Christmas Eve jammies

It's no secret anymore what the kids will open on Christmas Eve, but I still love how excited they are to get new jammies. They talk about it for days before hand wondering what theirs will be. It's a fun tradition for them and one that I love! Here I am passing out the jammies to each of the kids. Chris is normally the one on Christmas Day to pass out the gifts but I know which ones are the Christmas Eve jammies so that's my job. It does help that I wrap them in the same paper and don't reuse that paper on any other of the gifts.

Here they are, waiting for the unveiling!

One, two, three..... OPEN

I love how excited Ali is for her 'peace sign' jammies! Kenna looks thrilled as well. I wish I had a good picture of Jace, he absolutely LOVED his!

And, pose! Even Bella wanted in the picture!

I'm not into the 'matchy, matchy' jammies at Christmas and I don't even like them to look like they're Christmas jammies, I want them to be something they can wear year round. I try really hard to find some that represent the kids' personalities or something they will just love, like Jace with his airplane ones, or Ali's peace signs. I think they were all super happy with their new jammies!

Christmas Recital

This post is a little out of order, the girls had their Christmas piano recital last Thursday the 15th but I didn't get the pictures downloaded that evening. This year, Jeni Cutts, their piano teacher has 19 students so the recital lasted longer than in the past but it was great. She has several talented students and it's always nice to hear Christmas music being played on the piano. Here is Ali, she played 'O Christmas Tree'

Emily played a medley of Christmas songs, including 'O Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night and Hark the Harold Angels Sing'

Lindsay and Kenna played a duet of 'Carol of the Bells'. Lindsay also did a solo piece called 'Tarantella' it's not a Christmas song but she worked super hard on it at the beginning of the year and had it memorized so her teacher wanted her to be able to perform it.

A big sigh of relief after the recitals are over, each of my girls get so nervous when they have to play in front of others. I keep telling them that's it's good for them and one day it will subside and will become easier. Here they are with Jeni, their teacher and a wonderful friend of mine!

They all did an amazing job and I am so proud of them for continuing on in taking piano lessons. I know it's not always easy and there are times when it's down right frustrating but they push through and I can surely see the progress each of them is making in developing this great talent. I love hearing each of them play!

Pre school Christmas program

Jace's pre school had a little Christmas program for parents today. His class is really small, only 6 kids, but they worked hard to learn the songs and sang their little hearts out. Earlier this morning, Jace was telling me he didn't want to go (I think he was nervous and remembering last years program at the nursing home). Being the mom that I am, I drug him there and handed him off to Mrs. Natalie crying. When I returned for the the program, I wasn't sure how he would do but he did fantastic, he was the loudest singer and was a ham for my camera! Here he is, notice he's sitting between the only 2 girls in the class :)

Singing 'Jingle Bells'The class also told the Christmas story with Mrs. Natalie. She would read the book and let them fill in words to the story, it was so cute!

After the program, Mrs. Natalie had gifts for each of them to take home. She told us that it was up to us whether we had them wait to open them on Christmas or let them when we got home.

We absolutely adore Mrs. Natalie!Well, there was no way Jace was waiting to open his present and he was thrilled to find it was a paint and poster set and he jumped right in and started painting. Thank you Mrs. Natalie!!

Jace is really enjoying having Mrs. Natalie again for preschool this year and like I said earlier, we adore her! He's had a harder time this year without his friends from last year in his class and there is at least 1 day a week that I hand him off crying but he always ends up having a great time. Mrs. Natalie does a great job with the kids and this program was just that. We look forward to many more fun things she has planned this school year!

Root family Christmas party

This past weekend was the annual Root family Christmas get together. Kara and Brett were kind enough to have the whole gang at their house, again. There wasn't any snow for sledding this year so we had to improvise and come up with new activities. The kids made and decorated sugar cookies...... (look at Grandma Root asleep on the couch behind Baylie in this picture) Baylie working hard on getting her cookie just right!

Jace biting into his cookie.......YUM!

