pre-Christmas happenings

Ok, before I hit Christmas I must touch on what happened before the big day:

Elle did an awesome job at her orchestra performance.

I got to get together with a couple of my high school girlfriends and it was SO great to get caught up.

Joseph some how made it in the tub with Lucy and her princesses.

Elle and I hosted our mother/daughter book club. The book was called “Savvy” and Elle did a great job being the master of ceremonies with her questions and such.

The kids had their piano recital. My fav. part was Max and Elle’s duet. (Isn’t their piano teacher cute sitting there in the back? Love her.)
Lucy kept herself occupied with her princesses. Have I mentioned how much I love those “guys?”

I single-handedly sent out all 375 Christmas cards…my kids were so excited they didn’t have to help me stuff when they got home from school.

I had a special date with my “little girls” one night while Max and Elle were gone with friends. Oh man I love these girls.

Grace and I both got haircuts. We cut a ton off of Grace’s. I’m so mad we didn’t get the “after” picture until after she played in the rain with cousins all night.

Nana hosted a few different “Nana sleepovers” with the different groups of grand kids. The kids thought it was the best year yet.
Max finished his volleyball season (hallelujah!). He sure learned SO much this year. I’m so proud of him.

We have tons of cousins in town. We’ve been able to have some serious time with them and we’ve loved soaking them in.

I got to go to lunch with my mother-in-law and sis-in-laws. I don’t know how I got so lucky to get to be related to them.

We went caroling on this HUGE hay/sleigh ride with the Young Women & Young Men. We got pelted and soaked to the bone with rain, which sure made it memorable!

I gave Dave his first Christmas gift…re-organizing and re-painting the pantry. He likes organization. (So do I but man alive it’s hard to keep a pantry organized.)

We had our annual Christmas program with my in-laws, including a talent show and the cousin “White Elephant” gift exchange.This above picture was when Nana was reciting a funny poem…do you think the kids liked it?

As “luck” would have it, Lucy was the second to open gifts and opened this giant vat of cheese balls. She hugged them like this the rest of the game: My sister-in-law miraculously was able to trade her for a pack of markers in the end (thank you, Angela!)

I love watching everyone’s faces during the gift exchange. The kids switch around gifts and it’s pretty entertaining.
This above one was when Elias got some girly friendship bracelets.

The cousins:
The gifts:
Ok, now on to edit all the Christmas stuff…and hang out with cousins…have I mentioned how much I love school vacations?