Christmas Festivities

We organized our 2nd annual Christmas Carolling with friends which we did on Monday the 10th.  This year we had the Petersons, Hansens, Paynes, Pettingills, Taylors, Christensens, Bakers, and Laytons.  Each year I am learning how to make this all work out a little smoother.  However, kinks or not, it's a fantastic time.   Here are a few of the pictures I took of these fabulous people. 

Ila, Sydney and Jace

 

Shera, Benji and Clint Payne 

 

Sage, Hadley and Stacey

 

Kaiden & Austin

Ella & Addy 

 

My Friends.  LOVE these girls!

 

And these parents who kindly give their time and supplies to pull us around the neighborhood and make these fun memories.

 

Dustin's work did a kids Christmas party.  This is the first year we made any effort to go and I'm sad we missed it all these years.  The kids got to sit on Santa's lap, choose a really great toy and eat pizza, cookies while watching Frosty the Snowman and make an ornament.

 

Ella was so brave!  Now I have a picture of all my kids on Santa's lap.

 

Before we left my mom came and took a quick picture of all of us while we had our hair fixed so we could put it on our Christmas card.  She is a good mom.  I promised Ella if she would just wear the red sweater for these pictures she could put her pretty dress and high heels on to go see Santa.

 

Ella has been begging to make Friendship Fudge so I let her make it all by herself to put on the treat plates that we delivered to the kids primary teachers and our home teachers.  She did a great job.

 

 

And the kids had fun making treats in their PJs.  Doesn't get much better. 

 

We got together with Hansens again this year to make our gingerbread houses.   Molly would try to get the candy to stick and if it fell, she ate it.  I think it was her rule.  Notice the bowl of candy in front of her is EMPTY. 

 

Heaven on earth for this child. 

 

Ella did a great job making hers all by herself this year. 

 

Alissa had fun too.  She made a doorknob and a doorbell with Santa at the door and had pretty lights decorating the roof. 

 

The finished projects.  Alissa, Molly and Ella's.  Glad to see Molly's had any candy left on it.

 

 

Our elf came back this year.  His name is Jingles this year.  He got sick for about 4 days after Molly touched him and his magic was taken away.  However, after a big apology letter taped to the front door from Ella posing as Molly I think Jingles felt like giving them a second chance.  He's been busy watching the kids make good choices everyday and reporting to Santa and finding clever places to hide.

 

The kids immediately run to the living room every morning to see if Jingles has moved.  Most every day he is in a different spot.  It sure is crazy how motivating this little guy is.

 

Got our presents bought and wrapped.  Only 1 week left and 3 things left on our December bucket list.  I think we'll make it.