Last weekend we checked off the last two items on our Christmas To-Do List: baking Great Grandmas Spritz Cookies using the antique cookie press handed down to me by my Grandma D. and then we took the kids Christmas shopping so they could pick out gifts for one another - a tradition we started last year. The kids were super helpful and excited about making the cookies - a corner turned from last year!
Speaking of cookies, earlier this month the kids had a riot decorating sugar cookies, jumping around in the bounce house and going a bit overboard with the photo booth at a neighbors friends and family Christmas party. That same weekend we took the kids to The Sound of Music at The Civic Theatre - something we’ve been looking forward to for weeks! In preparation for the show we watched the movie together at home and discovered Jeff had never seen it before. Shocked! Since the show the kids have been singing the songs nonstop and it’s brought me great joy!
This month we also enjoyed Natalie’s Christmas Program at GRCS High School. This year the program included both the first and second grade classes for a two part show. The kids did fantastic! Grandma and Grandpa Kladder attended, adding to Natalie’s fan section - we were all super proud.
Thomas also had a Christmas Program performing the story of Advent with his preschool class. His teachers packaged up a super cute slide show complete with videos and sent it to us virtually. Thomas was one of the three wisemen, a role he was already familiar with having played the same role in his preschool class last year. They sang a series of songs with hand motions and acted out the story of Jesus’ birth. Thomas said zero things about having done this at school so the delivery of the file from his teachers was a complete surprise!
We popped out to Ed Dunneback & Girls Farm to visit Santa with some friends and we all still agree that, hands down, this is the best Santa experience in town. It’s $10 per kid which includes your visit, a candy cane (from Santa), cider and a donut (the cutest reindeer ones ever) and this year they had a station set up where the kids could make reindeer food to take home for Christmas Eve - apparently we are suppose to sprinkle the various bits of cereal in our yard for them. Also, where else can you see Santa where there is a scheduled time, meaning you don’t have to wait in line AND mom and dad can have wine/beer during the entire visit?! To top it off they had live music inside and this giant pretzel (pictured below) we ordered was delish.
We visited Meijer Gardens to check out the Trees & Trains exhibit during one of their member holiday parties and per usual it was wonderful. We skipped the line for Santa because we had already chatted with him at Ed Dunneback & Girls Farm and thank goodness because the line was insanely long. They also had cookies and piano performances in the event space but we did miss the usual scavenger hunt that wasn’t provided this year - mostly Grandpa Kladder and Natalie were disappointed.
Natalie and I volunteered at the Grace’s Table Mommas + Kiddos Christmas party where Nat got to hang out and play with the other kids in the activity space while I helped serve dinner in the Moms space. Volunteering was a personal experience for both of us. Natalie made some fast friends and came home with a new bracelet making technique. And it was personal for me because if I can be very honest with you… I don’t like volunteering. The party was on a Friday night and we could have been doing a million other things. I’m not a very patient person and prefer to be in charge. Needless to say, volunteering for this event was a good practice for me - even more so than donating money or being on the BOD. But volunteering is important to me and even more so this time because Natalie was with me. As she (and Thomas) get older we want to exemplify the value of what it means to give back to our community in more ways than one.
We had fun with our friends at Grandville’s Stationary Christmas Parade a few weekends ago. We had no idea what to expect when we got the invite (Stationary Parade?!) but it didn’t take the kids long to figure out it was a lot like trick or treating… candy at each station along the main drag of the city. They also had free mini train rides and horse carriage rides, both of which our kids took part in. Big thanks to Grandma and Grandpa DeWitte for going the extra mile and waiting in line for the kids for the rides while they gathered candy at the parade.
I laughed my face off with some girlfriends at the Trey Kennedy standup comedy show last week. The event was at 20 Monroe Live downtown so before the show we grabbed drinks and a snack at Forty Pearl - Pro Tip: they have good happy hour specials on apps and drinks. Trey Kennedy is a YouTube sensation who makes videos on pretty much any stereotype there is out there. The venue was buzzing and we got a kick out of meeting Trey before the show with our surprise VIP passes. We also found our way into the VIP bar on the second level. Cool moms!! But seriously, didn’t know there was a bar on the second floor inside 20 Monroe Live. Noted.
Last weekend we got together with our Rosewood crew for a Progressive Dinner Party - a tradition we started … I actually can’t recall, many years ago. It’s likely self explanatory but the Rosewood Group consists of all of our old neighbors from when we lived on Rosewood. A few still remain on the street but the majority made moves (just a few blocks away) about two years ago. And despite all the moves outside of the 500 block, we’ve remained friends. And we think that’s pretty darn great. It was magical to sit around the dinner table together and catch up on everyone’s latest.
And while we love our old traditions we also love starting new ones. This month I gathered with Ottawa Hills neighbors for a ladies only gift exchange party. The theme was ‘our favorite things’ and we had a riot opening and stealing one another’s gifts. The holiday made for a solid excuse for us all to drink wine, eat cheese and hang around the fire together. These women are a huge blessing to me and I’m so happy to have them as my neighbors and friends.
December is always a good time and it’s not over yet! This weekend we celebrate with both the Smiths and the Kladders for what’s sure to make some memories and remind us what this time of year is all about. We wish you and your family the very merriest of Christmas’ and the happiest of the New Year!
Postscript - Things worth mentioning…
Sidebar - It’s open! Jeff and I grabbed an after dinner cocktail here for the first time since pre covid and it’s just as good as we remember.
Forty Pearl - Last week we discovered their Happy Hour menu is pretty great! Deals on drinks and apps.
This Cheesecake Recipe - I was assigned dessert for my families Christmas party and I dug up this super simple recipe from a few years ago that was a huge crowd pleasure. Ever heard of a ‘Bain Marie’? You bake the cheesecake in a second pan of water. Turned out great the first time. Here’s hoping!
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Currently reading and LOVE it. I expect to close this one out by the end of the holiday weekend.
White Russians - Tis the season! I recently realized that we hadn’t yet broken out that bottle of Kahlúa. Fixed that right quick earlier this week.
