We always begin our day with breakfast or brunch at a diner or, often, McDonalds. Yesterday it was a diner. The older kids all ordered biscuits and gravy ("almost as good as Mommy's" was the verdict!) and Mr. T and I had omelets. Little Arielle had a pancake and some bacon and apple juice.
Then we go shopping at Ocean State Job Lot where the kids buy gifts for their parents and sometimes for each other. Photo below from a previous year ...
Lastly, we end up at Kellerhaus for the ice cream buffet, browsing the toys and other rooms, and getting a small amount of candy to take home.
This year the five-year-old joined us:
A highlight is always the player piano. 25¢ plays one of a marvelous lineup of Christmas carols and songs.
Photo below is also from a previous year. The kids love to see the piano play. Sadly, last year it was not working, so this year I didn't even think to bring quarters. But we got a dollar bill changed so they could have the fun of seeing it again.
A fun time together, as always. Lots of memories made every year. Two of the kids are teenagers now, but in no way do they seem too old for this sweet tradition.
Oh yippee! The smile on the five-year-old’s face says it all. What happy times for you all and I am so glad that the teens are still on board. (My teens? Not always, 🙃)
ReplyDeleteMerry on!
Yes, she did very well. She actually fell asleep on the way home. We did have a very happy time and it was so neat -- traveling homeward, listening to an instrumental Smoky Mountain Christmas tape (our old van doesn't have a CD player, can you imagine?) the teens in the back seat were singing along and sometimes whistling along. We loved hearing that. The 11-year-old was reading and the 5-year-old had been singing before she fell asleep.
ReplyDelete