Christmas Is About Giving

This year our family, along with Grandpa Roger, Grandma Cami, Grandpa Michael, Grandpa Sharon, Uncle Taber, Aunt Mini, and our friends the Smith family and the Richardson family, gave Christmas to another family. We did this instead of giving gifts to each other as extended family members. We hope to make this a tradition. It was really nice to give to others that really need and appreciate it. Especially when we feel so blessed. Giving really feels the soul more than receiving.

2010 Christmas Ward Party

For our ward Christmas Party the kids and I decided to go in festive attire. Thirty minutes before it started I went to each of our closets and pulled out our most Christmas festive casual items. I even put poinsettias in Paige's hair. We had a good time at the party. We love our ward. Lots of great people to see and talk to.

Noah Working in His Piano Book

Noah likes to take silly photos for me these days. He was diligently working in his piano book. I am proud of his hard work and stick-to-it-ness with piano. We both worked on Christmas piano pieces that we played for the family as our talents on Christmas Eve. Noah played "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" and I played "We Three Kings." Both of us had to work extra to learn these songs because we both chose songs a little above our beginner skills.

Paige Starts Ballet Class

Before Christmas vacation, Paige got to try out a ballet class. If she likes it, then she starts ballet there in January. She wore her leotard and tights from last year (our first attempt for dance classes didn't work out) and I gave her my ballet skirt from when I was little. We borrowed her friends ballet slippers and I put her hair up into a bun with the help of a hair net. She looked so cute. The dance attire really got her excited for the class. She did well in the class and loved it, so she is in. Once a week starting in January and there is a studio ballet in the spring. Paige and I went to it last year, "Swan Lake." I am so excited for her.

Christmas Ginger Bread Houses with Grandma Karen

Grandma Karen always has fun stuff for the kids to do with her. We
spent Thanksgiving together and to jump start the season, Grandma Karen bought ginger bread house kits. Noah and Paige enjoyed decorating their houses and we put them on display in our kitchen as our first Christmas decoration for the season. Time to get out the rest of the festive decor.

Letters to Santa

On our first snow day ever in Idaho was this winter. The kids spent the day in PJs and Christmas hats, and wrote letters to Santa. Poor Noah was feeling under the weather and opted to stay in the car while Paige delivered his letter to the North Pole, Santa's mailbox at our local Post Office. Santa even wrote back a couple of weeks later to each of them. Pretty cool.

Paige Loves Primary

As a parent, it is so nice that my kids like to go to church. Paige especially likes church. I like to hear her stories of what she learned and see the arts and crafts she made that go with her lesson. When we were teaching in junior primary, Jeremy and I sat in the back of the room with our class. Paige and Noah sat in front of us. We loved watching them participate, giving Noah a hard time for not singing, and hearing Paige's funny comments, and her many unsolicited comments that make everyone smile. I miss being in Primary.