A Christmas-Filled Weekend

Yes, I know the week is more than half over and I am just now posting about our past weekend! It was an extended weekend, however, so today is really more like my Tuesday instead of my Wednesday.

Saturday was a fun-and-Christmas-filled day with Oliver. We began with the Brooklyn Park Lion's Club Waffle Breakfast. Their waffles are always delicious so Tony and I have made it a habit to attend the waffle breakfasts when we can. The December breakfast also features...Santa! We thought this would be good opportunity to introduce Oliver to Santa, and he was so excited. He woke up asking about it, wanted to get his list ready, and upon arrival went straight up to him. No fear! He hopped right up into the big chair (sitting next to Santa, not on his lap) and proceeded to give Santa his list. They had a great chat, we snapped a few pictures and then we were off to enjoy breakfast. Sadly the background wasn't decorated like you see at the Mall, but Oliver didn't mind. 

After breakfast we headed to our local nursery to pick out our Christmas tree. Oliver helped us find the perfect tree -- he has a great eye! Before dinner we headed to Maple Grove's Holiday Parade. It is a short parade (one or two blocks long) along Main Street. Here is Oliver watching the fire trucks roll through to start the festivities:

I got a chance to hold him up as well:

The parade ended with a community tree lighting:

On Sunday we decorated the tree. Tony strung the lights and then we worked together to hang all of the ornaments. You may recall that we purchased an ornament for Oliver the first Christmas we knew of him (see this post from 2012). We also had one for him from this year. If only I could have captured his joy at having his own ornaments to put on the tree! He was delighted and so very thankful. What a sweetheart!

He really enjoyed hanging the ornaments -- and playing with them! Here are a couple of pictures to share (in the one with Tony Oliver is giving us his best "Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas"):

Monday was a Mommy and Daddy christmas shopping day, during which time Oliver helped Oma decorate her trees. He is so excited for Christmas and for Santa, I don't know how we are going to make it another 15 days!

The Christmas festivities will continue as we have tickets to see Rudolph at a local children's theater this Friday. He is really enamored with Rudolph and his story, so this should be a fun experience. Yeah!