Sugar Cookie Christmas Trees

We have several Christmas traditions, but we don't do each one of them every year. We always deliver ornaments (instead of a plate of goodies) to 6-10 families. Sometimes we carol as we deliver and sometimes we don't.
Last year we decorated Gingerbread Castle cakes and this year we did Cookie Trees. We made ornaments from kits that Brady's family sent us last year, but we just didn't get around to touring the neighborhoods to see all the lights.
I think that my biggest regret this year is that I'm not sure we did enough of focusing on the true meaning of Christmas. Keddi made up a song about what she wanted from Santa. I know, she's 7. Still, it has caused me to decide that I need to find some things that we can do as a family that cause us to think of the Savior throughout the year.

Whitakers

Dan and Jen and their kids came to visit us for the first time in 5 years. They were stationed in Hawaii and we visited them there 3 years ago, but that is a long time too. They have been living in San Diego since his last reassignment. In Feb. they will be transferred to MAINE!! 
Dan was a roommate of Joel's when I met them. Dan and Jen started dating sometime after that though, they had been friends for quite a while. We love them and so enjoy their visits. Luckily for us, we are on the way to Dan's parents (when Dan and Jen have lived in California.)

The morning they arrived, Tersa took Angie (dog) outside to "potty" and a bigger dog came and they took off. Tersa has been training Angie to be outside without a leash and to stay nearby. But, Angie is afraid of big dogs and Tersa didn't see it coming. It wasn't with anyone and the two of them took off. We went searching and then Mardi made posters but we haven't heard anything. So the dog we had for 14 months (and paid $200 to have spayed) is on the run again. We no longer have a dog. And I am at peace.

Shinara's class Christmas Party

Every year that our girls were in Ms. Vega's class, the Christmas party had four centers where the kids played games and did art projects and decorated cookies. But not this year. It's weird to see her change things, but she has been ill this year and she has children that she adopted so her life has been a little different from the years the other girls have had her.

This year they just sat at their tables with all of their goodies while she opened the gifts they brought her. Then they did this cute little dance that they do in their singing time.

Memories

Hot chocolate and doughnuts after snowball fights and snowman building. What could be better? (A fire. But we only have a gas one. And we've never used it so I wasn't sure how and didn't want to spoil the fun with a house fire. ;)

When they went back out, the older kids got busy with a bigger snowman and the little girls just never tired of their snowball fight. 

Perhaps I should teach the concept of snow"balls" instead of snow "slabs"?

Snow- No Joke

The little girls didn't have school on Wednesday because of parent-teacher conferences. So, they were very excited about playing in it after we picked the big kids up. But we went to target because Tersa was in desperate need of shoes. We stopped by Krispy Kreme doughnuts to have with hot chocolate once we got home.

When we did get home, John and Alex were out in their grandparents yard playing in the snow. As we parked I told the kids to get out quick and go attack the boys with snowballs. The fight went on a good long time and my girls learned what touching snow for long periods of time without gloves really means. They think snow would be cool all winter. Well, they did.

Reflection

I'm doing something right now that I have never done in Vegas and it has been many years since I have been able to enjoy this particular thing.  I'm watching the snow fall outside my living room window.

What is it about the snow? Especially snow around Christmas time. It doesn't matter if you live in a place that snows either. It is still magic. And it doesn't matter if you don't care for snow. Joel has called me two times today about the snow. 

Jesus wasn't born in the winter. But snow at this time of year makes me think about the night he was born. Snow brings quiet (unless children who don't see snow much are having a snowball fight). Outside is quiet. Quiet you can ponder in. Quiet you can feel. I love this kind of quiet. I need it. It's been too long.

One heck of a year!

This has been the year for the little girls!! First Disney Princesses and now Santa twice within a week. 

Joel found out Santa would be in his building at work today from 9:00-10:00. Keddi got a bit light headed and nauseous this morning while I was doing her hair, (locked her knees) so she got to come too. 

Shinara's face was precious when they both finally got the courage to go up to him and Mrs. Clause. 
To my dismay the girls asked him for things they'd never asked for before and I am done shopping! (Besides, where to you get an extra $140.00 a piece(after taxes) out of an already spent budget for two Nintendo DS game players?!?!?) Perhaps a visit to Santa late in the season is not a great idea.

