Christmastime in Detroit

Sometime I am a little down on Detroit.  I have lived in Michigan my whole life and talk about leaving...a lot.  But I never do.  Instead, I have lived in New Baltimore, Macomb Township, Allendale, East Lansing, Royal Oak, Birmingham, and Berkley.  I think I have settled on southeast Oakland County and must face the reality that living in Washington DC, Boston, and New York were all nice dreams, but would never actually be home.  I like that Detroit can be gritty.  I like that it can have a bad reputation.  I like the I have a family history here that I can be proud of, including a grandfather who was one of Detroit's Mounted Police Officers.  How cool is that!!!!!  I also like that I know where to go to have fun.  Tonight reminded me of how much I love living here.

I found this online, on Facebook.  My grandpa is on kneeling,
on the far right.  

Right after Mimi was three, and Violet was still a little baby, I was looking for a place to have a Mimi ~ Mommy Night.  I was searching online and discovered the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House hosts a Christmas Story Time for two evenings in December.  Tonight was our third year in attendance.  We were ushered into the Ford House Gallery and all the children sat on the floor while Mr. Terry reads, "The Night Before Christmas."  This year, Mimi listened while Violet was announcing to the entire room that she had an itch on her foot.  This was an insatiable itch that kept travelling from foot to foot.  Shoes kept coming off and she just could not stop talking about the itch.  At the end of the story, who should appear out of the chimney?  Santa Claus himself.  This year, all the kids got to get their pictures taken with Santa Claus.  Right away, Mimi was determined not to sit on his lap and not to talk.  Which is fine because as Mimi says, "Santa has really big ears and he can hear from far away what I want."  Violet on the other hand was jumping up and down saying, "I am so excited to see Santa.  I am going to show him the puppy on my shirt.  I am going to tell him I want a baby elephant, books, and a dollhouse."  Well, when it was finally our turn to see the big guy, Mimi was true to her word and Violet froze....for a moment.  All of a sudden she points to her shirt and showed him her puppy.  Then in speed talker mode she says, "I want a baby elephant, books, and a dollhouse."  It was pretty cute.  Santa, then invited ME to sit on his lap and the girls gathered around and we got our picture taken.  It was very fun.  

"Mimi!  I have an itch on my foot!"

Ho Ho Ho!!!!

Pretty tree in the Ford House

Yes, I am the only one who looks happy in this photo.
But, I can guarantee we all had a good time. 

On the way home we drove around Grosse Pointe while the girls oohhed and aahhed over all the Christmas lights.  Violet loved seeing all the "castles" decorated.  It was a happy night.  But then again, how could it not be when you are celebrating the season with the ones you love.  

Each year, we kick off the Christmas season by seeing Santa at the Henry Ford Museum, we hear a story at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, we Stroll through the (Anna Scripps Whitcomb) Conservatory on Belle Isle, and ring in the New Year at Pizza Papalis and Campus Martius Park (we are also home by about 8:30 pm.)  We take in all Detroit has to offer, we appreciate what we have, and don't dwell on what we don't have, like light rail transit.  It is nice to take a look back in December and say, hey, we ended 2010 the exact same way as we will we end 2011;  happy!