Christmas Day at Scott and Michele's!

Wow, what a day! Or rather morning! We arrived at Carl's sis and bro-in-law's at 9:30am for a wonderful breakfast feast! Egg Puff, sausage, bacon, cinnamon rolls, scones, eggnog, etc etc! Delicious! We also take the opportunity to get family photos done because Carl's parents are all together with all of their kids and spouses and with all of their grandkids! So you can see all the families. See if you can see which are George and Annettes children! The one of them on the couch is of all of the grandkids with the grandparents! You'll spot us, but see if you can figure out Carl's brother and sister! We had a really fun time, but by 1pm Kaleigh was ready to leave so she could build her Lego house at home. So all in all, everything was nice, and I am still full at 5pm! But then I have been snacking off my Weihnachts Teller! Yummy! Candy canes, Contessas, and chocolate, Oh my!

Christmas Eve! 2007!
Well, after all the waiting, Christmas Eve arrived! We had 13 people at our house and it was a little crowded, but it was nice too! Carl's uncle, whose brother died this past October joined us as well as Carl's great Aunt who lives behind the family home in an apartment cottage. They usually spend Christmas Eve together (the 3 of them) but since the one uncle passed away, they weren't quite sure what they wanted to do. So they came to our house. I think they had a nice time celebrating Christmas Eve with us! Below (I never know where these photos end up!), I think, are some photos of the highlights. Cole getting his latest Webkinz, a black lab, Kaleigh getting her Lego house (started right in building on Christmas morning, Kaleigh and Cole with their Spongebob Lego's from Omi and Opa (lots of squealing on opening), Carl and his new office chair from his family (thank goodness his knees fit under the desk!) Then at he end, Cole and I with him in his new soft robe! It was a wonderful evening. Our traditions we began since the kids were born was to have dinner (Abelskeevers and sausage and applesauce), then the dad's take the kids in the car to go see the neat Christmas lights in one of the super crazy lighted neighborhoods, then while they are gone, the Kristkind comes and does His thing, and then the cars come home and we have our "Bescherung" or Sharing time. The kids each have a gift to give to the Kristkind, Kaleigh's gift was getting her room clean so the ladies could put their purses and coats in her room, and Cole read the Christmas Story. The candles were all lit and it was very cozy. Everyone enjoyed watching Cole and Kaleigh opening their gifts and we all got to watch each other open. Carl's parents were given the same thing from each couple (of which one of their children belonged). We decided to give them a nice restaurant gift card, so we each wrapped a box with a small gift and then put a $25.00 gift card in the box. So first they were all like, "oh, wow, thank you we will have to try this restaurant". Then the next one, "Oh, ok, now we can both go!" Then with the third, "oh well, now we can have dessert", and the last, "Oh and an appetizer too! " It was cute. I did keep one present for Kaleigh and Cole for Christmas Day, because I knew they would be looking at others opening and feel left out. They had a lot to open this year, so I may set aside more than one next year!

Preparing for Christmas!

Ok, so there's our tree, the stockings are hung, we even have a train running around the foot of the tree! The kids helped decorate the tree that Carl and I picked out at Home Depot (unlike SOME people who get them for $5.00 at a cut it yourself place!). We had to pay, but not too bad. So with all the preparation and the cleaning and the baking and so on.... Heeeeeeeere's Christmas!

Cole's Christmas Party

Cole's party at school was also on Friday(my blog got a little mixed up) same day as Kaleigh's but his started a half hour after Kaleigh's started so I spent time at each of their parties. Cole's had less food but more games and silliness. Some of the kids in Cole's class still feel bad if they don't have a parent there and so I was glad to be there for Cole. Kaleigh is older and I was able to see her little play and stuff before I left to go to Cole's party. I stayed until the end of his and then took him home. We stopped at a Flame Broiler (his favorite) and had lunch and then went home where he got to play Playstation 2 for a couple of hours! Vacation has begun! Since Kaleigh was with a friend, I got a lot of cleaning and sorting done! Cole had fun and enjoyed the food and his friends at his party. He loves his teacher, Mrs. Hunt and he won at Bingo and received a little Tigger! He wanted a little doggie but the other kid got there first. I expected a pout but he was a good sport!

He's Gonna be a STAR!

