School is DONE, here comes the fun!

Kristie was ready for a crafting day after college exams and tons of homework all semester. She invited lots of friends over to make crafts! They made a Merry Christmas banner, a framed Christmas collage, frosted Christmas cookies and made cards. Kristie made a Christmas CD for each person and they decorated the tin it would go in. They had a blast!

Callahan's concert

Callahan was in the band and choir concerts. He was one of six chosen to play a soli (new word for me!) He did a great job!

Christmas card making me!

Typically Scott does most of the Christmas shopping and I do the Christmas card making:) I definitely get the better end of that deal! However, with 220some cards to make, it does take awhile! Luckily, I had help this year folding the letters that go inside. We had our letter folding party one afternoon and it was so fun to just sit and chat with Kristie, Carson and Callahan and laugh! Thanks for all the help kiddos!

The Joy School Christmas Program

Kenzi's Joy School Christmas Program was at our house this year. The kids reenact the Christmas Story. It was so cute! All the siblings wanted to be part of the show and thanks to all Jennie's costumes, everyone could! We had a cow, camel, donkey, angel, Joseph, Mary, shephards, wise men and women, and baby Jesus. Kenzi was Mary this time:)

Play time with the Gallas

We love playdates with the Gallas, our next door neighbors! Camryn and Kenzi love to play with Catherine and Maeve:) This particular day, the big girls were playing monopoly and the little ones were playing Joy School....including Sadie as one of the students! We are grateful for the Gallas!

Callahan's basketball team

Callahan is having fun on his basketball team. Our friends, the Potters, are coaching, so that is fun. Callahan is number 1.

Kristie is 18!!

My sweet Kristie is eighteen today, December 9th! What a blessing she has been in our lives! She has had a super busy year with working at Lorain County Community College, Midpoint Campus in Brunswick just up the hill from our house. Couple that with two college classes and 3 high school classes and tons of homework, makes for no free time! She has had to study SO much! But as always, she makes the best of it and goes through life with a smile! She loves early morning seminary (great way to start the day!) and youth group on Tuesday nights (when she doesn't have too much homework). She volunteers at the hospital when she can. She just applied to BYU and BYU-I (BYU in Idaho) and will hopefully hear from them in the next month. We went to Macaroni Grill to celebrate her special day:) We love you Kristie! Happy Birthday!

Caroling

One of my favorite things we did this year was to go caroling with friends. We went to three homes and brought plates of cookies and then went back to our friend's house to watch the First Presidency Devotional which is broadcast from Salt Lake the first Sunday in December. It was such a great way to feel the spirit of Christmas, singing Christmas carols and bringing treats. Then to hear our Prophet and his counselors speak about Christmas was awesome! Our girls were excited to bring jammies and watch the Devotional in their pjs. They also loved the popcorn and lemonade:)

December Stamp Camp

These are two gift cards and two cards for our stamping class in December:)

Thanksgiving

We didn't travel anywhere for Thanksgiving this year! We had Thanksgiving Dinner at our house. It was the first time we had ever made a turkey, I think! Thanksgiving is Scott's family's favorite holiday to cook for so we either go out of town or to our parents' houses. New tradition this year! The turkey turned out yummy! Mom and Dad came over and brought potatoes and spoiled us with two pies! I made cherry and my mom made lemon meringue and pumpkin. YUM!

Later that day....

Later in the afternoon, Kenzi opened her presents from our family. Four years old is BIG in our family, because that is when you FINALLY get to chew gum. Kenzi has been talking about this day for a year! Kyle gave her a huge bag filled with all kinds and flavors of gum. We were all ready for her to have her first piece of gum....and she wouldn't. She didn't want any gum all day. It wasn't until the next morning, that she tried her first piece of gum when the spotlight wasn't on her:) Camryn gave her some treasured things and Kenzi was so touched that Camryn would GIVE them to HER:) It was so sweet. Carson gave both Camryn and Kenzi their gifts and they were delighted! As far as the gifts that Scott and I got her, Kenzi knew about all of them. We would be in a store and she would see something she liked and I would tell her we could get it if we hid it and saved it for her birthday. It got to the point that she would take the gift that we got up to my closet, and hide it herself, so we could save it for her birthday. It was quite comical:)

Kenzi's 4th Birthday Party

Kenzi turned four on November 24th, so we had her birthday party on that very day! Her little friends came dressed in leotards and when they got here, they put on the tutu that I made each of them. They looked SO cute! Our friend, Carrie, who used to be a ballerina, came over and gave them a ballet class. They had so much fun! Our friends, The Caseys, gave us their bounce house and we set that up after the ballet class. They jumped and played and ate lunch and jumped some more! We are so grateful for her sweet little friends!

The Girls' Birthday Celebration

This is a classic picture of Camryn! She seems to always have her eyes closed in pictures! The harder she tries to not blink, the worse it gets!

We were all cracking up!

We had our grandparents and Aunt Becky over for the girls' birthday dinner. All our girls' birthdays are in November and December, so they get a combined celebration!

I love this picture of Callahan helping Camryn with her necklace:)

Camryn's 9th Birthday Party

We had such a fun morning! All the girls came at 9:30am on Saturday. We crafted and crafted until noon. We made a bag with die cut flowers on it, a hairbow, a Hello Kitty notepad and matching pen, a bracelet, a birthday card and a card with a test tube of candy attached. SO FUN! The girls had a blast! Colleen and Kristie and I did too! Thanks Colleen, for making bracelets with the girls!

December Stamp Camp

These are the cards we made at Stamp Camp. Kenzi's friend, Amanda, came with her mom and they played dress up while we stamped!