Christmas time

Hi Everyone,

I hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas. We surely did! I don't actually take many pictures Christmas Day, I am too busy enjoying it :-). But here is some writing about our holidays....

We got to visit with family and friends, which was great. Bill's family had a big get-together which we enjoyed. Our nephew has a giant black bear hamster that kept Keegan entertained all afternoon. Unfortunately, it also gave her the idea that she would like to have one. We got to visit with the Bosches, our girls' adopted grandparents. Mrs. Bosch always buys perfect presents, and this year she gave Caitlyn one of the exact books I had bought for her :-). Great minds and all that.

The girls and I went on an ornament and candy making spree. Our favorite ornaments were made by painting the inside of glass balls. They were so pretty. AND, we learned how to make molded chocolate candies. Easy and yummy. I am all for easy and yummy. And chocolate. Keegan and Kelsey are special fans of the chocolate suckers.

Christmas day we stayed home. And have stayed home since, except for one brief Wal-Mart trip. We have done lots of reading (love those new Christmas books:-), puzzle working, and game playing. This is the year of games at our house. For the longest time, we didn't play games. When Caitlyn was very small, she didn't like games because somebody had to lose. Then a couple of years ago, a friend gave her some games for her birthday and she found she really enjoyed them, although she still is not competitive. Unlike Keegan, who goes for the win! Kelsey just likes to play. And play. and play. So we added several games to our stash this year. So far I have been beaten in Pit, Family Cranium, Littlest Pet Shop Game, Guess Who, Gobblit, and Cranium Cadoo. I am only competitive when I am playing against Bill ;-).
Well, if you have never played those Cranium games, it is an experience. I have tried, unsuccessfully, with my eyes closed, to draw both a big toe and a flat tire, acted out the word "gorilla" - they guessed it right away, is that good or bad?, recognized a play dough cactus, and run around the house looking for something I could pick up with my toes, something scratchy, and something I could balance on my elbow. Cranium games are a lot of fun, and definitely different from the traditional "roll the die and try to move around the board" games.


Keegan is now the proud owner of 182 Bella Sara cards. (If you aren't in the know on this, these are horse trading cards that have online counterparts, like Webkinz.) This is her new grand total from what she already had, receiving them as gifts from 3 people, then spending some Christmas money (THANKS, Carol) to buy more. She is absolutely thrilled. As I think is evident from the fact that she counted them all :-).
Keegan's favorite game so far is Pit, where everyone hollers at once how many cards they want to trade and everyone keeps trading until someone has all of one thing in their hand. She is also really enjoying reading a devotional that was a gift from her Sunday School teachers. It has one page for each day. She wants to read the whole thing before the new year, then use it daily next year. She has made it to December 5th so far, so I think she'll get it done.

People took Caitlyn at her word. She received lots of books and yarn (she knits and crochets), just like she hoped. As a Christmas gift, she crocheted Kelsey one of those dolls that has a head on each end and you flip it over to change who it is. It is very cute and I was so impressed she could do it herself. She got the directions from a book. I don't crochet.

The girls have been off from dance for a week, which is very strange. In fact, we are suffering from withdrawal.

Well, it's time to read some more of those Christmas books for bed, so good-bye for now. I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours and through out all the fun, presents, and chaos, you remembered the real reason for the season!

Miscellaneous Caitlyn Christmas pics

Here is the truth about this picture. Caitlyn has wanted an American Girl doll for quite a while, a few years. Sometimes she would start saving for one, but then would decide it was too expensive and change her mind. It is too expensive, I agree. But my baby is 12 YEARS OLD. This is probably the last doll, likely even the last toy, she will ever want at Christmas. So I got it. No regrets. Totally worth it. She was completely surprised and her smile was priceless.

Caitlyn put a lot of thought into her gifts and wrapping, too. She made this decoration out of gold wrapping paper. And, with her own money, she bought her Daddy a McDonalds gift card so he would have it when he is out driving for work.

Holding her ice igloo. Side note - it is difficult to build with slippery ice cubes! Waiting to dance in the Christmas story.

Miscellaneous Keegan Christmas pics

Christmas morning, opening a doll. Keegan is so expressive and enthusiastic. It is always fun to watch her open gifts.

Keegan put a lot of effort into making and decorating her gifts.

Some girls from our studio (including Keegan and Caitlyn) danced in a different studio's program of the Christmas story. Our girls danced when Elizabeth announced her pregnancy expecting John the Baptist.

She's a star :-)

Keegan looked so sweet. My little angel.

Preparing the ice cubes to build an igloo.

Keegan really wanted to sing a solo in the Christmas play this year. She was very happy that she got to sing "O Holy Night."

