On the 18th Day of Christmas

It's party time! All three kids had parties in class today. You know what that means...lots of food and lots of sugar. Which I had to start off talking about to show you these adorable cupcakes a mom made in Ava's class. I loved them. They're supposed to be snow globes, so the cookie on the bottom is the base. Adorable right?

I had Neal (who happened to be off today thankfully) go to Jackson's class. I split myself between both girl's classes. They all sing happy birthday to Jesus and then celebrate His birth. Have I mentioned that I love that we're at a Christian preschool. I find that the lessons and songs so reinforce everything we believe and teach at home. I love it when they come home singing Christian songs I hadn't taught them. They're little sponges I tell you. Ava's favorite song right now is "Our God is An Awesome God". I love it when she belts it out with gusto.


Here she is at her party with her best friend Campbell and her teacher Miss Jessica, or as Audrey likes to call her, "Miss Jesh-i-sha".
In Audrey's class they also got to decorate sugar cookies. Christmas season wouldn't be complete without an annual sugar cookie decorating session. I went to Ava's class first and then brought her to Audrey's party so she could partake in the cookie decorating too.


Shortly after these pictures were taken some of the little girls decided to drink the sprinkles. The grandma who brought them wasn't so happy. But I guess you shouldn't turn your back when there are little ones and sprinkles are involved.

Once home we opened the gifts the kids made at school for us. I love them all. Another moment of truly feeling like a mom. And they're so proud of their creations. Although Audrey didn't want to pose for the picture, Jackson is holding her handprint made out of cinnamon clay. Jackson made the cool silver tree and Ava painted the frame with the beautiful photo of herself.



Later in the night after dinner she decided she wanted to make ornaments for our tree. It never ceases to amaze me the creative ideas they come up with all their own. I'm completely obliging her and letting her hang them all over the tree. More pictures in the days to come of that. For now... I think it's time to get to bed before it's time for the 19th day to begin.

On the 17th Day of Christmas

Today was the big day for both girls to be in the Christmas show at the preschool. My sister, who lives in New York, had a layover in San Diego near where my parents live so she asked if they'd want to pick her up and drive up to watch the show and then bring her back to Downtown San Diego so she could be at work bright and early the next morning. They agreed so it was the first time my kids have had so much family at one of their Christmas shows. It was really neat.

Leading up to this big night they practice in the church across the street several times over a couple of weeks time. It's all very exciting because they get to ride in buses back across the street to school when the practice is done. The kids love it. On the big night everyone is in costume, from angels, to shepherds, wise men, Mary, Joseph (and a pretend baby Jesus), a drummer boy and girl, the star.. you name it, they've got it. It's a sort of organized chaos, but it all comes together. They run a slideshow of pictures of all the kids in the beginning, before the singing and story telling begin. It always brings tears to my eyes. I can't tell you why really. It's something about feeling like a mom at a Christmas show for one of my little ones. The very first one when my son was in the youngest class I totally teared up at the fact that I was officially a mom ... and still it happens every time. Of course it's also the sweet music they put to the slide show. I guess it's symbolic to me of their "littleness" and the fact that they're on the road to growing up. They're not afraid to go up on that big stage in front of so many people.


Ava's class were shepherds. She was so adorable with her patent leather shoes and frilly socks poking out. She was so brave and sang most everything. She's in the oldest class so they're on stage the longest. She was a major trooper standing up most of the time. In her class today the teachers asked the kids what their favorite part of last night was. Her answer was going up on stage. She is by nature more reserved and shy, so I was happily surprised to hear she enjoyed it.
The roses I brought for her afterwards made her beam. I could tell she felt so proud and I was proud of her.


You can see it in her eyes.. oh and big brother Jackson was so proud of them too. I was truly impressed by how sweet and nurturing he was to them. As a big brother there are moments where he taunts and doesn't always speak words of kindness, but tonight he was so encouraging. It made me smile.

Ok.. I'm jumping around a bit, but there were so many pictures I wanted to explain. Now onto the youngest classes. They are the farm animals at the stable. Audrey was a little cow. The youngest classes walk in singing Happy Birthday to Jesus. It's so adorable and doesn't matter if they aren't all singing. Everyone thinks they're so cute in their costumes. Audrey was singing and doing the moves, but being in the top row of her group she realized she could turn around and watch the show. In fact she had a pretty good vantage point of everything so that's what she did most of the time she was up there. You can see her on the right hand side of the picture in the front.... see the back of the black and white cow.


I was just glad she wasn't crying or having a fit and that she was calmly sitting up there soaking everything in. I think the fact that this was the first time the lights were on and everyone was in costume was exciting to her. She was enjoying it right along with all of us parents.


I had Jackson deliver the roses to her after the show. She also felt so special and was such a proud little cow.

Mommy sighed a sigh of relief with the second and final show wrapped. Now the extra rehearsals and making sure everyone had the right clothes and were fed and bathed early for the late nights were done. One more day of school left with holiday parties and then we have a two week break with no rushing around anywhere!

