December Highlights

Some highlights of our month of December include:

Relatively warm weather where my kids have still been able to play outside most the time.

Basketball season starting up for McKenna and Zachary....Bret loves watching his little girl hustle down the entire length of the court to make a big defensive stop and practicing with the kids in the culd-a-sac.

Getting a new flash for my camera for my birthday from Bret and Christmas from my parents...now I'm learning how to use it just right...

...just a fun camera effect I like...

Gavin and Claire continue to play twice a week...they even exchanged Christmas gifts with each other. She gave him a sword and a shield and he gave her a sparkly my little pony.

Hosting our traditional Christmas party with friends

we did minute to win it games again and white elephant gift exchange

Jared stacking ding dongs on his forehead

Me, Amy, Emily and Jodi

Rich throwing the water bottle and trying to get it to land standing up

Ryan blowing balls off the table but trying to keep three specific ones on

Amy spinning a toilet paper roll

And then there was the couple match off...

Jodi and Jared Harris

Rich and Emily Evans

Ryan and Amy Quinn

Bret and I...both a little competitive biting our lower lips

Abby had a ballet showing...

She also had a play at school where she was a dancing piece of candy...

My girls and Kate threw a Christmas party for their friends...

the party planners

We did a hot chocolate bar...

a gift exchange...

The third grade girls...

The fifth grade girls...

And we went caroling

...but it was trick-or-treating style as they girls ran from one house to the next

We went to Bethlehem Village to the live nativity with the Quinn's and the Evans...both the boys loved the Roman soldiers who were collecting taxes...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the kids being home from school. We've had plenty of PJ days, played games, done puzzles, watched movies, and played Lego's.

Taking the kids to see Santa...Gavin was sure to tell him his WHOLE list which included: lots of Lego's, Pokemon cards, a black car, and a bell from Santa's sleigh.

Our shepherds dinner...

Going to see a Christmas Carol at a nearby Shakespearean theater. It was a fabulous production and we even got to sit on on stage.

A night at our Bishop's house where we went on a little journey seeking the Christ child. We encountered Isaiah, 3 wise men, Roman guards, angels with spot lights on them trumpeting their trumpets, shepherds in a field, and finally Mary and Joseph in a barn. It was a real highlight of the entire Christmas season. Each person we encountered talked to us a little about their search for the Christ child, we'd sing a song with them, and then they would join us on our journey. This was not a ward activity, but something that this good family does several times every year and invites different families to participate with them.

And then of course there is Christmas itself...but that deserves posts of it's own!