The Countdown

The countdown continues! And so does the fun!

Nicole & Alyssa, I am kind of copying your "blogging style" this week. I feel the same way you both do about needing a list of "twelve things we've done" or a short download on each day just to fit it all in a blog! I've wanted to write everything down, because I have really enjoyed going back to last year's blogs and reading what our family did. So, here are our highlights, if only for my memory alone:

1) Wrapping up the fall semester on both school and ladies class study. Ladies Class ended Tuesday and Sunshine School ended on Thursday, both resuming again the second week in January. I love both of these weekly activities and enjoy my time at each for different reasons....mostly I love the time I have with friends and watching my children develop relationships with teachers, caretakers, and friends their age. BUT, now that we're on "vacation" from both, I am loving my days at home without a place to be so many of my days.

2) Christmas Parties!! Both girls had their party day last week, and enjoyed them, of course. Who wouldn't enjoy icing galore, Christmas crafts, and songs and stories with their room moms in charge? I managed to visit both of their classes, even though it was only for a minute, and snapped quick pictures of the "parties in progress"!
3) Family Weekend! This is my favorite part of our last week, I think. We knew that this coming week and next weekend was already full of many crazy days, including Christmas celebrations with extended family and lots of other "busyness", so we decided to spend some quality time with just the four of us before that all hit. We decided to make it all "surprises" to the girls, which they absolutely loved.

Friday at lunch, we went to visit Santa at the mall, eat lunch together, and ride the carousel. This was a special treat because Daddy took his lunch hour from work to join us, which was an added bonus! Carlie actually enjoyed Santa's lap and didn't even cry (although she didn't talk to him either!) That's okay, though, because Kendyll said enough for the both of them. :)

Friday evening, we told the girls the only clue they could have was that they would need their fleece blankets for the car, a Christmas music CD, and that we would sit both of them next to the windows for this trip. We stopped first to eat at one of Mommy's favorite places, Bubba's, for dinner. And, then started the surprise. We rolled down the windows (added some air conditioning to make it actually cold!), started the music and began the tour of a great neighborhood in Dallas for an hour and a half of Christmas lights!! But, the first stop was Starbucks for hot chocolate. (This has become one of Kendyll's favorite things in the world, since our trip to New York with her a few months ago....) Here's a picture of the girls as the adventure began, enjoying their "hot chockit". Their favorite part was saying "Look out my side! Look at your side!" as different houses were lit up out each of their windows. We sang Jingle Bells a thousand times for Carlie and went "left" and "right" when Kendyll said to. They loved that they got to "stay up late" and cuddle in the car in blankets. It was a wonderful night and reminded me once again of the joy of Christmas through a child's eyes. Everything is beautiful and wonderful when you are two and four...even houses with mismatched lights and ugly yard art. :)

Saturday morning, we woke up and had breakfast together, and then got ready for the next surprise. As we got closer to our destination, we made the girls close their eyes. It was pretty cute to watch Kendyll "obey the rules" and keep them closed the whole time even though it was killing her. And, then to watch Carlie who kept squinting enough to still see through her eyelids and would eventually open up just one eye for a sneak peek.

We finally arrived at the movie theater to see Charlotte's Web and the girls were ecstatic. They loved the movie (and so did we!) and we had a great time surprising them with such fun family things all weekend.

When we got home, it was baking time for Mommy & Kendyll, as we began preparations for her big cookie party the next day! We baked and baked all afternoon, until both of us couldn't stir, measure, or sprinkle anymore. I loved every minute of it, though, because it was such a fun time with my oldest daughter, who is growing up SO fast. She is actually capable of doing alot of kitchen stuff by herself, which is just amazing! I hope we can always carry on the tradition of cooking together like that. 4) Cookie Exchange Party! Okay, #3 was a long one, and #4 will be too. Sunday, was Kendyll's long-awaited Cookie Party with her girlfriends. I actually thought of this idea last year, but decided they were all a little too young to really enjoy it. So, I've been waiting to do this party since then! We had such a fun time having 11 of our good friends over to play and have some Christmas fun, and it is just so neat to watch these girls grow up together. (We missed you Bailey!!) We decorated gingerbread cookies, played Christmas games (Bingo & Pass the Present), made crafts, and ate lots of good treats! We exchanged cookies and got eleven or twelve different kinds when it was all said and done! It was a great party and Kendyll will be talking about it for months to come. I look forward to the Second Annual bash next year!
5) Slumber Parties! Now that school is out, Kendyll is on a sleepover frenzy! Sunday night, after the party, we got to have Hollyn spend the night. Kendyll and Hollyn are the sweetest friends and get along so well together. Then, Monday night, she got to spend the night at McCartney's house and has been talking all afternoon about all the fun things McCartney has at her house. :) Then, tonight, she is off to Grandma's to sleepover, go to the movies, and get lots of special "Grandma and Uncle Chris" time! Tomorrow, she will head to my mom's to spend a couple of days at "the ranch" with Gammy and Papa Ron! What a fun week with family and friends she is having---eventually she will crash from all this excitement!

Carlie also got to have a sleepover at Grandma's on Sunday, and decided that the "sleep" part of it wasn't that important. She went without naps both days she was there and thought playing, singing, and talking to her babies sounded like more fun than sleeping (after much effort from Grandma to try and get her to crash!). She also woke up at 5:00 in the morning! Somehow, she still found the energy to play and play and play some more and never get cranky or tired! Crazy girl! Seriously, I love that both of my girls love being with others, and are so excited to stay other places. They will have so many fun memories of slumber parties....and they're still technically toddlers!

6) Nursing Home Visit: Monday morning, Hollyn, Kendyll, Trinity, Trenton, Stephanie, and I took Christmas wreaths that the girls made at the cookie party to the Christian Care Center (nursing home) to deliver to the residents there. One thing I would love Kendyll to have a heart for is the older people who are living in nursing homes like this. I don't feel like I was as comfortable as I should have been at a young age with older people, and it was so neat to watch each face light up as our girls gave them hugs, a simple craft, and a "Merry Christmas" greeting. It made their day to see young children, and I have decided (along with Stephanie) that we are going to make a point to do that throughout the year for our kids' sake, as well as the residents of these nursing homes. It was well worth the time spent and great lessons for our kids, I hope.

That sums up our last few days pretty well. We have Christmas with family starting in a couple of days, and I am looking forward to that very much. We have so much to celebrate and are so blessed with so many family members. I hope and pray that each of us can take the time to just be together without the hurry and stress this time of year can bring. We also have a few things planned to help my girls focus on the "reason for the season" and can't wait to start all of those things too.

We hope that each of you are having a great "Week before Christmas" so far and are also enjoying the blessings of this season. Now, I better get back to Christmas card writing, since many of you have been way ahead of me on that chore! :)