On the 16th day of Christmas

Wednesday night was Jackson's Holiday show at his school. My son is not a singer. But he really learned the three songs his class had to sing and he actually seemed like he was enjoying it. My husband video taped most of it so I don't have a lot of photos to choose from. It's crazy to me that he's in second grade and isn't a little guy anymore.

(photos will come later.. turns out my husband took the photos off onto his computer and I can't access them till tomorrow).

On the 15th day of Christmas

Today is our Community Bible Study day.. and today is the day the kids get up in front of all the moms and sing and recite their bible verses. The bible verses are actually set to familiar tunes like Ten Little Indians and Frere Jacques. It was super cute. It was my small group's turn to help out with all the classes so this time I volunteered in Audrey's room. It was sweet seeing them all together learning about Jesus. The ladies that teach are all volunteers and they so selflessly give of themselves. Ava was also given a new manger for her baby Jesus to add hay to every time we do something kind for someone. It's actually being used, although sometimes mommy needs to remind that the manger needs more hay. Ava is the most active with it. She loves taking the responsibility to add pieces of hay.

Oh and I stayed in the back so that Audrey wouldn't try to run up and get me so my pictures of the performance aren't that great. So I added a couple of the girls afterwards wearing the crowns they made.

Can you guess what Audrey's favorite color is?

The 14th Day of Christmas

Out of the mouths of babes as they say. On Monday the 14th I made a mental note, I must write this one down. The kids are so enamored with the lights on houses and like to ooh and aah if we're out when it's dark at the different glowing decorations.

This house in particular Audrey said, "Ohhhh, look at all the reindeer!"

I said, "They're cool aren't they Audrey?"

To which she replied, "Yea, they're cool, but Santa's not cool."

Which made me wonder, "Oh really, what is Santa?"

Her response was a very matter of fact, "Santa is Santa."

Ok. Got it.

But then she added in such a sweetly innocent way, "But he's handsome... and presents, they're pretty."

So that's her very descriptive summary of Santa, presents and reindeer. I never knew a two year old found Santa handsome. Adorable.

The 13th Day of Christmas

Ok... slight detour from blogging. Sorry... but it has been a crazy, busy week with all the shows and holiday parties on top of trying to make sure homework is done and all kids are fed, bathed and cared for... so something had to give and this was it.

So the thirteenth day of Christmas I went to A Night In Bethlehem with a group of women from my bible study. We met first for dinner for one of the ladies birthday and then a few of us went to the Bethlehem event. I love it. It's a really cool way to imagine what it was like when Jesus was born. There are Roman soldiers. This year I was actually handcuffed for allegedly not paying my census. I threatened to take the guards photo.. not sure that helped my case at all. There were people selling herbs, jewelry, pottery, and goat cheese. Then of course there is the stable with Mary, Joseph and a real baby Jesus. Just outside is the donkey the rode to Bethlehem on. All in all it was a fun night with girl time and time to focus on the reason for the season!

The 12th Day of Christmas

It's a tradition! You know once your kids are in school they'll have questions about sharing family traditions. When Jackson was in kindergarten I realized that we just don't have all that many traditions. I did growing up. Things like my grandmother making the traditional slovakian meal on Christmas Eve, and a special chocolate egg from a factory in Pennsylvania where my father grew up for each of us... well I guess those were the biggest. But it just made me realize I have to be intentional as a mom and my husband and I as a couple to create traditions for our children. This one came about simply because my friend Kim started a mommy and me Christmas tea last year. A little background, Kim and I have been friends since the first grade and have seen each other through just about everything in life. She gets me in a way that only a sister could. We're not related, but sometimes it seems like we are.

So we decided that we'd make it a tradition to celebrate Jesus' birthday each year with a mommy and me tea. The kids were so excited and it really isn't that hard to put together. I happened to have star cookie cutters in different sizes so I figured they'd go great with the story of The Tiny Star. Jackson actually said to me tonight that I should make those sandwiches for school lunch every once in awhile. I said, "They're the same thing inside." He said, "I know, but somehow the star shape makes them taste more yummy."


So we read "The Tiny Star" story about the star that is so small and wants to be big like all the others until one day she drops lower and lower and lands on a manger. When the baby inside (which of course is Jesus) sees her she grows bigger and bigger and glows throughout the sky. She's now the most beautiful star of all. That's a very brief summary. The story is much sweeter in detail. The kids thoroughly enjoyed having their own little buffet of snacks to choose from. Their favorites were the egg salad sandwiches on sour dough bread, star sunflower seed and jelly sandwiches, the blueberry sparkling juice, and the peanut butter cookies afterwards.

Then they all colored or played with their activity books.. and of course the day wouldn't have been complete without running in circles chasing each other and playing hide and go seek. It was a very rainy day for us. But it was nice and cozy. We had Christmas music playing and there was a time in there for the mommies to sneak away to our own table and enjoy lunch as well as some Christmas tea.

