Christmas Activities--Part 1

On the first Monday evening (Family Home Evening) of December we always build our gingerbread house. I used to spend all day making the dough, cutting out the shapes, buying all sorts of fun candy like necco's for the roof and tootsie rolls for the logs and it was fun. But it wasn't all that fun for the kids--maybe in a few years we can go back to that. For now we buy the kit that comes with everything and the kids have a ball putting it together.

I read our nightly Christmas book while they worked.

And voila!!!!! The finished product! They did a great job. BJ played the part of the engineer while the kids played the role of exterior decorators. They made a great team!

Next, BJ's parents brought their gifts out when they were here for Thanksgiving. After they left and we got our tree up we let the kids open them-- Grandpa and Grandma's request. Cardon opened this sweet Star Wars aquarium. You put the eggs in the water and within 10 days you will hatch some interesting little sea creatures. We hatched a couple of them and it was sooo cool! Then Cardon forgot to feed them and that was the end of that. He still has more to hatch though so we'll see what hatches next.

The girls got new church dresses which is why Grandma wanted the kids to open them before Christmas. They fit perfectly and the girls have already worn them.

Jace got match box cars and a tire to store them all in. This was a special present for Grandma Carol to give Jace because BJ was obsessed with match box cars when he was a kid. He used to line his dinner plate with them and if anyone took one away he would know immediately which one it was and where it was taken from. Jace loved them and immediately organized them in his storage case. Like father, like son! Thanks for all the fun presents!!!!

During the month we had to have the neighbor girls over to paint fingernails for Christmas. We even did gem designs on their thumb nails. They looked very festive!

On a Saturday in the middle of December we had our church Christmas party. The theme was Polar Express and so we all came in our p.j.s. It was a pancake breakfast and then the kids got to sit on Santa's lap. There was great food, great company, and great merriment.

Cardon played his first basketball game this month. He's shot a lot of hoops but never played 5 on 5 basketball. It was hard for me to see him out their not really knowing what was going on--I'm the basketball player in the family. But over the next few Saturday games he vastly improved and it's just gotten more and more fun to watch. He's a great athlete!

Cardon also got to do his first piano recital. He's really liked learning to play but was so nervous to play for a crowd. He played 3 Christmas songs--Silent Night, Up on the House Top, and Joy to the World. He did a great job!

This year for pre-school Amelia got to play the role of Santa's helper in the annual Christmas program. She got to wear her Christmas best and get up on stage and sing her heart out.

Last year she hardly sang at all but this year she sang out and did all the actions. It was so fun to see the change that 1 year can make.

Here's her cheering section--BJ has an entire cookie stuffed into his mouth for the picture.

After the program Amelia went back to her room to give Miss Jan a big hug and tell her Merry Christmas. They did a great job on the program--it was very creative and lot's of fun to watch!