Christmas Eve

 Christmas eve day was filled with watching Christmas movies, playing in the fresh fallen snow, filling the back window with homemade snowflakes, hot chocolate, making cookies for Santa, and reading the birth of Christ in the scriptures.  In the evening we celebrated with our friends the Tarbets and the Smiths.  We had a super delicious dinner and dessert, we played Christmas Bingo complete with prizes, and we did a talent show where Maddie played a couple songs, and Maddie and Sophie sang Angel we have heard on High while Maddie played it.  Garen had a few jokes to share but got shy in front of everyone.  It was a fun evening with friends!!!  When we got home it was close to 10, the kids put on their new Christmas Eve pj's, put out the milk and cookies for Santa and headed to bed.

 Smiths doing Jingle bells with bells-

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Sugar Cube the Elf

The Elf on the Shelf came to our house this December.  The kids named him Sugar Cube and liked that he had the same initials as Santa Clause.  Sophie especially loved waking up each morning and running down the stairs calling Sugar Cubes name and finding where he was hiding.  Sugar Cube liked to leave the kids little Christmas jokes, sometimes a treat, and once a singing penguin.  The Elf knew the kids so well that he brought them a present Christmas morning.  It was the Star Wars Encyclopedia-the same book that we had from the library for over a month and the kids fought over it and wanted to look at it daily.  On Christmas day Sugar Cube left a note saying that just on Christmas day the kids have permission to hold him and hug him before he leaves back to the North Pole for a year.  As soon as Sophie had that go ahead Sugar Cube was in her arms and she says shes going to hang onto him forever so he can't leave.  She's even been trying to bribe him to stay with promises that she will share her toys.  

Here were just a few of Sugar Cubes daily hiding spots-

he even made an appearance in the preschool to keep an eye on the preschool kids-

Goodbye till next year Sugar Cube.

The World in which we live

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- At the very start of their lives, the schoolchildren are remembered for their love of horses, or for the games they couldn't get enough of, or for always saying grace at dinner. The adult victims found their life's work in sheltering little ones, teaching them, caring for them, treating them as their own. The gunfire Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School left a toll both unbearable and incalculable: 20 students and six adults at the school, the gunman's mother at home, and the gunman himself.

Friday December 14 when I flipped on the TV every station was filled with this horrific news of a school shooting.  Maddie and Garen were at school at the time and I couldn't help but imagine my own children in the same situation; huddled together helpless as a maniac with no soul, heart, or mind opened fire.

I can't help but feel sad and a bit scared will I think about this world we live in and the daunting task of teaching our children and keeping them safe.

To make matters worse the following Wednesday rumors were spreading quickly that some Rock Springs High School kids were planning (or at least talking about) doing their own shooting.  I was hesitant to send my kids to school, but they wanted to go and I knew the security at the schools had been increased.  I imagine that those thoughtless teenagers were just trying to get attention and I hope someday they realize the disrespect and fear they caused.  On Friday Dec. 21st, I headed to the kids' school to help with their Christmas parties.  I was met at the front doors by 2 police officers, the principal, the school counselor  and about 6 other adults.  They weren't messing around.  After a more intensive sign in process I made it to Maddie's locked classroom.  Her party was combined with other 4th grade classes because there was 192 kids missing from school that day.  The kids enjoyed their class parties and thought it was kind of fun to only have a few kids at school.  Maddie like that she got to do the gingerbread houses they planned to do in her class and also the ornaments that were planned for another class because of the small number of kids.

Although I am grateful that the school will now have stricter security as a more permanent thing I feel sad that my kids have to have this as a normal thing in their lives.  I feel said that my Kindergartner has to practice lock down drills every month and we have to explain why they are practiced and why their are police officers in the school and why they keep the door locked.
It is a scary world that we live in but I know these are things we must live through until Christ comes again and I and my family look forward to that day!

"Our prayers will be heard when all around the prayers of the wicked will be in vain" -Paul B. Young

So excited for Christmas!!!

 sitting up all by himself-at least for a few seconds!-

Making gingerbread houses with Hansen's and Tarbets

playing with Christmas glitter playdough

cuddle monkey

Candle light dinner

Our advent calendar activity today was a candle light dinner.  The kids loved it.

Preschool Christmas Party

We sang lots of Christmas songs, filled homemade stockings to overflowing with friend gifts, played with glitter playdough, made a Nativity, Made edible Christmas trees, played Christmas Bingo, and watched The Grinch who stole Christmas.  What a fun way to end the 2012 preschool year.

Ice Skating Christmas Party

The girls had a great time at their figure skating Christmas party.  Sophie got to exchange gifts with the only other little girl in the club.  Maddie had a great time to but I didn't get any pictures of her at the party.

Love how Garen has picked up on reading and writing so quickly.  I swear he gets better every single day!

They had to pick an object then write something descriptive about it without help.  If you can't tell it says: A snowman, it is white all over the place on the snowman.  A gingerbread man, it is brown.  Bells are big.  Stockings are lots of colors.  Presents are fun.  Ya ya ya!

Their dance recital isn't until mid-January but I couldn't resist snapping a picture of these cuties when they were trying their costumes on!