Christmas Eve 2011

Our tradition is to have Christmas Eve at my mom's house every year.  When I was growing up we never had Christmas at our house, so we created a tradition to always have Christmas Eve at her house from now on.  We make Mexican food every year and somehow we always manage to have Santa show up! 

The kids table - they are all looking at Santa

Santa and Josh

Santa and Hailee

Santa and Clara

Santa and Tyler

Santa and Spencer

Santa with the kids

The grownup table

Dave and Marty

Lighting the Luminarias.  Usually it is too cold and windy so it was fun that we could do it this year.

Eric (cousin) and Aunt Karen (mom's sister)

Clara and Josh

Eric the wiseman

Marc and Eric dressing up as wisemen

The beginning of the Nativity with Mary (Hailee) and Joseph (Spencer)

The kids were very solemn as the grownups took turns reading from the Bible and Book of Mormon.

The kids

The Nativity

After the Nativity, the kids opened their Christmas pajamas

This year we got our pajamas at Disneyland. 

 

 Dave and I had matching pants.

We wrapped things up by opening presents with Aunt Karen and Uncle Jack.  It has been great to have them come up the past few years and join us.  Most of my Christmas Eves growing up were at their house or other aunts and uncles. 

Christmas Eve Breakfast

A few years ago we started a tradition of going down to my dad and step-mom's house Christmas Eve morning.  We go in our pajamas, eat breakfast, and open Christmas presents with them.  It gives us time to spend with just them, where normally it is the whole family. 

Clara, Dave and Josh opening presents

This year the kids got a bunch of Wii games from their grandparents. 

I got the best present of all!  A binder to put all of my veggie recipes in from now on.

Ama Georgia, Josh, Papa Kirk, and Clara

Gingerbread House

The other fun mom thing we did was make gingerbread houses.  I hate making these because they are sticky and because there is a chemical in the frosting that creates intense cravings if you lick your fingers. 

We started off with a kit.  I'm just not THAT fun.

We did one side.

And then the other.  Fun with fondant. 

And then we were done.  Dave was with us, I should add.  So this was a fun dad moment, too.  I am sorry that we left the pantry door open in this picture and that the kitchen was a disaster. 

I was an Elf

Every once in a while I am capable of being a fun mom.  Not very often, mind you, because I am old.  However, on December 19th I dusted off my image and dressed up like an elf.  Why?  See below.

I needed proof for my kids when they grow up complaining about the fact that I don't do crafts with them.  "Yeah, but do your friends' moms dress up like this?"  I didn't think so.

We had a large blow up Santa on the stage to sing to.  It was a little weird, but whatever.

Each of the grades came in and we did repeat performances for three hours.  I would say we were the biggest hit with the Kindergartners.  By the time we got to the 5th graders, we were tired and they thought we were nuts.

Mrs. Claus read a Christmas story, and the rest of us...

were blinged out in Christmas colors for our fantastic song "Santa Baby".  Kudos to Heather (Pink Elf) for writing the song!  It was hilarious!

ALL Santa listen, your Christmas colors are so boring RED AND GREEN We want more colors it’s true Santa listen, we’ve got some ideas for you… Santa listen, I’m out of place and feeling so blue, it’s true Wanna be seen in lime green Santa listen, add us to the colors this year. Why can’t we just keep red and green? We’re the best colors that we’ve ever seen Purple, pink, and lime green Blue and Silver, Santa don’t be mean Boo doo bee doo Santa listen, nothing rhymes with purple at all Who cares?  I want it in anyway Santa listen, add us to the colors this year Santa cutie, there’s one thing that you really need Some bling!  Like my big silver ring. Santa, cutie, add us to the colors this year

Santa listen, my favorite color is pink Whatcha think? I need to be in the line Santa listen, and add us to the colors this year Why can’t we just keep green and red? Get those crazy colors right out of your head. We’ve been here for oh so long Going with those colors would be very wrong! Boo doo bee doo Sweetie, listen, these elves have got a very good case Let’s face It’s time for change in the world Sweetie listen Let’s brighten up the Holidays Let’s brighten up the Holidays Let’s brighten up the Holidays

Every elf except for me had a head cold. 

Do you think this is an "I'm proud of you, Mom!" smile? 

The women in this picture are not real elves.  All elves were impersonated by moms.  The women in this picture are also the women that make up the Parent Teacher Organization.  That morning, we put on a Teacher Appreciation breakfast.  The teachers were treated to breakfast/brunch in the teacher's lounge while we entertained the kids with stories and a sing-a-long.  

No real elves were harmed during this event.

Book Club Christmas Party

It seems like all we do during the month of December is go to parties.  And that would be true.  I love it.  However, I think that my Book Club Christmas party each year is my favorite.  This year it was held at Leslie's house (Lou Lou).  She moved to a new house that was already furnished (it was a model home) the week before she hosted.   We always do a fancy dinner and a white elephant book exchange that brings a great deal of humor to the evening. 

Our fearless ham-eating hostess

Lindsey and Natalie

Allison, Marcy, Keysha and Rachel

Lindsey, Nat and Emily

Kerri, Leslie, Allison and Marcy

Keysha, Cori, Kristen and Tiffany

And the funniest book of the night...

Ward Christmas Party

Santa came to our ward Christmas party.  We also had a Nativity, however, I didn't manage to get pictures of it.  Santa was fun, but the line was looooong and our kids were tired by the time they finally got to sit on his lap. 

Santa and Clara

Santa and Josh

Santa and my cute kids.  Dadgum I love these two babies.

I love these three babies, too!  Gabi, Kate and Gavin have been in our lives for almost 8 years.