Christmas Walk

This past Sunday our little town had a "Christmas Walk". They also had a Christmas parade on Saturday but we missed that. For the Christmas walk, many of the downtown stores that are typically closed on Sundays were open. Several of the stores had refreshments ~ cookies, hot cider or hot chocolate. There was live Christmas music being played outside. There were also horse and wagon rides. Andrew & I went to this Christmas walk, while Carson and Chad stayed home to nap. The weather wasn't so nice, cool and rainy but we still had fun.

We started out with the horse and wagon ride. I told Andrew that I liked the sound the horses hoofs made on the road. He mentioned "But I don't like the way they smell." (There were a few "road apples" along the way). We then went to one of my favorite bookstores in town. They have a nice selection of books, the people working are always very friendly and helpful. They have a small area with a couple of chairs for you to sit and read. Very quaint. I knew that there was going to be a book signing of this book....
It is such a cute book! I think many children would enjoy this book especially dog lovers! The illustrator, Richard Cowdrey, lives around here. He was such a nice friendly man. He asked who I wanted the books addressed to. Andrew was standing there and Richard asked if Andrew was his name, as he began addressing the book. Andrew said "Yes, it starts with an A." I knew from the paper that he was going to be there signing this book but I didn't know they had a new book....
So I got one of each~one for each of the boys, as well as a couple more of the Christmas book for presents. As I was paying, I told Andrew he could look at books. I looked over to the chairs and he had brought a book for one of the employees to read to him and climbed right up in the chair next to her to listen. This boy is not afraid!

We went into a few more stores, checked a few more things off of Christmas lists, enjoyed a cupcake at The Pink Cupcake store. Andrew was so good. Normally he isn't much of a shopper but I kept asking him if he wanted to go home or go to another store. It probably helped that he was able to be outside jumping over rainy puddles before entering the next store.

There was a Santa outside for children to visit. I don't know what Andrew thinks about Santa. He definitely knows that it is a Santa when he sees one. We have never pushed the idea of Santa on him. We have not taken him to see Santa at the mall and he didn't ask to go see this Santa. He does love the movie Polar Express! But he knows that presents are from us, not Santa ~ I think anyways. I think it was last Christmas when we were at my parents house, Andrew was misbehaving and Justin called my parents house asking for Andrew and saying he was Santa. It was pretty funny to us! Justin said he had to be good or no presents. Andrew believed him with a very quick "ok, ok, I'll be good!"

Yesterday I bought a couple of match box cars at Kroger to give to the boys as stocking stuffers. I meant to put them away before I picked up Andrew from preschool but there they lay on the island and Andrew of course spotted them. He kept asking to open them and play with them. I told him they were for a surprise, that they were for Christmas. He picked up the phone and pretended to call the police! (Don't worry he never turned on the phone or dialed anything) But he said "Hello. Police? My mom won't let me open the cars. Can you come get her? Ok Thanks. Bye." Silly little boy.

We also visited the nativity that is set up in the town square before leaving the Christmas walk. I love all his questions as he tries to grasp these concepts! Concepts that are hard for me to grasp sometimes. That God would send his son as a baby for us, that he would later die on the cross to save us. Amazing love.