December 2011

Don't you hate it when you look at your blog and realize that all of the posts you have written in you head never made it to the computer?!  That is how I have been feeling this past month.  I love the Christmas season and really want to remember all the details, but it seems that our blog is what has suffered, I am sure I will regret not writing down more of the memories, so here is my meager attempt at a recap.

One thing that seems to kick off the holiday season for us it Christmas Tree Lane.  This gives people in our community to share their talents with everyone.  There are also beautiful trees on display for everyone to see.  This year Madison danced.  Her class did a really cute tap dance to "Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland".  She did a great job.

We did some baking this month.  Allie enjoyed every last bite of it.  I am pretty sure that she survived this month on cookies.  I love her in this cute Tinkerbell outfit.  She was really good to let the kids dress her up, and she especially loved the wings.

 

 

This was our gingerbread house for the year.  I think most of the candy ended up in their mouths. 

Our K-2nd grade elementary got a special surprise just days before Christmas.   It was a secret to the kids and the anticipation was almost too much.  The students were taken to the airport for the arrival of a special guest.  The kids were so excited to see Santa fly in.  After arrival there was an assembly at the school where the secret was revealed.

The scouts in the picture above gave service to earn their Eagle Scout award.  They are from across the state and each took part by raising money and collecting donations for a title one school, that school was ours.  They school received supplies for their classrooms and well as individual supplies for each student.  The kids were so excited, Christmas definitely came early for these students! And the homemade cookies from the lunch ladies topped it off.

Tom got his Christmas present early this year.  Yes, that elk is hanging in our house. I have to admit that it isn't as bad as I had dreamed.  When Tom first brought it into the house Allie screamed her lungs out, and I thought maybe that would be my ticket to hanging it in the garage, but she warmed up to it a bit to quickly and now just points and says "daddy elk". Tom was really excited to get it back so quickly, I guess getting a mount back in just over a month is unheard of.

The Nutcracker is also another of our traditions.  Madison had three parts this year, the soldier, angel, and flower.  She is such a beautiful dancer and did an excellent job. 

Even though she would deny it at the moment, since she is going through a tom-boy phase, she loves to dance, and we love to watch her.

The second grade did their "Polar Express" program.  Emma wasn't to thrilled as you can tell.  The story:  The entire time they had spent practicing for the program she was able to sit by Jake, her cousin and best friend in her class. The day before the program for the parents she came home from school and burst into tears.  She told us that she had to switch spots for the program and had to sit by "some guy" she didn't know.  She was heart broken.  I guess it was one of those parental teaching moments where we told her that she would be fine and that the "guy" probably needed someone nice to sit by him.  She was not pleased, but she did survive. 

The program was so cute, I love that they were all wearing pajamas.  Emma was much happier after the program was over, now we just need to get some new songs in her head, she keeps singing "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas."

Christmas wouldn't be complete without a visit to Santa.  This was just one of the four times the kids were able to rattle off their desires to the big man.  What a magical time of year.