Company and More Christmas Fun

My parents made the trip out to OK this past week or so for Becca's birthday.  It is always so close to Christmas that she usually misses out on having family come for her special day.  The days were fun and busy but at the same time quiet and peaceful.  Kids around...madness.  Kids at school....quiet and peaceful-both are nice!  We were able to do a lot together as the season of celebration is in full swing.

Friday evening the girls all headed out to see the Nutcracker.  The ballet was spectacular-I think it was some of the best dancing I have ever seen.  The story still throws me a bit-name changes and little twists to the original nutcracker seem a little strange.  Funny thing is that the girls love it and only I notice because of the memories of the original Nutcracker.

After a super early Basketball game we headed out to the Philbrook Museum.  Second Sat is free admission and craft day...along with many other activities for the kids.

Santa was on hand...amazingly there wasn't a line to sit on his lap.

Lots of fun Ginger Bread houses were on display-including one from the K4 classes at Metro.  James was pretty proud of his pine tree he contributed to the display.

The highlight of the kids time at the museum-crafts.  This sucks every bit of energy out of me, between the chaos and the kids ambivilence  at what to do/but wanted to do something is exhausting.
Today they made their own Christmas memory book.  It really was a fun idea.

 Nice to have the extra hands...Ron and James bailed.  James cried most of the time-I think he felt how many adults felt.

 A fun time enjoying the museum all decorated for the holidays.

They even had someone playing the organ in the main hall-pretty impressive that is was built as someones house.

The week was full of fun activites for the kids and fun that Grandma and Grandpa could be around to enjoy them as well.  Andrea had her Christmas around the world for the beginning of the week-visiting classrooms to learn about how different Countries celebrate Christmas.  Becca had her big Christmas Musical Tuesday evening.  She had spent so much time practicing this month I was excited to finally get to hear it.  The kids did so well at remembering all their lines.  Becca had a little dance part and was in the Chorus.  They all sang to loud-it was a lot of fun to listen to.

 They were all spies

musical link
Second Musical Link
Third Musical Link

So fun to have Grandparents in the Audience!

Before Grandma and Grandpa left on Wednesday they were able to enjoy James performance of the Nativity.  He was sang at the nursing home early that day and I think was a bit tired when the afternoon rolled around.  He was most excited that he got a staff.

James Nativity Link

Tomorrow is the big party day for everyone-they are all excited about just getting to go to school and not do any work...I hope the teachers have more energy than me.  I think all the kids are getting a bit tired.  Brayden said his class watched a movie today in the auditorium about the paperclip memorial for the Holocaust and he said his buddy fell asleep!  Is has been a great week and super special to be able to share all the fun with Mom and Dad around.

Happy Birthday Becca!!

What great day to be Becca.  Yesterday her birthday finally arrived.  She is my count down queen and is always crossing off the days on my calender in a count down till something.  It was a full weekend with many special things but yesterday was her day.  We started the day off with a little visit from Zoom....still gets a grin out of the kids to here their birthday song, and then it was off to church to celebrate the third Sunday in Advent.  Andrea was most excited because it was Joy this week...and we sang Joy to the World.  So special to sit in church with grandparents and to be able to celebrate the season and her birthday.

After Church Becca opened a couple presents and then we headed out to eat at her resturant she always requests-carabass, mainly becasue they get to play with dough and cook it.  I can't complain because the food is great!

I think we would have all been happy with this dessert as her birthday cake!
After filling up on some wonderful food we headed out to the ice-rink to do some skating.  James was so fun to listen to-asking how he was going to stop, how could he spin.....funny thing was that I thought it was going to be another year of sweating and back hurting skating with him, and surprisingly he was able to stand on his skates!

The kids did great skating this year-my first year I was able to skate with Ron with out dragging a kid along.

 Even Grandma managed to deal with some very uncomfortable skates and skate a little with the kids.

 They are all growing so fast-so crazy to think that I wasn't trying to get multiple shoes on, keep track of mittens for cold hands or have a little one sitting on the bleachers watching.  A always Brayden was up to bugging everyone with snowballs-this year Becca joined in the fun...Andrea was not so much into being attacked!
We completed the Birthday celebration with cake, ice-cream, presents and games at night with the Marsh Family.  It was a full of house of crazy fun.

 Becca got a little purse this year-it was fun seeing her fill it all up with her little things and carry it with her.

 Can't forget birthday spanks...She was a good sport and raced through the line, ending up with more than 9!

 Her request a checkerboard cake-chocolate and strawberry.

