Adeline: When you sit by the tree on Christmas Eve, you get the feeling that there is something magical going on. You feel the magic going around you and filling the room. As you climb up the stairs, you hop into bed, and you wait for something extraordinary to happen that you just know is magical.

You dream about reindeer, and you dream about being in Santa’s workshop and all the presents. You see gingerbread houses, candy, and most of all, toys! As you help Santa make his plans you hear your mother say, “Wake up, it’s Christmas!”

You run down the stairs, go into the living room, and look under the tree. You see presents and letters and most of all the magic which you knew was there. You start tearing the paper off the presents and you remember the dream that you had with Santa Claus. The present he had given you in your dream was the exact same one you just opened. The dream was real-the magic was there. You knew all along that there was magic in the air. And that magic that you saw was love.

Kathy: Yesterday Adeline and I worked together to get ready for Christmas. First, Adeline made a wondrous gingerbread house which is filled with sugary candies and royal icing (Adeline’s favorite!). Now I’m just trying to keep Adeline from breaking off the icing and eating it!

We also made Christmas spritz cookies. Adeline wanted to use all the designs and make the dough all different colors, so we have a rainbow of beautiful cookies which also seem to be disappearing.

We then made a huge pot of chili to keep us warm on these cold winter nights.

Adeline is a very capable and resourceful gingerbread house builder, cookie baker, and pepper chopper. She is also a most delightful companion. In fact, I think that the greatest gift I got this Christmas was to spend this time with my beautiful granddaughter.

May your Christmas and New Year be filled with love and magic.