Getting ready for Christmas



As usual, Christmas came too fast this year.  Andrew and Claire really wanted to decorate the Christmas tree this year, so we let them!  It wasn't how I would have done it, but they did a good job.  They made sure to get all of the decorations that they made right in the front.

 

Deciding which ornaments to use and where to put them was a tough decision.  The tree was a bit bottom heavy with ornaments, so we did move a few around after they were done.

 

Next up was the Christmas party at church.  In Primary they had practiced some songs and parts for a short nativity play.  Claire was a shepherd, although she looks a bit like a pioneer.  Elaina is next to her and they sang the songs, but didn't have speaking parts.

 

 

Andrew was a wise man and had a speaking part which he was very excited about.  The problem was that he insisted on wearing part of the costume that he wore two years ago.  Needless to say, it was a bit small.  He also didn't wear all of it, hence the hockey shirt underneath.

 

Andrew giving gifts to baby Jesus. 

 

They also had a Santa at the party.  Claire and Grant totally freaked out when we walked into the room.  Andrew wanted to be sure to tell Santa that he wanted a PS3.  Funny story - I was at the mall with Claire the week before this and we walked past the line of kids waiting to see Santa.  I asked her if we should come back with Andrew and Grant so that they could all sit on Santa's lap.  Claire looked at me with a horrified face and said, "NO!  I won't sit on Santa's lap.  I will only sit on the Easter Bunny's lap!"  Well, good to know!

 

Of course there were also crafts, so Claire and Elaina were in heaven.  Many things were made and had to be carefully transported home.

 

We also decorated gingerbread houses at home.  I didn't get any pictures of that.  I was not feeling well and it took all the energy I had to help glue candy on.  Luckily, Danny's parents were here and Jan was able to help the kids finish the houses.  The Kindergarten classes at Claire's school do a winter concert.  I suppose that concert is the right word, there are four Kinder classes and they all sang Christmas/winter songs.  Apparently this is the type of event that we should have arrived at hours ahead of time.  We were in the very last row, so my pictures didn't turn out so hot.  Luckily my friend Sara sent me these cute ones of Claire (Thank you!).

 

Claire's class sang Jingle Bells, Up on the House Top and Feliz Navidad.  All of the classes were so cute.  The kids did such a good job singing and doing motions for some of the songs.  They got lots of clapping and cheering when they were done. 

 

After church last Sunday I had the kids pose in front of the tree.  Claire would not wear the Christmas dress I got for this year, so she wore the one from last year.  Luckily, it matched Andrew and Grant perfectly.  I cannot believe I got a picture with all three of them smiling!

 

 

It didn't last long though...

 

 

The kids got more and more excited about Christmas.  Claire was keeping track of who was on the naughty list and who was on the nice list. At one point, Mateo was on the naughty list because he likes to climb up the stairs at Grandma's house.   We were happy to have Danny's parents visit and help us out with babysitting for two weeks.  It was nice to see them before Christmas.