Bella's Christmas Play

Another year passes and another Christmas play. This year they did the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. And Bella was Goldilocks! As usual we sat with Mia and her husband and it was nice to see them again as I hadn't seen them since Bella's birthday. Eloisa was pretty good and Bella and Natu were crazy as usual after it was over.

She's a thinker

Finally this year they sit Bella and Natu together...so they were both better behaved!

"Is this going to be much longer?"

Bella and Natu being crazy as usual 

Nea, Bella and Natu

Trip to Santa and Rovaniemi!

Off we went to Rovaniemi! I decided back in September when there was a seat sale to Rovaniemi that Bella was now old enough to make the trip worth while. That she would enjoy it and possibly remember it. So off we went to see Santa! We stayed at my friend Riitta's house. She wasn't there for most of the time so it was like having our own place there. It was really good because she doesn't live too far from the centre (a walkable distance) and everything we needed was within walking distance! Couldn't ask for more than that! And when we did walk into the centre the afternoon we arrived, we happened upon something called Reindeer Days. Very cool. Isabella got involved in a reindeer race.

We were going to visit Santa Village and Santa Park on Saturday as they are only about 2km apart and there is a bus between the two but we were having so much fun at Santa's Village that we didn't have enough time. So Santa Park had to wait until Sunday...which was just fine as it was nice to be able to take our time at both places. We had lots and lots of fun!

On the plane

Bella keeping Taneli calm before the plane takes off

Police Reindeer!

Isabella prepares for the reindeer race

She has her reindeer ready to go

brave enough to pet the reindeer

Taneli "babysitting" the girls at Riitta's house

On the bus going to Santa's Village

This is where Santa's workshop is

At the Arctic Circle

The light wanes very early here on the Arctic Circle

Bella and Taneli are going ice tubing

it is about 3pm at Santa's Village

waiting in line to see Santa

striking a pose while waiting for Santa

on the way out of Santa's Grotto this video was playing on a smoke screen

Time to start heading back to the house...

PJ time!

3rd day in Rovaniemi- on the bus to Santa Park...playing chess on Taneli's phone

the entrance to Santa Park

a giant snow globe...it was great fun!

Angry Birds activity area in Santa Park

the ceiling of the food court at Santa Park

watching the elf show

different day, different santa

They had a santa's workshop train (like a ghost train)

Santa workshop train

Bella tried out her calligraphy

Eloisa tried to eat the calligraphy pen

Crossing the Arctic Circle underground- on the other side of this entryway is an ice sculpture freezer

Getting prepared to see the ice sculpture

Inside the ice sculpture room

Bella really enjoying the elf show...dancing away with them

Eloisa and I went in there...we weren't there long 

We went to Elf School

Introducing Elf school

Bella demonstrating how an elf spies on kids through windows to make sure they are good

learning how to tiptoe like an elf

we went back to see the ice sculptures

the Princess in her throne

practising her icy stare

exhausted on the bus on the way back from Santa Park

riding a skidoo in the airport getting ready to go home

Riitta and Eloisa on the skidoo

We made it home...and someone is practising her sitting!