I NEED that on my roof

Last week Gerard met my Mother and I at the mall to have Anna's Christmas pictures done. Anna's Christmas dress is somewhat plain by some standards but I just love it. No glitter or glitz. The dress is a cotton, red dress with white poka-dots. I love the little peter pan collar and tab with her first initial monogrammed on the tab of the dress.

We brought a few of our special things with us to the appointment. Rudolph the red nosed reindeer that Jim Dear and La-La bought her last year made the cut. So did the alters that Gerard and Anna play with on a routine bases. With some help from Nanny's red lip stick Anna was adorned with a red nose. The pictures turned out beautiful. What was even better was Gerard took Anna to the indoor play area so I could pick out the pictures without worrying where Anna was.

On our way home we stopped for some frozen yogurt which is my new love. On the ride home Anna started to notice the Christmas decorations outside. Now we usually put out the nativity with a star but in the past no lights on the house. Now if it were me the house would be light in white lights with colored accents but since I dislike being on a ladder lights usually do not go on the house.

I was getting a sleepy little Anna out of the car at home and she lifted her head and pointed at the neighbor's house and said "I NEED them on Anna's house!" When Gerard got home I asked him to just take her outside and she repeated her demand to him as well. He laughed and smiled. Saturday he went to the store and came back with the clips needed to hang the lights. So maybe today he will get a chance when he gets home to get up there and hang the lights.

Saturday we were able to get the Nativity down and just like the past two years Anna took charge of placing the people in the front yard. I just sat back and pictured her this year and with no guidance from Gerard or I she took the plastic characters out and placed them on the lawn. I was amazed by the order in which she decided who was going to be on the lawn first.

Baby Jesus was first, then Mary, and then Joseph all found their special spots on the lawn. The animals were next then the Sheppard and wise men. She is so interested in Baby Jesus which we just love. She made sure that each of the statues had a view of Baby Jesus.