Holiday festivities

Just a couple of highlights from our past week.

1.  Big Ds Christmas party. 

Big D's "room grandmother" decided to have the Christmas party at the beginning of the day instead of waiting until the end.  I was quite happy with her decision because middle d's party was after lunch.  This way, I could make it to both parties.  The room grandmother made a big breakfast for all of the students, teachers and parents that were in her class!

I thought this red wall would make a pretty background for the girls...but they couldn't contain their excitement long enough to get a good shot in.  Maybe I should have waited until they were on their way back from seeing Santa...Oh well.

2.  Middle D's Christmas party. 

This child always has the busiest Christmas parties!  They're so busy in fact, that I always feel overwhelmed when we leave.  This year they had five stations set up:  making chocolate sprinkle covered bananas, icing and decorating sugar cookies, making reindeer food, gift unwrapping, and goodie eating.

3. Cute little d smiles. 

My little d has been trying to give me her "best smiles" for all of the pictures I have been taking!  This is a major improvement from last Christmas.  Isn't her "fake little grin" just adorable?! 

4.  Holiday baking and dessert making. 

One day last week I felt really crafty and baked sugar cookies, ginger bread cookies, and made dirt pie (without worms) with the kiddos.  They were very excited and helpful.  It was really neat having them try each ingredient that went into the gingerbread cookies.  Baking soda wasn't on any ones list of favorites!  Everyone had a different favorite.  Big D's was molasses (yuck!), Middle d's was brown sugar, and little D's was butter!  Her job was to open the butter.  She was holding it in her hand and asked me if she could try it.  Without thinking I said yes and she bit a huge hunk out of it!  Silly little goose chewed it up, swallowed it, and asked me if she could eat more!  Everyone enjoyed cookie decorating.  And while some were very neat and orderly,  other(s) were straight up um....artistic!

5. Moving on to Christmas eve gift opening and preparations for Christmas day. 

Stevens parents have always opened gifts on Christmas eve, so we always let the kiddos open their gifts from them on Christmas eve (any other gifts get opened after Santa's on Christmas morning).  Little d had lots of issues with having to wait her turn to open a gift.  She froze up and decided not to open any!  Guess she showed us!  She didn't freeze very long though.  I guess she was kind of upset that her plan didn't work and it didn't ruin our day,  so she decided to rejoin the gift opening.

After the gift opening, we got our reindeer food and sprinkled it all over the yard.  Have you ever watched a child throw a fist full of glitter into the air?  It is magical.  Little d really had a great time doing this and I had a great time watching her.  The expression on her face as she threw it in the air was beautiful. I love how she really 'got it' this year.  It's sad because Big D is starting to ponder over the magic of Santa and ask big, serious questions and little d is fully convinced that this guy is the real thing!  Middle d is standing on the edge.

 

Speaking of Middle d.  He managed to loose a tooth on Christmas and can you believe that the tooth fairy still hasn't came to make the exchange?!  Middle says it's because she is on Christmas break and I think I'm going to stick with that.  I'm pretty sure (just between me and you) that I'm just a really forgetful parent and that's why she hasn't came yet.

That's quite enough for now.  I hate being so behind,  but,  soon I'm sure God will give me a day with twice as many hours in it and I'll get caught up on everything, including blogging!

Happy Thursday Everyone!