Lindsay and Zach adding the finishing touches to some cookiesHere Zach is holding up his cookie for all to see...... it says, 'stud muffin' he used different frosting colors to make the muffin, quite clever Zach!There is always story time with Grandma. She always get the kids books and stuffed animals to go with their stories and sits and reads the books to the kids before giving them to them. Baylie looks a little tired but Kacie is looking on intently.

Jace and Gavin wanted Grandpa to read one of Jace's books. Jace was grandpa's little buddy this weekend and wanted to be with him all day long

There were moments of just hanging around..... Here is Anjela giving Dexen snuggle time, although I don't think he is appreciating it!

Zach, Kenna and Lindsay

Haley and Emily.........

There were 'minute to win it' games. Lindsay is trying to move the cookie from her forehead to her mouth using only her facial muscles.

Ali, trying to get all the jingle bells out of the box - shake it!!

Chris and I trying to get the red pom pom onto our noses just using the whiplash effect ~ didn't happen.

But we looked cute trying!

Grandma and Grandpa with all 14 grand kids!

We had a good time hanging out and visiting with everyone. We always have a fun time when we get together, which isn't very often! I must mention that there were family skits again too. Laura had a prize for the best skit and I just want to tell David and Anjela, WE WERE ROBBED! We are already looking forward to next years festivities!

Lip Sync

We happen to have our kids going to the best elementary school in Idaho Falls. There are always fun things happening and each year before Thanksgiving break, the kids have a lip sync. There was a try out process and Ali was involved in one of the groups that was chosen to perform for the whole school and parents! I will say the whole program was quite the shin dig and it was a great time, not only for the performers but for those who came to watch. Ali's group performed a Muppet 'classic' "manamana"
Here she is ready to perform!
Here is her whole group

This was a fun opportunity for Ali and her friends and since they are only in 3rd grade, there will be several more opportunities for her to be involved in all the fun things Rimrock has to offer!

Sadie's 2011

Last night was the 'Sadie Hawkins' dance at the school. It's a girls choice dance and Lindsay asked Brent Empey. She actually agreed to come back to the house after picking him up to let me take a few pictures! Here she is with Brent

Lindsay, Brent, Trevor and Avery. They were all in a group together with 4 other couples. They went to Pizza Pie Cafe for dinner before the dance.
This one is my favorite! The boys are such characters :)

One more picture before they left. It was extremely cold outside, who knows why none of them are wearing jackets!

Lindsay said it was a fun evening, after the dance they went to Megan Call's house for dessert. She will only have 2 more dances before graduation, another girls choice and then prom - man the year is flying by!

Decking the halls

This past weekend, we were able to get out the Christmas decorations and get the house ready for Christmas! I love how excited my little ones get and how everything seems so magical to them! The weekend before Thanksgiving, I found this cute idea on pinterest and was determined to do it, even though I'm not a crafty person. I was really happy with how it turned out. While I was decorating the front door, Chris was putting up the Christmas lights and hanging my big wreath on the house.
As it came time to trim the tree, Lindsay and Kenna were in a hurry to get to a basketball game, so much for family time! Here they are putting their ornaments on the tree.

Baylie was all smiles as she hung her ornaments.

Ali and Jace..... say cheese!

Emily, reaching way up high to put on her ornament

Family snapshot after it was done!

Jace is so excited for Christmas, he is on the countdown! He is such a sweet little boy and has been hard at work coloring pages for everyone in the house. He folds them up and has put them under the tree and has instructed us, "not to peek" they are his gifts to everyone.

Even though it's a bit crooked and some of the lights are out, it still looks great! Way to go kiddos!

I've been really good this year about not moving the ornaments after the kids have put them on. Each year, I give them a new ornament with their name on it and the year I give it to them. Those are the ornaments that have taken over my tree, I think there are only about a dozen of mine on it this year. The kids' are lumped together and there are places that need to have something added, but I've let them do their thing and they are happy and excited about how it looks. One day, and I know it will come way too soon, I will get to put my ornaments back onto the tree, until that time..... the kids can enjoy every magical moment of this Christmas season!