December Wrap-Up

The first weekend of December was Heart 'N Home's company party. 

We dragged our feet a bit but finally got our tree up.  Here's the three stooges looking for the light causing a string of lights to go out.

The following Friday was our ward's Christmas party.  None of our kids cried from sitting on Santa's lap this year, but Lainey still wasn't sure about him.

Saturday, the 12th was Brielle's Tavaci concert.  Tavaci is her choir group that she attends practice for weekly.  They put on a really cute Christmas concert.  Afterwards the kids got to see Santa.

They couldn't chat with Santa long because immediately after, we met up with our good friends, the Williams, to let the guys take the little boys (and Lainey) to the house to be babysat and the moms take the daughters to the Nutcracker Ballet in Boise.  Brielle and I went last year and loved it enough to make it an annual tradition.  We were excited that the Williams, who moved to the Seattle area in July, were back to visit Fruitland for the weekend so Allison and her daughters could join Brielle and I at the ballet.  It was beautiful and we all loved it!  It's my favorite mother-daughter tradition!

For Family Home Evening we made a ginger bread house.  More like we ATE the ginger bread house!

 

I love Todd's masterpiece, the Snowman.

Here's Lainey at the gift exchange at Grandma Lee's on Christmas Eve.

 

 Of course, most of Christmas day she was all about the wrapping paper...

...but outside the paper, these beads were a hit with her. 

 Ashton got the rocket that he raved over time and time again when looking at the toy magazines that came in the mail.  Oh how he wanted that rocket!

 Brielle got a MyTwinn doll.  I was worried it wouldn't get played with as much as she talked like it would when she asked for it.  But she's loving it.  The doll wears pj's at bedtime, dresses on Sunday (but can't come to church), and is generally next to or near Brielle at all times!  So I'm glad it wasn't a wasted gift. 

We had a wonderful holiday season.  I guess we still have New Years Eve tomorrow.  It's wonderful to have Brielle home from school for her Christmas Break.  Ashton's loving it.  At first, she got a little bored, but since Christmas and the arrival of new toys and games, they've both been super content and made one happy mommy!