Christmas 2011

Christmas has come and gone and now it is time to get back on schedule.  Why does it seem that at Christmas it takes forever to get here but once it is here it is gone in a flash? But as long as we can remember the real meaning of Christmas and carry it with us all year, Christmas will always be in our hearts!!

Clark was so excited, Santa brought him a cell phone, some Lego's, BB's and a new air soft pistol and of course mom and dad got him clothes (they were well needed, somehow his shirts have shrunk, not that he has gotten taller or anything).

Ryan got a bike, some Lego's and BB's with an air soft pistol too, and headphones for the Xbox from Santa, and yes clothes from mom and dad.  They all needed clothes.

Emma got another American Girl doll (this time it was a look a like), a scooter (it's a cross between a ripstick and a scooter, I will have to get a picture), a message board that she had to put together and some other fun stuff from Santa.  Yes, she also got clothes from mom and dad, like I said they all needed clothes.  What is with growth spurts, can't they just stay little for a while longer?

Andrew was having a blast opening his presents, he would take a small piece of paper and tear, it took him forever to get them open but when he did he was so excited he had to have another one.  This year Santa brought him a soccer goal and ball (yes, he love the sport), a truck, a "Car's" sheet set and comforter (he loves 'Mater and Lightening McQueen) and some coloring books and crayons.  Yes, he even got some shirts from mom and dad. One of his favorite gifts were the trucks that his grandma and grandpa got him.  I think he likes them because of the noises they make, he was in heaven!!

Look what I got!!
(this one was from Santa)

I got a crepe maker, President Monson's autobiography (funny, so did Carrson), some clothes, a pair of boots, and as a family we got a doughnut maker from my sister (yes, we have even made some).

I hope that every one has had a great Christmas and had a wonderful season.  Now, on to the new year!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

To you whom I may have forgotten (who check this blog every once in a while) with a card and those of you who aren't on Facebook.  We hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!!!!!

On a side note can you believe it is three days before Christmas and we are having tornado watches and warnings.  I just found out a tornado hit north of us, never heard the sirens and I also had just checked the weather just before it touched down. Another thing we have been in the 70's most days this past week.  It doesn't even seem like it is December, yet Christmas in a few days!  Crazy weather even for Alabama!!!

Christmas is coming

Christmas is coming and up until last week I had spaced seeing Santa.  I called a friend and they had not seen him yet either, so we decided while the older kids were at Young Mens we would meet and visit with Santa.  As you probably know here we go to The Bass Pro Shop to see Santa.  The kids like going there because they have games for them to play, coloring sheets and a craft area.  So once we got there Andrew was so excited to see him, he even went running up to him and put his arms up so Santa would pick him up, so cute!!  Emma was also excited to see him but she didn't run up to him.

Andrew and Santa

He doesn't look excited but he really was!

Emma and Santa

Making a cute ornament

Ward Christmas party

This year the youth was asked to put on the Christmas Story out of the Scriptures and both Clark and Ryan were in it.  Ryan was a scribe and Clark was a wise man.  The youth did a great job putting it on even though all they did was stand there while it was narrated.  The funniest thing was was when the shepherds came out and had some sheep with them (young women) one of the sheep would baaa during the narration, I thought it was great. 

King Herod and the scribes.

The three Wisemen.

Three silly girls.

Emma, Grace and Carol

Santa's visit to the library
On Tuesday we went to the library for story time and so Andrew could see Santa again.  Well the Santa part went great, he loves the man but the story part we are still struggling with.  He doesn't want to sit there and listen he wants to get up and run, so needless to say I spent a lot of time outside because I was told he was being too loud and disruptive.  I am sorry but I am trying to teach him he has to sit there and be quiet, so I am sorry that by me standing by the door is causing problems (sorry ranting). I think if they'd have started on time he probably would have done better, he had been sitting there with Emma and myself for fifteen minutes already.  On a good note he was excited to see Santa again!!!

Santa coming in to read a story.  Andrew is at the bottom of the picture in the blue shirt.

All he wanted to do was sit by Joseph, but then after a couple of minutes he decided he wanted to get up and run so that was the end of that.   Emma also loves to go and listen to the stories.

Andrew and Santa

Up to my eyeballs in snowmen!!!

This year Carrson decided he wanted me to make sock snowmen for gifts for his coworkers.  Luckily I had made one of these about fourteen years ago, and then had the beehives make them last December for an activity.  But making twenty of them by yourself gets overwhelming.  Needless to say the table was covered with snowmen for a few days.  But I do enjoy doing crafts and all you need for these are a tube sock, enough rice (uncooked) to fill it two thirds the way full, and marker to draw there faces, something that looks like a carrot for a nose (painted orange of course) and some flannel fabric to make a scarf and some patches oh, and don't forget a glue gun.

This is a few things of what the last week has entailed (except the trip to the emergency room (which I posted earilier), I hope your Christmas season is going well and I hope you are able to enjoy the season!!!

