Getting in the Christmas Spirit

Like every December, we kept very busy with lots of Christmas-y activities and hustled and bustled around getting our family of five ready for Christmas and our trip to Utah.  

Rachel had a darling preschool program.  She did great as the star (even with all the face itching), and did good on her parts.  Rachel's memorized parts were:  "H is for Happiness, the feeling we find, as we think of the Christ-child, the infant divine." & "S is for Shepherds, who first saw the star, over Bethlehem's manger, they followed it far." & "X is for excitement, we express with our laughter, and all the exhaustion we feel the day after."  In class, she also made us a gift for Christmas, and was challenged to keep the present a secret, which she actually did (the gift was painted coasters).  

Rachel also had Miss Jenee's dance and singing recital, and they did a medley of children's and Christmas songs including Anatasia's, "Journey to the Past" and Polar Express', "When Christmas Comes to Town".  She improved a TON from her last performance, and we were so proud of her for trying so hard.  She really has enjoyed the class, but wants to try ballet & tap.  I will miss her singing these types of songs with the cheesy actions!  Our reminders to her before the show were to smile lots and not touch her face or bite her nails - she tends to do both of those things when in front of people.  Really, she did SO good, and I got a tiny bit teary eyed watching her perform, although I can't really explain why.  A mom thing, I guess.  

We went to the Scottsdale train park with the Trendler's and I was glad that they had been there before and knew the ropes.  We arrived early and Chris held a spot for us in the train line while the kids rode the carousel.  The train ride in the dark with all the Christmas lights was magical for the kids and really fun.  Then in true Arizona fashion, they played in the playground until it was bedtime and we had to go home.  Both Andrew and Rachel fell asleep in the car - a good indicator of how good we did at wearing them out.  

We did many Christmas activities (i.e., hot chocolate, saw Christmas lights, read our Christmas books, ward party, etc.), but one night in particular, daddy brought home two gingerbread houses for the kids to decorate.  We let them have full reign, and the result was not surprising at all.  Andrew ate most of his candy before it made it on the house, and Rachel knew exactly what she wanted it to look like and meticulously placed all the pieces ever so carefully.  I love the picture that we got of them and their gingerbread houses - too funny!  

I felt like we saw Santa ten times (not really), but I had heard good things about Bass Pro Shop's Santa and so when we happened to be in the area and Kendall was being good, we decided to stop by.  It was early in the afternoon (during most kid's naptimes) so it wasn't busy at all.  They also had free coloring activities for the kids and a free caurosel ride, plus their fish display and other stuffed animals.  All that plus no line for Santa was a success in my book.  And I thought he was cuter than the NPX Santa we saw in Flagstaff.  

Rachel and her preschool friend, Brooklyn

Rachel's class in their nativity costumes

Miss Arlene!

If only she'd actually suck on the binky that made it in this picture!  We've tried every single brand.  grrrr

Train park with the Trendler Family (Paul & Kate)

Dress Ups - nice kicks, Bubba! 

Her first day of church was uneventful - she slept through most of it.  

Kendall looks thrilled.  

5 weeks old

funny squishy face!

Lots of new Christmas warm jammies around these parts, 7 weeks old

Bass Pro Shop Santa

Gingerbread Houses - Andrew's couldn't keep candy on his house, and is still trying to eat it!

RECITAL VIDEOS parts 1-3 (vimeo was being weird about the lengths, so I cut it into 3 pieces)

PASSWORD:  star  (same password for all three videos)

Rachel's on the back row on the right.  My favorites are the 1st and 2nd songs in this first video - she holds out the notes longer than the other girls and she is good at making sure she stays in the right spot.  She also shows some extra dance moves and has some pretty sweet jumps in the 2nd song.  My other favorites about the video is the special hello to mom and thumbs up.  I also couldn't cut out Andrew's relentless request for "snack, snack, snack!" at the very end.  I'm sure I'll miss him asking me that one day.