Miscellaneous Kelsey Christmas pics

Added Christmas day - Kelsey's new socks :-)
Kelsey, with a stocking on her head, being silly with Daddy.

With her ice igloo.


Decorating at the cookie party

and

all dressed up as a shepherd at our church nativity.

Holding ornaments she made, and

A home dance performance - Kelsey as the Jingle Bell Rock horse, with Keegan, the snowflake.

Merry

Christmas

everyone!

Church Christmas play

Since I have back my camera, I naturally had to post a few pictures before we run out the door this morning. These are from the kids' Christmas musical at our church. Caitlyn got to be Mary, just like she hoped. Of course, Keegan and Kelsey played in the tinsel afterwards!

Woo, hoo!

The camera is found. It was indeed hiding in Bill's car. Everything is all right now. Let's all take a deep soothing breath. Aaaaah.

Trauma, trauma!!!!!

I can't find my camera! I am having MAJOR withdrawal. I think it is hidden in Bill's car, but every time I want to look for it (like now,) he is off earning a living somewhere. I had it Sunday night at the church Christmas program, and not since then. It is awful. My girls have done all sorts of neat things since then and I don't have pictures of any of it. It is terrible, awful, a disaster of untold proportions. I'll let you know if I recover.

We are so excited. On a trip to the grocery store today, the girls and I saw a billboard for their ballet. It looked so good! I would certainly go (haha.)

If you are wondering, we are a very enthusiastic group :-).

Kelsey Quote

"Daddy sure is a silly one."

FFF

There is no set theme for this week's fff, either. Since we just saw the "Nutcracker" yesterday, I decided to use pictures from last year's "Nutcracker." Hard to believe I wasn't blogging then :-).
Last year Caitlyn was a candy cane and a party guest. Keegan was a lollipop. And Kelsey was a lollipop and a party guest.

One of my favorite of Kelsey in her party dress.

Good old Keegan, backstage with her bag of toys.

Our friend Emma wasn't in "Nutcracker" last year, despite all of our begging. This year, she was a soldier and my girls weren't in it at all. Something is wrong with our timing!

Rhetorical Questions

#1.How cute are they?!?!?!
#2 How nice is this?
Our very generous friends, the Tripps, recently got back from Europe. They brought these Flamenco dresses from Spain as gifts for some of their daughter's friends. Unfortunately, Victoria, the gift-giver, wasn't here, or you would see 5 cute, matching little girls. But you can still see the four friends who received them. They also each have a flower to wear in their hair.

Thank you Kristi, Bill, and Victoria!!!!

#3 How cool is that?

Kelsey is always willing to help clean up from candy making. She didn't mind at all that this batch didn't turn out looking like I hoped :-).

This is what happens when Bill holds the camera....

Unexpected Result of the Great Shoe Contest

Last night Keegan left 2 pairs of shoes on her bedroom floor. When I sent her to get them she said, "I am trying to have a problem so we can do something fun about it again." NOT the lesson I was hoping would be learned!

The Great Shoe Contest

Well, the great shoe contest has come to a close. We were having an issue with shoes being left around the house, so I instituted a game where anyone who put away a pair of shoes that was not theirs got a point. If NO shoes were left out all day, everyone got a point. Then the girls helped me come up with prizes for every 5 points. I had NO idea what a success it would be. I don't think a pair of shoes stayed out in this house for more than 5 minutes. I loved it! In fact, I had to clarify that it was OK for someone to set their shoes by them on the floor when they were getting dressed and no one could put away those shoes right then :-). One night when we came home, I had to laugh. Knowing he was one of the worst offenders, Keegan was stalking Bill around the house, waiting for him to take off his shoes and not put them away. It worked, too, and she got a point. What a clever girl :-). So, we all had a lot of fun and HOPEFULLY improved our habits long term. I won't tell you the final scores, or you would be horrified at how many shoes one family can leave out in a one month period!

FFF - Miscellaneous

There is no FFF theme this week, so I'm tossing in a mix.

We do some sort of Christmas activity every day in December. Yesterday we decorated the tree. This is Keegan, complete with chocolate around her mouth (Thursday we made chocolate Christmas candies - smile.) Caitlyn, Keegan, and Kelsey each have several ornaments of their own and they love looking at them every year and remembering where they got them. This bell came from Keegan's former Sunday School teacher.

I LOVE this picture. Kelsey took it of Caitlyn and her friend, Hannah. Hannah spent the night with us and she and Caitlyn dressed up Caitlyn's horse, then themselves to match :-). I love to see kids' creativity when they play.BTW, sleepovers the night before full ballet rehearsals are a poor judgement call on mom's part.

Well, the 6 year-old look is complete :-). Kelsey lost her other front tooth this week. All my girls are getting so big!

Caitlyn is growing up so quickly! This is an ornamet we made in 2004.