Ward Christmas Party

I didn't take my camera because the party wasn't planned by primary, I figured it would really just be dinner and the kids singing. I was right except I forgot one thing.
I've told you that our bishop of the last five years didn't want to have trunk or treats as a ward activity. Well, he also felt that Santa should not be part of our ward christmas activity. So, after five years of not having a Santa, I forgot about the possibility of there being one this year. As the kids finished their prepared songs, we proceeded to sing carols. Then I heard bells in the hall and I jumped. As Santa peeked in the door near where the children were standing, Shinara turned around and what little I could see of her face lit up! She began bouncing up and down and clapping. She has never seen Santa! I hadn't realized until that minute. And even Keddi hadn't seen one since she was 7 months old.
I wish I had brought my camera!

Disneyland complete

We had many adventures on our trip (like when we tried to leave for home and discovered that our battery was dead and had to call for a tow truck to jump us!). And this was just one of them. The ride stopped just as the car Lindsay, Keddi and I were in reached the top and went around the first bend. But Randy, Mathias, Garron and Shinara's car stopped on the way up the hill. A worker came to talk to us and then maintenance guys came up to help us out of the cars. We were the highest car, but I would say this one was in the most difficult position for getting out. And Shinara had been so looking forward to riding this ride! (It wasn't really this dark, but my flash doesn't go very far.) We got a fast pass out of it and used it well to pass up alot of people waiting for the Space Mountain ride. All in all, we had a great trip and a fun Thanksgiving. My little girls have said that they miss being in Disneyland several times since we have been home. I'm glad we were able to do it before they got too big and that the older girls still found it fun too. And the bonus was that we weren't alone. We love the Hahns and love that we know them so well because of spending time together like this.

Princess Day

The little girls and I spent some time in Princess Fantasy Faire. This is the girls Princess coronation ceremony where they learned how to curtsey, wave and dance. Cinderella, Snow White and Aurora eventually joined the celebration and walked the maypole with all of the honorary prince and princesses. As you can see, a curtsey is not an easy thing to pull off!

There is a princess walk in this area that we did not have the time to stand in line for. I felt bad because Keddi's favorite princess is Jasmine and she did not get to see her except for on the steamboat in the night show. I wonder if she does the princess walk. Not all of the princesses are there all of the time.
I made reservations at Ariel's Grotto for lunch. The big girls stayed with the Hahn's. Again, no Jasmine. So Aurora was the favorite of the day. It was funny to see how much bigger their smiles were when she made it to our table. She was very engaging to the girls. Snow White had the voice down pat and Belle needs more practice with starting conversation with the small patrons, but the girls were a bit shy and didn't converse much anyway.

Tom Sawyer Island

Thursday started out cold. After eating lunch the girls huddled around Lindsay for warmth while we waited for Joel to come back with hot chocolate. (Fabulous idea Joel!) It got us warmed and ready for more adventure.

Lindsay said we should go to the island and I wasn't so sure I wanted to spend time there. There aren't any rides and I figured the kids (especially the older ones) would prefer to hit the rides. Lindsay knew better than me!! Every last one of the kids enjoyed this area and ran around, going through caves, up trees.... They weren't quite ready to go when we said we needed to move on.

While waiting for the raft to take us back to the "mainland" we heard some singing and came to watch these pirates sing. It was fun! The sun came out after that and the day warmed.

Minnie's house

We didn't even visit Donald's boat or Mickie's house. Everyone walks through them, but the kids can interact with some of the things in the house and the two little girls were in heaven! Unfortunately the boys weren't as "into" it so we didn't stay nearly as long as the girls could have.

Yep, Keddi (and Shinara) both jumped up on the bed (with streams of people walking past them) and snoozed. They sat at the kitchen table, pushed buttons for the dish washer and to bake a cake in the oven.

Toon Town

Alright, back to our trip. Toontown was fun! But it is geared more toward younger kids. The older girls had taken one of the walkie talkie's Joel bought for just such an occasion, and they went off on their own. (Which may be why Garron looks so pleased in the last picture!)

This roller coaster was short and not too large , but enjoyed anyway! This is pretty much how our visit went, Shinara was ready and willing for excitement and Keddi would reserve judgement. Lindsay only had one hand available to raise!

There aren't many rides in this area. It's more like a playground with A tree house that Chip and Dale live in and then houses for Minnie, Mickey and Goofy and a ship house for Donald. We didn't visit all the houses, but the little girls especially liked Minnie's house. I'll show pictures of that next.

Happy Birthday Joel

On the first Monday of December we decorate our tree. This year it also happened to be Joel's birthday.

Kris's birthday is the 1st as well. He came over after school to do homework and stayed until we were done with all of our activities.
Joel likes cherry pie. Lindsay had just made one last week though so I asked Tersa to make brownies instead. Joel wanted and got cuff links and we gave him the new Narnia movie on Tuesday since that's when it was released.