Britt's Blog - A Picture a Day

School Parties

At Shaylin's class Christmas party the kids went around to different "countries" in different class rooms to see how Christmas is celebrated around the world.  I got to teach 150 kids how to carve soap like children in Madagascar carve wood.  Crazy.

Sweet Shaylin took Macey around with her to all the activities.  Macey was in heaven.

Santa was there.  This is as close as Macey got.  :)

 

Skyler's homeroom had a Christmas party.  They watched Night at the Museum 2 and ate cookies.  Looks like it got a little wild.

 

 

 

 

Christmas Music

Shaylin's Christmas Musical - 

She remembered all of her parts (and mouthed all the others).  She sang a solo (that she thought was too short).  And she did great!

 

  

Skyler's Christmas Concert- 

This was our family's first band concert.  I was surprised how good it was.  Skyler's 6th grade band did fabulous.  I was shocked.  Skyler announced a song, played well and looked darling.

 

  

Retirement Home - 

Okay, this is sweet.  Skyler and Shaylin played the piano with their piano group at this retirement home.  Then Shaylin completely surprised me by announcing that she was going to sing a song for her mom for Christmas.  

She has been secretly practicing it at night with Jason for two months!  She sang "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause".  It was beautiful and, of course, made me cry.

  

   

Church Christmas Party

We had our church Christmas party last weekend.  It was themed "A Christmas in Bethlehem".  We walked around to the different booths and used chocolate shekels to buy our dinner.  It was a lot of fun.

 

  

We were all supposed to dress in old Bethlehem attire.  Macey saw us all getting into "costumes", and she INSISTED on being a puppy.  I gave in.

  

The kids put on the nativity play again.  Notice that Sawyer was the only black sheep.  I didn't plan that. :)  Skyler was happy to have a break from being Joseph for the first time in three years.  Shaylin opted to be a shepherd this year so that she could "take care of all the little sheep".  It was sweet.
 

Decorating the Tree

We all pitched in and decorated the tree.  I restrained myself and didn't rearrange anything afterwards.  I left it just how the kids and Jason had arranged it.  It's lopped sided and messy, but I love it.  Really.  

That's a big step for me.  :)

   
 
 
 
 

More Cabbage

I have to share this because it's so funny.  Skyler had a school spelling bee today, and guess what word he got?  CABBAGE!  Honest.  What are the chances?

The whole school started laughing and cheering.  The judges had NO IDEA what was going on.  It took Skyler about 30 seconds before he could stop giggling and start spelling.  He got it right.

That funny funny kid.

Keeping Christ in Christmas

Skyler and Shaylin each have a little nativity set for their room.  Unfortunately, a few years ago, we lost one of the Baby Jesus'.  Now they take turns each year having Baby Jesus in their room.  This year it's Skyler's turn.  

A few day ago, I went in Shaylin's room and found her making a Baby Jesus of her own.  

 

 She said, "Without Jesus, it's just not special".  I've thought about her innocent words all week.  As I run around Christmasing, I keep thinking, "Without Jesus, it's just not special".

Christmas Decorations

I know that this post won't be very exciting to anyone else, but I really wish I had pictures of my Mom's old Christmas decorations.  

These are some of my favorite decorations this year.

       

This sweet Santa is from my mom.  Gourd Santa from Anji.  Chalk board from Tif.

  

Sliding snowman from Danielle.  Tick-tack-toe board from Kimi.

  

My nativity set from Guatemala.  And our tree this year.   I hope my kids will have fond memories of our home at Christmas time.  I already do.

Thanksgiving

we had a fun thanksgiving.  it was a smith year, so we drove to salt lake.  we ate dinner on wednesday, because jason's parents left on thanksgivng day for a trip to new zealand.  lucky.  then we spent thursday and friday just playing with jason's sibling.  it was lovely.

  

the kids love to hang out with their cousins.  skyler and shaylin stayed at sydney and kylee's the whole time.

  

on thursday, we went to lunch and then went to see planet 51.  it was lame, but the kids liked it.

  

on friday, we went bowling and got take out.  then we all hung out at jason's parents house while the kids played and played and played.

  

on saturday we drove home.  oh, that drive is loooooong.  we stopped to visit my sister, mckenzie and then my parents along the way.  that was fun.

i'm 37 years old and the sight of them waving while i drive away STILL makes me cry.

Sock Hop

Shaylin's school had their annual Sock Hop fund raiser.  It's such a fun event.  The community gets VERY into it.  There's dinner, dancing, contests and games.  Fun stuff.  

This year was especially exciting because my cousin, Tif, and her darling daughter, Peyton, were visiting.  We forced them to come with us.

There's a costume contest, a cake walk, a hula hoop contest, a bubble blowing contest and a dance off.  These are very serious events.

   

Here's Shaylin competing in the costume contest, and Sawyer showing off for the ladies.  He's always surrounded by older girls telling him how cute he is.  Always.  He's starting to hate it much less.

  

Here are the kids anxiously awaiting contest results, and two VERY happy dance contest winners.  Seriously.  You would have thought they'd won an Oscar.  Peyton kept saying, "I can't believe my picture is going to be in your yearbook!  Everyone in your school will know who I am!!"  Adorable.

Disneyland

These two had so much fun.  No lines, beautiful weather, only riding big kid rides and just being together.  It was the trip of a life time.  

          

  
 

We're all quite jealous.