4th Annual Christmas Pajama Party

Two days before Christmas we had our annual Christmas pajama party with our friends.  Ever since my best friend, Jacqueline, and I became friends we started this tradition of having a little get together for Christmas.  We've done it every year since becoming friends and having our first Christmas together so this was our 4th one.  The kids look forward to it too and start asking as it gets closer to Christmas when we are having our Christmas party together.  We do Christmas crafts, exchange gifts, and the kids play and have a good time, and they stay in their Christmas jammies the whole day.

Decorating ugly Christmas sweater cookies.

Posing with their finished cookies.

They made pinecone ornaments.

Opening their gifts from their friends.

Opening their gifts from us.

Merry Christmas!

A Gingerbread Village

After the last night of the Nutcracker shows we came home and got to work on our gingerbread house.  This year we decided to do a gingerbread village of four small houses.  Originally I thought that would give at least each one of them one to do on their own how they like, but they ended up working on all four of them together anyway.  They turned out really cute too.

Nutcracker 2014

Anna participated in her second Nutcracker this year with her dance studio.  She loved it and did very well in it.  I just love watching her up on stage.  Last time she played a baby angel.  This year she was a rosebud.

Here is her dance.  It's in two parts because they do part of the dance, then run off the stage for the bigger girls to dance, and then come back again.

Santa Pictures

We went to Bass Pro Shop one day before Christmas to do Christmas crafts, play games, and get a free picture with Santa.  He was an ok Santa, but we still love our favorite one at the mall near us.  He's there every year, and we just can't miss going to see him.  Gracie wouldn't get too close to the one at Bass Pro, but she went right up and sat on the other one's lap, no problem.  We ended up with two cute Santa pics this year.  (The bottom one doesn't look as nice because I took a picture of the picture with my phone.)

Christmas Parade 2014

Mid-December we got to go to the Christmas parade.  My aunt and uncle were down visiting with one of their grandkids, Luke, and we all met at the parade with my mom also.  Arron was busy working the parade, but we got to see him while we were there.  The kids had so much fun at the parade, and it wasn't too cold out that day either.  They got so much candy it was like we went trick or treating again.  I filled up my whole Halloween candy bowl when we got home, and it's a big bowl.

Gracie did not like the bands.  She covered her ears every time.

Isn't she a cutie?

They loved all the little doggies.

Watching the Shriners in their little cars.

The boys caught a little football thrown to them off of one of the floats, so they decided to toss it around.

Santa!

Before they all had to go home we ate at Red Robin.  They loved having their cousin Luke here.

Christmas Card Pictures

You'd think it would get easier as they get older to get a good picture of them for the Christmas card, but it doesn't.  If anything it's gotten harder.  I must've taken about a hundred pictures over two different days trying to get everyone looking at the camera, smiling cute, acting right, and not bothering anyone else.  Out of all those pictures these were the only ones that were good, but I do love each one of these.

December Horse Ranch Visit

The start of December meant it was time to head back to the horse ranch for our homeschool association's monthly field trip.  The kids love going.  They can't wait each month.  This was our last time going before Christmas and for this year.  The kids all made Christmas cards for the people at the ranch to thank them for teaching them about horses and showing them how to ride them.  Then they split up into groups by size and took turns brushing the horses.  After that they got to ride the horse they groomed.  Once every one had a turn riding they went on a scavenger hunt on the ranch looking for candy canes before we headed home.  They had such a good time.