Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Tis the Season

What a busy time of year...here's what's been keeping me up til all hours of the night :)

Weekend 1-
It started on the 4th with a lovely work party. Yummy Someburros and other treats and a nice time with friends.
Then came the ward party on the 5th. A hayride where on the way we pass wise men and shepherds and Mary and Joseph and end out in a stable. Very nice (we had done the same last year with just the relief society but with the combining wards and the rest of the family it was still new and beautiful).

Weekend 2 -
On the 12th we started the morning with a Pancake Breakfast at school. I was there by 6:45 to set up and start cooking. Keaton came later but didn't want to eat and cried for Santa. ( I think he was feeling sick)

Sorry for the bad pics girls, I'm blaming the cafeteria lighting!

Later that night,I went to a co-workers house for a boat parade. They live on a lake and most people decorated the back of their house and they also decorated their boats. It was a nice ride around the lake and fun to see all the festivities. Wish I had remembered my camera, or not been too lazy to go get it out of my car. It was so beautiful.

Weekend 3 -
This was the last week of school. So finishing projects, buying gifts for co-workers, planning for the class party etc was a bit crazy. Then came a busy weekend again. I was invited to two parties my friend Liz from softball was having a girls night white elephant party. It was nice and relaxing I won a small prize for being able to write the names of Santa's reindeer the fastest. Then during the white elephant I a round brush, nail polish, a headband, and a few other small cosmetic things. I had to leave that party early to head to the next. My next party was forever far (Crismon and McKellips) at my friend Vicki's house from work. Met a lot of nice people and enjoyed being out by the fire. While there I got the call about Keaton's latest accident...Josh wasn't too worried about it so I didn't rush home but I did pick Keaton up just to check on him and made the executive decision to go to urgent care. I call it "Stitches 3.2" (3 years old, 2nd set of stitches).

A late night at urgent care was followed by my ward Christmas program on Sunday. I am the choir director and our normal chorister was gone so I also led all the other hymns...standing up in front of people 6 times is not my idea of fun. But the program turned out well thanks to help from all my choir member, a friend who played the viola and the people who red the narration so wonderfully. Boy am I glad that is in the past.

Well that leads me to this week. Hooray for time off. A trip to the zoo (Keaton and 12 girls..3 not pictured)
Gingerbread houses which he stops being interested in 5 minutes and I have to finish.

Fun with cousins
Shopping
Baking (I only made the peanut butter blossoms with refrigerated dough, the others my mom did)

and more.

I am excited for my sisters family to come into town on Christmas day and for the boys to play with each other. Despite all the craziness that sometimes comes with this season of the year, I am also in remembrance of the reason for the season and thankful to my Heavenly Father for the gift of his Son Jesus Christ my savior and redeemer. I am also very thankful for my family. The bond we share and the way we strive to help one another. I look forward to a wonderful Christmas day with them.

Oh Christmas Tree...

My mom loves the smell of a fresh tree. So every year it's a big ordeal to pick out just the right tree. My dad likes Noble Fir...kind of expensive for a tall one. Mom likes her trees to be really full so we usually end up with a Douglas Fir. They take lots of time unwrapping and shaking out trees, looking to make sure the trunks are straight, etc. They often go to 2 or 3 places just to find a nice one. This year Keaton had an opinion too. Of course he wanted a little one, just the same as him :) The process can be a little long, but it's all worth while when you come home with a lovely Christmas Tree.


First we tried our luck at a nursery.

Then we tried a tree lot.

Finally made it home with a nice tree

Finished product...scarce on ornaments for some reason this year.