Christmas Time Catch Up!

Though the weather here in Phoenix may not feel like Christmas (temperatures in the mid-seventies), Christmas is definitely in the air! Two weeks have flown by in a flash, like Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. Speaking of Christmas Eve, guess what tonight is? Well, I guess you can see by the post date! LOL This year We have decided to do things differently. We decided to have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, that way we can relax and not spend all day in the kitchen of Christmas Day, but instead do things that help us focus on the Savior more! Ill let you know how it goes! In efforts to catch up, here are a few things that have been a part of our Christmas Season so far!

Finally pictures of that house! This lady starts putting lights up after Halloween! Really, these pictures don't do it justice! People park and walk the property to look at everything. The lady has a popcorn machine to have fresh popcorn for visitors! Usually, we take her cookies. Hasn't happened this year!

What happens when a pillow gets thrown over the banister? It does this! Yep, I heard a crash and found the kids tree on the floor. We only had a few ornament causalities, but the tree defiantly seen better days. Garland is in disarray, and bows and ornaments are crooked! Gotta love it!

The board games have come out these past two weeks! This has been Sophia's favorite! Gotta love the sound of Hungry Hungry Hippo all day long! Ugh!

Tis the season to make surprises! Ethan has been in the Holiday spirit, going around making surprises for people! Here is something he came up with all on his own! Gotta love this kids imagination!

Whats December without a zillion Christmas parties? Aubrie's Dance Studio has a Christmas Party every year, at the Performing Theater close by. This year they catered Olive Garden (genius idea I must say:) and they exchanged their secret Santa gifts. Its a fun time for the girls to get dressed up and hang out and socialize!

The boys turned a game of Jenga into making buildings. Boston made this one. Any guesses as to what it is? It's a temple. Can't you see the "T" on the top, for Temple?

Bostons Cub Scout troop visited a nearby Rehabilitation center. Each cub scout picked a name and used their own money to purchase a gift for the person they had chosen. Boston got Milton. He is an 80 year old Veteran. Boston got him a DVD that had 20 old war movies on it, and a bucket that had popcorn, and candy in it! What a great opportunity it was for him to do this! The whole family went and had the opportunity to meet residents of the facility and sing carols. I had to leave early, but Aubrie said they all just loved little Sophia!

Round one of Christmas Programs! Both Ethan and Boston had a Christmas program this year. Ethan's was first. The Gymnasium was packed! Luckily Aubrie and Boston ran in right when they opened the doors and got us front row seats! Boy were we lucky, because there would have been no way to see him otherwise! Ethan's program was comprised of poems and songs. My favorite was a poem about a little snowball. It went something like this....

I made myself a snowball, as perfect as can be.

I decided that I would take it home to come and sleep with me.

I made it some Pajama's and a pillow for it's head.

It ran away while I was sleeping, but first.....it wet the bed!
Gotta LOVE the suit!
Some pictures from Ethan's Christmas Party!


Boston's Christmas Party!

They got letters from the North Pole, again, this year!;) They were so excited! Boston wasn't buying it though! :(

Ms. Anderson letting them feel the cold stocking filled with letters!


Boston's Christmas Performance. It was all about a making and finding a Gingerbread on the loose. They used Christmas Songs, but changed the words to fit the play! It was cute, and short!

Some of Ethan's holiday art!

"I want to be a reindeer so I can go on the roof!"
Christmas Exchange at the Lorenzana's!

Sophia got a Dora coloring set. Think she liked it?

Art stuff for Ethan!
A belt that Boston had been wanting! He put it on, and has been wearing it since!
A sewing machine for Aubrie!
Time for Sugar cookies! I'm looking so good...not!
Especially in this one....but I love Ethan's signature wink!


Last night we frosted them, while I worked on a project for my Young Women. We also watched What's Up Doc. A movie I watched when I was a little kid and remember me laughing and laughing. I ordered it through Walmart because they don't have it at Blockbuster anymore. It was pretty funny, and I was impressed how the movie was rated G and it wasn't even an amimated film. It goes to show that its possible to make a G rated film, that makes us laugh, and is entertaining! If only they could make more of those!

After the movie, Ben read some emails to the kids from Santa. They were video emails. Santa showed his book that had their picture in it, and what they wanted, and also shared some of his secrets with them. Some of the secrets he shared were how he eats all the cookies, how he knows if your good or bad, and how he gets around the world in one night! Aubrie was most impressed by it. Boston still wasn't buying it. Aubrie is a little upset that he doesn't believe. Aubrie found Sophia's bike in the garage today. She was crying and said that Santa must not be real. I thought on my feet, and told her we forgot to send in a list for Sophia, so we called him up and he said it was too late to make a bike. He said if we found one for her, he would pay us for it, and to just leave it in the garage for him. She totally bought it. Whew! that was a close one! Well, I Guess I better get to making our Christmas dinner!