merry christmas, happy holidays

The day started early, when at 6:30 we heard Santa's sleigh bells and reindeer feet on the roof. We woke up the kids, ran upstairs, and hid behind the couch. Q was non stop smiling, as she peeked over the couch to watch Santa deliver her gift and fill her stocking. It was so super cute!!  She just couldn't believe that Santa was right there. After We heard the reindeer hoofs leave the roof, we came out and got the party started.
Santa was very good to Q this year and got her the doll princesses she had been asking for.

She also got a stocking full of glowsticks (she sleeps with one every night), whistle, little puzzle, silly putty, play doh, and disney matching cards.
Q loved all her Christmas gifts. It really does make Christmas so much better when the kids know what's going on, and really get into opening the gifts and handing out hugs and kisses in thanks.

I even scored with a super super cute picture frame with Q's picture in it, and a black and white scarf.

The girls had so much fun playing with all their toys the whole morning. Elsie's Disney Princess Castle and Q's coloring easel were both big hits.

After we took a little break to go home, get a nap, and do some cooking, we came back to Gary and Sylvia's and joined the while Wise crew for some delicious food, hanging out, laughing (serious tummy hurting laughter), a dance party with the little girls and Harper's new disco ball, and games.

At one point Cannon had gone outside to try out his new helicopter, and this is how the little girls set themselves up....how cute it that!

Such a good day, and the next day laziness and constant napping was well deserved.

Happy Holidays!

Where are you christmas?

Christmas Eve day Kim and I took the girls to see the new Chipmunks movie. The girls loved it, and I was entertained. It was a good start to a good day. 

For Christmas Eve, we went up to Piper and Greg's house. It was fantastic. We ordered pizza, talked, and hung out. Then we had the kids play a game of christmas bingo. They seriously got into it. It was so fun. Q thought it was so great. 

Piper also put together some items to make reindeer food for the kids to take home in cute little packets. It was super cute. Although, after I tried "lightly" blowing on the glitter to get it into the bag, and instead got it all over my face, I could have headed out to a rave and totally fit in. 

The kids they cuddled up on the floor and Kim read them a "kid friendly" version of the nativity story, while the kids helped put up the magnet figures for the story. It wasn't close to the usual nativity productions I am used to, but it was super cute and kids liked helping. 

Then Kim read them a little story, and the kids played "find the ornament game"

It was a great night!

Afterwards we drove down to Gary and Sylvia's to get ready for night and hang out. We stayed the night there, cause we were going to try and peek in on Santa early that morning with Elsie. 

That night the girls helped Sylvia in the kitchen, and were able to make some cookies to leave out for Santa. We tried getting the girls to settle down, maybe watch a movie, but they were wayyyyy to excited. I tried playing some games with Kim, Aaron, and Gary but had to retire early in order to get Q to sleep. 

What a fun Christmas Eve.

Baby it sings to me like (fa la la la la) Know that it's christmas time

Got caught up on my December posts. we've been super festive this year, and Q and I are both enjoying it. In fact last night, we grab some quick dinner and drove around looking at lights for over an hour. Pure joy!

Read on for about 4 posts on what we have been up to. :)

i'm giving love for christmas

Q's preschool had their first program yesterday. It was so super cute!! I'm mad at myself for forgetting extra batteries for my camera, so most videos and pictures were taken from my cell phone...so although the quality is poor, I hope it gives a little hint at how great it was. Qiana is by far the youngest in her class (since she just turned 3 at the end of September), but she tries her best.

First, let me show you what we made for her teachers. I spent a few hours with Kimmy and some ladies making DIY coasters. it was easy and turned out so cute. I made a 4 pack of them for each teacher. Then Q and I made these tree ornaments with her name on the back for each teacher.

Speaking of teachers, Here are Miss Vicki and Miss Honey. She also has a couple teachers that teach her the dancing and singing, but I missed a picture with them. 

Q just loves her teachers, and they are so good with her. 

For their program they sang a bunch of songs, did a dance, did sign language to "silent night", and talked about Santa and Jesus. Q would get distracted often, but managed to always come back and do some singing or hand motions. She had a couple twin girls surrounding her that did NOT want to participate in the program and it was funny watching Q try to figure out what was going on with them. At one point she shook the jingle bells directly in the face of one of them in order to elicit some participation from them, and the other she forced into dancing with her until the little girl broke down crying in which Q yelled to me "she's crying mom". poor girls. but funny. 

At the end of the program, the kids got to meet Santa and get a candy cane and a book. 

Plus the parents got a wonderful present of a cute picture the teachers had taken a couple weeks before.  many told me that Q's picture was the best of them, and I cant argue. Its pretty darn magical. 

have a funky funky christmas

My childhood Christmas memories are filled with pictures of graham cracker houses made with Woodruff's. we did it every year, and I just loved it. I think we did it one time many years ago when i was living in Utah and Jared and Kim were just newly married, but haven't done it since...and I missed it. I just love seeing what each person comes up with. In my youth it was always a guess as to what Tyson and Jared would do to their houses, that soon became major complexes after all the add on's. 

This year we got together at Kyle Woodruff's house, and got to have a delicious dinner that his wife Jamie made (halibut chowder), hang out with his kids, Janice, and of course Kimmy and Elsie. After dinner, we set up the houses, and let the kids do their thing! Q loved it. After the kids were done and ready to play, the adults took some time to decorate their own houses. Oh it was awesome. it was so fun to sit, talk, laugh, and be so peaceful decorating the house. It was such a fun time! We sure did miss all the rest of the Bates and Woodruff family members!! 

Kyle was such a good sport and let the kids just jump all over him. He took turns chasing each of the kids around, and let them ride him like a dinosaur. They loved it!!

And here are our finished products!