Let the Christmas Traditions Begin!

I love December. I just do. And for all the reasons everybody else does: reflection on the past year, the magical feeling of the holidays, looking for Christmas cards in the mail, family, Christmas music, traditions, the "feeling" and so on.

So Let the Christmas Traditions Begin!

Timpanogos High School's Honor Students host an annual babysitting night for the children and grandchildren of its faculty and staff. My kids went last year and had the time of their lives. And so it was this year! I dropped off all four children at 5:00pm Friday night where we were greeted by incredible students and their supervisors. My children were whisked off for four hours of face painting, crafts, visit from Santa, music, balloon hats, dinner, games, treats and a movie. When Dave and I arrived back at the school at 9:00pm, our children were enthusiastically waiting to tell us about their adventures.

Merry Christmas from the craziest kids on the block!

Blue tongue and sticky balloon tell the story of how Alyssa felt about the party!

Sheesh!!!! I think we're stuck in Halloween mode with Austin

Taylor loved her new look with a cute braid from one of my students, Aimee, who always has the cutest hair!

I'm sure it will be no surprise that this was the biggest hat made at the party.....

ADVENTSINGEN

Am Sonntag, den fünften Dezember um 7.30 Uhr

On Sunday evening, Taylor and I attended Adventsingen at the Provo Tabernacle with the THS German club and tons of students and parents from Oak Canyon Jr High. Adventsingen began 35 years ago in Provo following a tradition from Vienna, Austria at Christmas time where people come together to hear scripture and carols centering around Christ. It was lovely and we had a great time. Here we are!

Making the GINGERBREAD HOUSE
and COOKIES GALORE!
Family Home Evening
December 2010

I decided it would be fun to include some family in our family annual tradition of making, um, assembling a Gingerbread house! When Poppi arrived, Alyssa ran to him (as she always does) and leaped into his arms for a dance (as he always does with her). TOO CUTE! Here they are dancing around in our kitchen:

Dancing with Poppi!

Having Cheri's two teenage daughters there was heavenly! Elex took over the cookie making while Hope was in charge of the Gingerbread house.

Jaxson and Alyssa loved decorating the cookies! And they tasted soooo good!

Could he BE any prouder?

Happy times at the table!
Grandma Barbie and the grandkids!

And don't forget the instigator of the evening.....JODY!

The gingerbread house turned out awesome thanks to Hope! We love you!

THE GIRLS

Alyssa dancing on Aunt Cheri's lap!

AND THE GOOD TIMES HAVE BEGUN!!!!