prepare, make sure said-child has PLENTY of opportunity to practice smiling:

2.  Bake cookies at Grand D and Grumpy's:

this is what happens when you let little hands "sprinkle" the sugar....is there a cookie under there???

yes, she has flour on her face, and no, she did not enjoy this photo opp AT ALL

quite proud of her little self

Note to all you bakers out there - This is what happens when you don't roll your cookies out thin enough:

That is supposed to be a snowflake....it looks more like a dilapidated hexagon.  The other mystery shapes featured include a Christmas tree, a gingerbread man, and a sprig of holly.  Bragging rights go to the first person who can correctly guess what's what.

3.  Silly time:

4.  Attend the first office Christmas party for employees and their families:

5.  Attempt visit with Santa. 
(note, there is no picture)
6.  After an hour of prompting, finally get the child to concede to waving at Santa just before he heads back to the North Pole, all while safely tucked in Daddy's protective arms:

7.  Attend the second office Christmas party; employees and spouses only, held at the historic Jefferson Hotel.

 yes, the managing director is Joseph Longo.....my father in law has been holding out on us this whole time!!!!  Perhaps they really are moving into that big ol' house.....

Rockefeller Center ain't got nothing on this majestic beast of a tree.  The ornaments on it were as big as my head.

the famous Jefferson staircase, modeled after the one Scarlet takes a tumble down in "Gone With the Wind"

 Thomas Jefferson himself....in the...er....marble

 yes, that's the ceiling in the main lobby

don't ask.....I'm not 100% sure myself, but this guy hangs out near the entrance

Left to do:

1.  Decorate the tree

2.  Survive the last week at school amidst the restless natives

3.  Bake some more and make the house smell uber-yummy

4.  Receive our house guest for the next 2 weeks, Edgar the Elf.  He will be keeping watch over Anna and reporting back to Santa to let him know whether or not she's been a good girl.