Well, this last Wednesday, Cole had the opportunity to be in a school play with his reading group. He is in the green group which (just like his sis) is the best readers in the class. Each reading group will perform a play sometime in the year. The Christmas story is first and the green group does that one, because it has the most lines and is earlier in the year. All these kids already know pretty well how to read so learning the lines is just memorizing. They did a great job and I video taped all of Cole's parts (he was Joseph's neighbor and one of the shepherds.) His teacher said, "Cole is a natural, he has great movement and expression!" So we are proud of our little actor! He said (about his shepherd costume), "I look pretty good in it Mom." He did too!

Kaleigh's Class Christmas Party

So this last Friday was Kaleigh's classes Christmas Party and they sure had a lot of fun! Kaleigh and her best friend Grace dressed alike and hung out together the whole party. They put on a little play, ate good food that was donated by a restaurant that some parents own in Anaheim and the played Christmas Bingo too! They did it up right and then they got to leave early too! And now....VACATION! W00t!

Ginger- bread Houses... Well, actually graham cracker houses.

This is one of my students....at my school where I teach preschool, all the teachers that teach 4 year olds, do these graham cracker gingerbread houses. Now, I didn't realize what this all entails.

First of all the kids don't put the actual houses together, I do. It is a mind numbing task let me tell you! It takes about 2 full hours to make about 10 houses! You have to "glue" (with icing, of course) the houses to the plate by propping the two sides up, then the two ends, then you have to carefully ice both sides of the roof so that when you put the middle together there is icing ready to stick the tippy top together as well as the bottoms of each roof to the sides. Then you have to cut out perfect little triangles to put on either end to match up the ends with the roof. All this is with icing that is ready to change to cement any second! Whew, talk about a job! And this of course is all on my own time, not paid. So, you may ask, why? Why would you put yourself through this? And before my kids did these, I thought to myself, "never again! No way I am doing this next year!" But then you look at this little girl and the smile on her face. She is the reason these teachers torture themselves making these little houses year after year. Every year they say never again, and every year after the kids love decorating them, they think, "well, maybe...."

I have to admit, the kids really enjoyed it! And I enjoyed watching their excited little faces as they put m&m's, skittles, and mini marshmellows all over the houses. I didn't need a candied house for a treat, just watching them was sweet enough for me!

Dang.

Ok. Not long enough...Kaleigh's hair, I mean. The hair dresser said that if we got the 10 inches needed, Kaleigh's hair would be about as short as mine!

So, we are going to wait till it is another 1 1/2 inches or so longer. Sigh.....I was so looking forward to not having to brush, yank, comb, yank etc, yank!

Sorry, no photos at this time.

Today is the day!
Maybe.....

So today Kaleigh is supposed to have her hair cut and give her pony tail to "Locks of Love". We are not totally sure that her hair is long enough, but we shall see. If it is and her hair gets cut I will post photos. Cole is getting a trim and of course we are giving Allie, our hair stylist her little Christmas gifty. I have been going to her since I moved to Brea about 11 plus years ago. Wow, that seems like such a long time! Anyway, so that is the plan for today. Check later to see if there are any photos!

I Dream of Kaleigh with the Long Shiny Hair!

Ok, yes it is nice and shiny and long, but it isn't a dream it is a nightmare! At least to me! We are counting down to the cutting! Well, at least I am! She is giving it to Locks of Love, and I am very proud of her, but I would be more proud if she could take care of her own hair! So we are almost there, but I am not sure if we are there all the way. Her hair has grown a lot, so I am hoping that before Christmas she will have a nice short bob hair cut! And so help me if any of you say she would not look good with Bob's haircut, I will have to ban you from my Blog!!

So take the last look at the long hair!

Christmas Card Rejects

So, here we are in early December, trying to do a nice Christmas Card. Somehow the quality of our card this year is a little lacking. I had to just suck it up and take a fast photo, so we could get it done! We are all so busy with getting Birthday, Christmas and School stuff done that I very nearly forgot all about a Christmas Card! Well, there will be one, it just won't be the same thought out process as the last few years, so....enjoy a laugh now, because these guys started losing it halfway through taking photos. "My mouth hurts!" "we are wasting play time!" etc.

Oh well, we shall see how they came out. The card may not even be in focus!