Tis the Season for...

Another random post of December happenings. We were so delayed in getting a family picture taken this year.  We roped Charissa into taking a couple of quick shots after church one week.  We managed to get one that turned out OK enough for Christmas cards which was the goal!  Whew!

Merry Christmas 2015 

This year the kids and I tried to add a new Christmas tradition to our list.  We decided to make gingerbread cookies (sort of).  The process was so very time consuming.  I learned A LOT for the next time we make them! Gluten free dough needs to be cold at each step of the process so the dough had to go in the freezer 4 different times to achieve the cookies.  It was an all day job, but by the end of the day we had several cookies that hadn't fallen apart and that tasted a lot like gingerbread cookies! 

T: This is my Gingerbread Girl!

T: Haha I took a bite of her head!

T: Oh no, I am biting off her arm!

M: Isn't it cool that I made this Gingerbread Man?!

Some of our great friends are allowing us to use their daughter's cape and hat this winter.  T looks SO BEAUTIFUL in them.  She loves to wear them.  She is sleeping with them as I type this.

T: Now I look like a real big girl princess!

During the second half of the semester T had a new OT named Rachel.  Rachel did an excellent job with T!  It was "festive sweater day" (much nicer title I think) at the University that day.  T got to be a little festive too!

T: I am so glad I got to meet Rachel!

Caroling!!!!!  It is hands down one of my favorite Christmas traditions.  This year we really filled the bus.  There were over 60 of us!  We went to six places and sang and smiled and laughed.  It is such a bonding time for all of us.  It is a great means of connection and making memories.  I am so thankful for the time singing, the time in the bus, and the time eating at church after the caroling.

Every year after caroling Brandon has to zip home to change clothes and then head over to the jail to preach.  Every year I have to come home from caroling and deal with very tired and crabby kids.  This year I was gifted a small miracle.  The kids were very tired.  We came home and I got juices ready.  They took the juices and allowed me to do the typical bedtime routine stuff and they BOTH WENT TO SLEEP FOR ME!!!  This has not happened in a long time.  It has been years since I was able to do that and it was a huge chore then.  This time was pretty easy.  I was downstairs by 7:30 with two sleeping children upstairs.  I mentioned they were really tired, right?  Anyway, I had to brag about that because it may never happen again!

Ready to carol!

Singing at a nursing home.

T was connected to Trevor most of the night!  So special!

T got this dress from Brandon's Aunt Val.  She was not sure about it at first because it has green on it.  She eventually really like it and wanted to wear it to school.

T: Snowman Princess!

A couple of weeks ago the local Y had a fun festival day for kids.  We went with our great friends S and T.  The kids loved the bounce houses the best!  The Y has a huge tree each year.  This picture of the whole crew turned out really well!

M and T: Aww, we are so cute. Look at S and little T.  They are cute too!