Visiting teaching gift ideas

 I was looking at a friends blog and I liked the idea of posting your ides for gifts (so you can remember later what you did ) when you go visiting teaching.  I like to try to take something when I go even if it is a plate of cookies or something else, I think it makes the sister's happy I know it makes me feel good to get something, even if it is a magnetic shopping list or notebook.  Since I have been a slacker, here is November and December's.

 In November I did a frame ($1.00 from Michaels) and a picture of the "forget me not" (President Uchtdorf's talk from the women's session last October).  I found the picture perusing some blogs and photo copied it. (Sorry I can't remember which blog it came from, if I see it or remember I will post it.)  I loved the talk and thought this would be a great reminder.

In December I made "Snowman Soup" or as Emma kept calling it "Snowman Snoop".  Now that she has called it that I keep finding myself saying "snowman snoop".  I also made these for Emma's school teacher's.  I found it on the blog brownpaper--packages.com.  I thought it was a fun idea and it didn't cost a lot!

All you put in it is a couple packets of hot chocolate mix, a candy cane for each packet, some marshmallows and  some "Hershey Kisses" (I used the candy cane ones, YUMM)

Here is the poem that goes with it

"When the weather outside is frightful

Snowman Soup can be delightful,

May it warm your spirit and your soul,

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

When you get a chill or a "brrrrr',

Use the peppermint stick to stir,

Add hot water and sip it slow,

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow."

Concerts, Concerts and more Concerts!!!

I started this post last week and I am just getting back to it.  Sorry!!  Well, the kids are out for Christmas (yes, I said Christmas) break and the last week or two have been pretty busy.  The schools were trying to squeeze everything in before school was out and with two kids in extra curricular/band classes we had some extra things to do in the evening.  Ryan has has a band concert and Emma has had 3 (out of 4) concerts (they ended up cancelling one of her concerts).  So we were on the go quite a bit, and on top of that  Carrson was out of town for a few days also. 

Ryan has had a lot of fun learning to play the clarinet and was so excited for his concert.  A couple of months ago he found out the band teachers were having try outs for the jazz band (here it is an after school/extra curricular activity).  He decided he wanted to tryout but the only problem the jazz band is only for eighth graders but as a seventh grader he could try out on the piano.  He tried out for the jazz band and ended up making it.  Talk about excitement!!!  He did get to play a song with the jazz band but I didn't get a good picture.  Ryan does very well with the piano and the clarinet, he has a lot of talent and I love to listen to him.  I forgot if you notice where he is sitting he is third chair out of about twenty nine clarinets.  Way to go!!!

And then there is Emma, who has decided that she wanted to be in the choir at the elementary school.  The nice thing about that is is it before school one day a week, so other then that I don't have to worry about anything, except getting her out the door for the bus so she isn't late for choir.

Here she is at her choir concert at the school (top) and at the mall (bottom).  She had another concert that she went to, I didn't get any pictures due to her sitting on the floor while she sang and me being at the back of the room.  They did a great job! 

Here they are singing the "Twelve Days of Christmouas" can you guess where they are in the song?  If you answered with "and a partridge in a pear tree" you are correct.  They were so fun to watch doing their actions.  She has had a blast singing with the choir.  

Another trip to ...

...the emergency room/Primed.  This time it was Andrew.  We were at church today, Carrson and I were in Sunday School and a friend poked her head in and motioned for me to come out.  I didn't think anything about it so I left all my books in the chapel and walked out.  Come to find out Andrew had been playing in nursery, he fell and hit his head right on the edge of where the accordion type doors latch.  Needless to say OUCH!!!  The nursery leaders seemed quite nervous to have something like this happen.  No worries accidents happen! 

Poor little dude, he ended up with three stitches and a battle wound.  He was such a big, brave and tough little man!!!  He did a great job for only being two!!

Annual Christmas Parade

Yesterday was the annual Christmas Parade and this year both Clark and Ryan were in it.  This year they let the youth be in the parade and Clark had signed up to be in it.  I got a phone call the other day to let me know what was going on with the parade (at this point I hadn't heard anything from my child) and the sister in charge asked if Ryan would also like do it because they needed another wiseman.  Not a problem, he would love to.  When I told him that he was going to be in the parade too, he was excited.  But little did I remember he had a Scout campout Friday night. Talking with his scout leader he would make it work so he could do both, besides one of the other scouts going was also a wiseman in the parade.   Needless to say they made it back just in time to shower and get out the door, and the rest is history.

 The group on the float before the parade started (minus one, she came after I had taken the picture and I didn't think about taking another one)

 The three wisemen

Clark, Ryan and Zack

 Emma, Marianna, Addison and Samantha, waiting for the parade to start.  I had left Andrew home with dad because he had had a runny nose and I didn't want him out in the cool air.

Clark and Ryan going down the parade route.