Holiday Happenings '09
I suppose I should re-introduce myself. Even though I've had this blog here for quite awhile, my posts are so sporadic that I don't think anyone knows I'm here!
I'm a transplanted Canadian (so I spell words with "ou" instead of "o" as you'll see throughout my blog. I also throw the odd French phrase or word out there too) living in the heart of the Monadnock region of NH with my native NH husband and young kids. This blog will mostly be about our life in the area, us checking out fun activities and destinations and some not-so-fun ones too because I'm a firm believer of balance in one's life. If you know of any family-friendly local events, email me through this blog or comment on an entry and we can check them out or I can mention them to help get the word out. My goal is not to sound too much like a travel brochure or sales pitch so I'm going to throw in a lot of vaguely personal stuff in the mix. So, come join me as we discover the area together!
That said, November and December was a flurry of activity chez nous. Thanksgiving, Christmas tree cutting and lighting, skating, sledding, snow days, parties, Christmas and New Year's - busy times for everyone.
In the beginning of December we went to hunt down our perfect Christmas tree. Everyone has their own idea of what the perfect tree is, even Charlie Brown, and we found it (our perfect tree, that is, not Charlie Brown's) in Hancock at Kimball Brook Farm - a new kid on the block when it comes to Christmas tree farms. This was their 2nd year of doing the cut-your-own thing and our 2nd year of cutting-our-own with them and I think they've got the perfect set-up for families. It's the kind of place that will give you the warm fuzzies when it's cold and blustery outside, which is where you'll be the whole time you're there.
A tractor-hayride brought us from the parking area to where the trees are, complete with holiday music and jingle bells. There was lots of room for the kids to run around while the grown-ups (I mean, dad) did all the work:
Afterwards, hot chocolate and cookies (the foremost reason for going, in my kids' book. Let's be real, folks.) awaited us in the garage. They were only open 1 weekend this year, but hopefully they'll be open a little longer next year. So take note all you Christmas tree choppers - Kimball Brook Farm in Hancock, NH is one among several options in the area - and our personal favourite!
That same day was the Christmas tree lighting in our town. Always a fun experience if you're willing to brave a bit of a crowd at a time of day when young kids are ready for some overstimulation. Santa's always willing but he's got a fire truck to travel about in. Oh, but there are cookies and hot chocolate! And good friends to share a fun time with. The newspaper always has a listing of these times in the first week of December so keep your eyes peeled in 12 months for it:
I think the tree is there somewhere...
The following week was filled with appointments and playdates (what DO you call them for 4th graders?), but we had some time to visit a local gem, the Mariposa Museum which features handicrafts and artifacts from nations across the world:
My girls really do enjoy it from the treasure hunts that the staff offers, to the interactive exhibits and my personal favourite - the library filled with books about life and stories from all over the world. Lots and lots of activities are to be found here too from games to puzzles to coloring pages.
Almost everything is touchable, but what isn't is marked or put in a glass case or up out of reach of fast, little hands. However because there's so much to see and do and touch there, it may be a harder experience for some kids (and grown-ups) than others. Of course, this is something to which I am no stranger - see here. My oldest even had her 5th birthday party here and well, I left there wondering if they would ever allow a 5 year old to have a party there again, but I think they did and still do so their experience with us must not have been too traumatic. Seriously though, the staff is very friendly and willing to help with any of the great activities they have on hand.
New Year's Day has come and gone. It snowed a bit so we hunkered down at home and did the bucolic New England thing: built a snowman to greet all the drivers speeding down our road and filled our bellies with frothy hot chocolate and giant marshmallows afterwards. Anyway, this snowman showcases all that NH has to offer from white snow to native NH rocks to locally grown carrots to twigs from the woods out back and it was inspired by the snow goons from Calvin and Hobbes, my 9 year old's favourite mischief maker:
To end our December vacation, tomorrow we'll be skating at the Cheshire Arena in Swanzey, NH for anyone wanting to stalk us. They offer a great family skating time from 12:30 to 2:30 pm for a small admission fee. I'll be the one knitting in the stands while the husband flails about on the ice with the kids. :D
Hopefully this winter we'll tackle something we've not done yet as a family - downhill and cross-country skiing - so stay tuned (I grew up on the Canadian Prairies so skiing was not a big sport where I'm from as say, curling is).
