Hanakkah Prayer by Lily and Nicholaus

On December 5th there were 3 little boots, waiting outside on our porch. German tradition says that on the morning of December 6th, Nicholaus will come, and fill the boots of good little boys and girls.
Every time I passed the window that night, I laughed at those three little boots waiting out in the cold. So darn cute.
Nicholaus (pronounced Nick-o-louse) came all the way from Germany for the Herman kids. He had to put a few things in a bag, because as it turns out, their boots are too little to fit a THING.

Bryson was so cute, he was totally in the action with his big sisters looking through his bag and boot.

Everyone looking through their boots.

This year, Hanukkah has been extra special. Well, last year it was extra, EXTRA special with the arrival of our son on the fourth night. But this year we get to celebrate that. And we've gotten to celebrate it with Grandma Carol. It's the first time we've celebrated Hanukkah with Lawrence's parents since we moved here from New Jersey in 2002. Today, we will get to celebrate with his dad too! We've decided to make a new family tradition of doing something special to celebrate the 4th night, and Bryson being born into our family during this special time of miracles.
I LOVE this blurry picture of the kids because it just shows their shear delight opening a Hanukkah craft from Grandma and Grandpa. (Bryson shows off a bath toy!)

The kids have been opening a gift a day before we "light" our (safe and electric) menorah and have really been enjoying the holiday. It's great to see Bryson getting right in there with the big girls to open and play with gifts. He's gotten some little people that all THREE of them have enjoyed a lot. Lily has even memorized most of the prayer in Hebrew. Addie can say some of it too, but she didn't want to for the video.

It's been awesome celebrating Hannukah and Nicholaus (a German tradition on December 6 where the kids each left a boot outside and Saint Nicholaus fills it up, ONLY because he knows we have a German in the house, AND because the other American kids didn't know to leave a boot outside!)