How many people can play a card game of spoons??  it was one crazy game

Holiday Happenings

The season continues to rush on by.  I am constantly reminding myself to take the time for the little things, moments that might not make it onto the calender.  Amazing how so fast the calender/schedule can take over.  I am not quite sure why everything has to happen these two weeks but I think we are about maxed out.  Between birthdays, student of the week, musicals, special activities at school-requiring me to do more shopping....I am ready to just stay home and make christmas cookies.  AHHH but that would mean I would need to head to the store to get the supplies-the errands never end!!  I really can't complain, everyone is in the same boat-but most days it just exhausts me to see everyone scrambling around.  This past weekend I got away from it all-off to Chicago for a little shopping and break from the routine with Sharon and my mom.  Such a wonderful time to get away!

It was chilly but still able to walk around and enjoy the sights/sounds/smells of the big city getting ready for Christmas.  Ron was wonderful as always and held down the fort with the kids-meaning...try to keep everything straight seeing as it was one of the busy weekends.  There is always one in Dec when everything happens and this past weekend was it.  They all survived, soccer/basketball, AHG...and the big Ruts-N-Guts cyclocross race.  They were even able to enjoy the ORU Christmas concert-complete with their amazing trumpet player.

Click here to watch super fun Christmas Video-this was shown at the ORU Concert, we all loved watching it.

Monday it was back into the routine-a little low on lunch food!!  It was time to decorate gingerbread houses with James.  Very fun...although he is having more fun eating all the candy off his house.

These are the moments I love-impromptu things.  We did some caroling with our neighbors last night.  So fun with the kids-I think they could have rang doorbells and sang for another hour...we ran out of houses!

   

For now I am on to the many things everyone else is keeping busy with-gifts, between teachers, family and school parties I don't know how people keep it all straight!!

And now I am off to hang with my buddy James-these are the moments I want to remember.  He has been talking about my hand weights for the past hour and is now parked in my bedroom with them waiting for me to come "work out" with him.  I laugh because I haven't worked out in ages...maybe he is trying to tell me something.

Days of Thanksgiving

Ron's parents made the trip out to OK this year for Thanksgiving.  The kids were ready and waiting for visitors-always nice to see people drive in, in addition to the fact that we didn't have to load up and drive ourselves!  Our time was spent playing and enjoying time together...and much time in the kitchen.  Brayden was into Frisbee and convinced Becca to be is videogragher-I don't know how many time he would throw the Frisbee at the basketball hope in hopes of making a shot-too many to count (too many u tube videos of Brodie Smith)  We played many games-James loves to play connect Four and Trouble.  Becca started up some checkers and we all played many rounds of the card game golf.  The meal was huge-I think we ate it for the next three days including a huge pot of soup from the left over turkey.  The weather was warm and perfect to enjoy the outdoors.  We even managed to get enough bikes for everyone to get out for a bike ride, with a stop at sonic...although it did seem a bit chilly for slushies!

 Ron made a game, follow the wire without touching it-how steady is your hand??

 Ron's tradition of breaking up the bread for the stuffing the night before thanksgiving

 Brayden was all about helping get the turkey ready this year.  Becca doesn't mind touching it but Andrea and myself were great at just watching and giving orders.

 Making the stuffing with Grandma Thanksgiving morning.

Ready to cook-we brined the turkey for 36 hours this year in a mixture of spices and buttermilk.  I have to say besides for it taking a long time to cook the meat was delicious.

 Becca and Grandma enjoyed the skin before having to stick it back in the oven for some more cooking--what a year, a turkey that wasn't cooked!

 Finally able to eat-everyone was hungry.  Lot of things to be thankful for!  Health, House, Family...turtles, animals...the kids always come up with something.

Guess who lost a tooth Thanksgiving night-the tooth fairy had to make a stop at our house.

Grandma was a great sport and tackled the mini baker with Andrea-cookies and a little mini checker board cake, complete with frosting.

 With such nice weather we were off to get out christmas tree.  No snow or ice this year.

The farm had a mini-golf set up in the back this year.  This would have been more fun if I didn't have to play with such competitive kids who were all sick of being around each other.

The Christmas tree farm had a lot of old farm equipment laying around-crazy to think how the land was plowed and moved with these tools.

 The tree was up and just needed a little bit of trimming to fit.

 Brayden had his first indoor soccer game-ever.  He LOVED IT and scored a bunch-super fun to watch.  James loved it just about as much as Brayden as he got to play on the mini field the entire time.

Time for Christmas!  We braved the crowds to see Light at Rhema-still beautiful and overwelming all in one.

Becca enjoyed a morning of shopping with Grandma and Grandpa for her birthday-so fun to pick out a couple things-snow globes was the hot item that day. I should have taken a picture of Ron and Dad outside as they spent a great amount of time moving some heavy clay and gravel in the yard.

Lots golf-easy, short game but still very entertaining for everyone.