Christmas!!

 E was amazed by all the lights at this house. It was a crazy display.

 Christmas Eve tradition of acting out the Nativity. Baby Jesus wasn't very cooperative. 

 They did a great job!

 The scene before the craziness erupted. 

 The kids with their presents Santa gave them. Except E, he was still sleeping.

 B and C got a rainbow loom from me and then A and B got one to share from grandma and grandpa Mathews. So there was tons of rainbow looming! Rubber bands everywhere!!

 D got a doll and was in love!

 E woke up and didn't really get the idea of presents.

 He did like his gifts though.

 Especially his bubble machine!

 We put him in all the wrapping and just like most babies he loved playing in it.

 D changed her outfit to match her doll.

We had to do the nativity again Christmas night with the cousins. Traditions! 

It was a great Christmas and a wonderful year full of ups and downs. 

Christmas Performances

 Well B didn't have a Christmas performance this year but he did have Pinewood Derby. He came in 4th place.

 C's performance was so cute! I love watching the younger kids in their school performances.

 D and E had a great time watching too. D tried to sing along.

 Family love.

A plays the flute in middle school and she had a performance too. I was pretty impressed with the band. I'm so glad she decided to stick with the flute!

Getting Ready for Christmas!

 There is always lots of shopping to do for Christmas and E is big enough to sit with D in the car cart. He likes it for maybe 5 minutes.

 One of my teaching days for preschool only one other kid came and it was the day I had planned to make gingerbread cookies from scratch. What I thought was going to be a hard day was so easy. Lucky me! They had fun too:)

 I had so much left over that for FHE that night we all decorated cookies. The kids loved it.

 We went to see Santa and I was to cheap to buy the picture. Plus I didn't put much effort into what they were wearing. So I took this picture instead.

Only the upper part of the tree got decorated this year but E still found away to pull some things off. Who could get made at that cute smile?!

A Stop in Phoenix

 We have never been in Arizona before so we decided to stop in Phoenix for a night on the way home. Big B got some golfing in, of course, and I took the kids to the discovery museum down town. B wanted to ride this bike so bad so he decided to pay the money and do it.  

 On our way out we stopped to throw pies in each others faces. I think that was the highlight of the kids day.

 The kids loved getting each other!

Smiles all around:)