Delightful December

December was a smorgasbord of delights. Our days were full to the brim from beginning to end with programs, practices, performances, packages, and parties.  December, as always, was full of music and mail. Smiles and surprises. I played my violin for five musical numbers for both Stake and Ward meetings and activities.  I hosted two parties. Attended four more.  Decorated. Sewed. Baked. And decorated some more.  We mailed out Christmas letters.  Delivered fudge.  And relished in one Christmas event after the other - singing all the way! I love December.  Here's what we've been up to starting with our traditional (6th of December) Samichlaus celebration and the big Samichlaus box full of goodies from grandma.

The highlight of the surprises were these light-up helicopter sling-shots.  I can't tell you how many times one of these things came whizzing past my ear.  I felt like a moving target.

The girls loved their princess fairy sticker books and tin can containers which they toted everywhere - even to church.  Thank you mom for this fun tradition.  Wish we could have been there for the real deal at the ranch with grandpa dressed up!  Love to you all. . .

Clayton participated in the Arrow of Light ceremony at Scouts and was awarded his Arrow.  He ceremoniously made the bridge from cub scouts to boy scouts.  Good job, Clay for all your hard work!

I hosted a theater group at the school who came to perform "Hank the Cow Dog" for all the 2nd graders.  I had fun meeting the cast and crew, helping them set up (running around from classroom to classroom looking for more extension cords) and providing some very Hank-the-Cow-Dogish refreshments for them.  By the time they were ready to begin the play, Eliza and Lydia were so exhausted from all our running around I had to take them home for a nap and we missed the actual performance. Sad.  Brigham said it was "so amazing" though.

I also copied my own idea (Ghostly Granola from preschool) and made "Puppy Chow" for all the students.

On the back were different (hilarious) quotes from the books.

Clayton and two of his buddies put together a rap about prime and composite numbers for a school project.  I think they had more fun hanging out with each other than actually working.  But their "Prime Numbers Will Rock You" rendition turned out to be a smash hit.  They not only performed it for the whole grade but for the principal.

 

December brought the end of soccer season.  Here are a few pictures I snapped on my phone of one of our last soccer practices - Lydia wearing a cone hat.  And Brigham's team party.

Hooray for soccer!

Isaac started his own camp in December - Camp Ares!  Everyone in the household joined.

This was several weeks in running and included some intense outdoor battle training. . .

where even warrior Eliza was in on the action.

And at night some reading of Percy Jackson.

with a campfire of course!

December meant Christmas!  Here is Eliza getting festive for a Christmas party.

Her red bow matched the ones on our Christmas tree.

We put up all our Christmas decorations.

Our stockings were hung by the chimney with care

And Rudolph and our Christmas lights adorned the front yard.

Eliza is showing off her new Christmas skirt I made for her this year.

Can you guess whose favorite Christmas tree ornament this is?

Fresh Christmas flowers.

The mother load of Christmas presents under the tree.

Eliza Bear loves the Jingle Bell Dog.

The elementary school choir did their Christmas concert.  It was spectacular.

Clayton even had a speaking part.

Lydia's favorite song was the one with the dancing snowman and the appearance of Bob, the school's mascot.

Eliza went Christmas caroling with her preschool group.

And we attended, provided food for, and performed at our ward Christmas party. Good food. Good friends, Good times all around.

The Primary children sang beautifully.

Happy Lydia. (love this picture!)

We love our ward!

My room mom duties kicked in again in December for Brigham's class party. It was comical the amount of stuff I hauled in for this - laundry baskets full! (my back is still paying for it!) Thankfully I have some awesome mom-friends in the class who came to help with all the decorating and set-up.

I kept the food simple this year.

Here come the kids to see their classroom transformed into party land.  Brig looks happy.

The kids decorated a stacked gift box with pictures and cute notes for their teacher.  She loved it.

 

 For a treat, they decorated their own cupcakes.  My kids preferred theirs plain as you can see.  So boring.

But the other kids got a lot more creative.

Here is Brigham up for a round of Pictionary.

Happy Holidays everyone!

December also brought Christmas Fudge and Christmas Caroling!

Mmm. . . I'm addicted to this stuff.  Here's the recipe.  It's an easy hit every year.

We bagged 15 this year.

And headed out into the night for our annual Christmas caroling and goodie delivering extravaganza.  Here are the kids practicing in the car.

December was a month of anticipation and excitement!

It was also a month with time off from school.  Brigham used his spare time to do playdough with the girls.  He made this cute baby hedgehog.

He also spent an entire day designing this airplane (from scratch!) out of Legos.

The kids played with friends in the backyard.

Climbing trees

And playing with the sand and water table.  Yes, we do these things in December here! (we also apparently wear shorts, t-shirts, and bare feet outside this time of year!)

The boys invented a new game where they swing each other around at insane speeds and the last guy standing is the winner.

Lydia thought it looked like a game she loves to play called "Ring Around the Rosies" and she begged to play.

But she changed her mind after the first round. Ouch.

Clayton spent time skateboarding.

And Nate did yard work. . . that is, when the girls weren't running out in their pajamas to see him!

Lydia loved riding in the wagon.

And Isaac and Eliza had fun in the piles of leaves.

Super Girl!

I think she's somewhere in there. . .

Taking down the Christmas decorations is always so sad.  But Eliza dancing in the Christmas tree skirt made up for that.  I love these pictures.  I love that she (of her own volition) tied the Christmas tree skirt around her waist and danced her way straight out the front door.  This girl was born to be on stage!

I love all these shots.

We also got together with friends and neighbors for our 3rd annual Holiday Recital at the McKays.

Brig played Joy to the World.

I always get a kick out of him playing with his un-tucked shirt, disheveled hair, crooked tie, and this time. . . army crocs.  With dress slacks.

Clayton played The First Noel.

Isaac played Angels We Have Heard on High.

All the performers did a great job.  This is my favorite concert of the year!

Here's the video of my kids playing.  It was fun to play my violin with them this year - I finally have a house full of accompanists!

Goodbye to a delightful December!  What magic and excitement you always bring!