CHURCH CHRISTMAS PARTY

Tonight was our church's Christmas party and it was really nice. We had dinner and then a program that our family was able to be a part of. We sat in a living room type setting, reading the verses out of Luke that tell the Christmas story while the nativity was acted out behind us. A small group of carolers sang and even Santa visited all the kids. Ben was SO excited to talk to the man in red, who was actually one of the little old Grandpas from our church! Nick played the tough big brother, telling Ben that wasn't the 'real' Santa and on and on...until he saw the goodie bag Ben came away with and then guess who was next in line for Santa!

Merry Christmas

I love this picture of the kids, taken the Sunday before Christmas as we were heading out the door to church.

CHRISTMAS CRAFTS

I love, love, love the cute things the kids make at school for Christmas! Nick made some darling snowman ornaments that I didn't get photographed before they were put away. And I was able to help his class make these hand print wreaths that they used to write Christmas poems.

 Green is my favorite Christmas color. 

Green is a colorful candy cane. 

Green is a Christmas tree. 

Green is an elf's shoes.

Olivia worked so hard on her Christmas living room picture, even coloring q-tips and using them as candles on the mantle! It was a beautiful 3-D scene that she created.

Check out the awesome framed Santa picture
and the colored cotton ball ornaments!

Nick brought home this life-sized elf from art class that just about stole my heart....

When I taped him up on the door in the kitchen, I had to bend one of his arms so it would fit. Nick saw it and said, "WHO BENT HIS ARM? Instead of being a jolly toy-making elf, now he's guiding somebody!"

Check out these chicklet teeth!

LIBERTY CHRISTMAS TREE

This was our second year helping with the Liberty Christmas Tree, a program that delivers gifts and a Christmas dinner to local families who are in need. We took three Spanish-speaking families and had such a great time shopping for them. I was really proud of the kids, who each shopped for the kids closest to their age. It's hard to buy fun presents for someone else when you are a kid but they were very sweet about it. Chris wrapped nearly all the gifts himself and then on the "drop day," we all loaded into the car to help with the deliveries.  Seeing the living conditions of our familes was an eye-opening reminder for each of us, and brought up some interesting conversations...the kids wanted to know "why these people live like this" and "how come someone doesn't help them more." It was such a nice morning, filled with the spirit of Christmas. I was grateful for this experience since it reminded us of all the wonderful blessings we enjoy and don't think about nearly as often as we should!