I'm looking to add to my Christmas book collection and have been on the hunt to remember two books that were read to me years ago. I had forgotten the names, but never forgot the stories. So I found them and plan to order on amazon very soon. One is called "The Tale of the Three Trees" and the other "The Crippled Lamb". I'll leave you with links so you can check out the descriptions yourself. Both are great stories to read at Christmas time or anytime. Happy 12th day of Christmas. We're almost half way there!

The 11th Day of Christmas

This is their favorite way to ride around stores. Ava prefers the front and Audrey the back, except when they're out and about helping me throw things in the cart. I have to keep my eye on Audrey. Very mysteriously things I don't want or need will appear when I get to the check out counter.

The girls had their first morning of rehearsing for their Christmas pageant next Thursday. The first preschool Christmas show I went to back when Jackson was two I cried. It hit me as the kids walked down dressed as Mary and Joseph with a baby, shepherds, angels, wisemen, and all the little ones as the stable animals that it was one of those rites of passage as a mom. I was truly a mom of a young child. It still makes me cry every time I hear them coming down the aisle singing, "Go tell it on the mountain....over the hills and everywhere... go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is born." My girls have been singing this all day today. I love it. We're in Michaels with lots of stressed out people angry at the line, angry at too few salespeople working when it's the holidays. And they're just sitting their singing announcing that Jesus is born.

This week in my bible study someone in my small group talked about someone they know who intentionally prays so often throughout the day that she'll pray that the Lord would guide her to what grocery store to go to, what gas station to go to, what errands to run and not run so that He may use her, so that she would be following the path He wants her to go. She's that intentional about being a light and possibly helping someone that she's meant to help, being Jesus for that person in that little moment, on that little errand. It hit me because I so seriously don't do that. I don't ask God which errands I should run today. I literally try to see how many things I can squeeze in, in the small window I have without being late somewhere.

But today, and this was without praying where I should go honestly, but as we were in line a lady who was noticeably frustrated by the line and the lack of staff on the floor asked me, "Your girls are so well behaved. What's the trick? Are you strict?" I said, "yea I'm strict, but it's more about not just correcting the behavior, but working on where their hearts are.. at least that's what I've gathered from things I've read." I didn't really go into more than that because it was her turn to pay at that point. But it made me realize that I can share little bits of my faith in the most obscure moments. It's being open to it and just taking the opportunity.

So tomorrow we're hosting our second annual 'mommy and me tea' to celebrate Jesus' birthday with my best friend Kim and her son Ashton. Last year they had us over, tomorrow we'll host. We decided we'd like to make it a yearly tradition. I went to Valley Book and Bible today in hopes of getting this book called, "The Tale of Three Trees.' They didn't have it, but I did find cute activity books for the kids to play with during the tea. I also picked up some things at Michael's to possibly do a craft. It all depends upon whether I get my act together tonight to get it ready.


One of the coloring books is all about the origination of the candy cane. I had heard it before, but it's always nice to read again.

I'll leave you with the story here:
"Look at the candy cane - what do you see? Stripes that are red like the blood shed for me. White is for my Savior who's sinless and pure! "J" is for Jesus, my Lord, that's for sure! Turn it around and a staff you will see - Jesus, my shepherd, was born for me! - Author Unknown

It was Christmas time. Old Ben, the candy maker, was very busy in his workshop.
Old Ben made all kinds of candy that children like to eat.
On Sunday the candy maker closed his shop and went to church. Old Ben looked at the manger scene. he thought, "I wish I could make candy to remind good little children of Jesus."
The next morning old Ben hurried to his workshop. He had an idea!
He began by making a stick of hard, pure white candy. "This candy will remind children that Jesus is our Solid Rock," he said. "I'll make the candy white because Jesus makes our sins as white as snow."
Next old Ben shaped the candy in the form of a "J." "J is for Jesus," he said with a smile.
When he held up the candy it looked like a shepherd's hook. "the Bible tells us that Jesus is our Good Shepherd," said old Ben.
Still, the candy maker was not quite happy with his candy. "I Know," he said. "I'll add some color."
Carefully, old Ben made some red stripes. "these stripes will remind children that Jesus loved us so much He bled and died for us on the cross," he thought.
Then he added some peppermint flavoring to the candy. "this smells like hyssop that was used in the the Bible when people gave sacrifices to God. I want children to remember the sacrifice Jesus made so we could live forever with Him in heaven."
The candy maker looked around at all the candy canes he had made. He was very happy with his work.
The next Sunday old Ben hurried to church with a big basket.
When the service was over, the candy maker opened his basket. The children were so surprised and happy to have a new treat!
Old Ben told them the special meaning of the candy cane.
From that day to this, every time children eat candy canes they remember the story of Jesus.

Or at least we hope so. Makes me want to run out and let my kids eat candy canes just to bring this story to life.
Tomorrow we'll be toasting to baby Jesus with cups of tea and sparkling blueberry water, finger sandwiches and little treats. But first we'll celebrate by singing happy birthday. For we wouldn't have anything here or forever in eternity in Heaven if God didn't give us the most precious gift of His son born as a baby in a manger.

The 10th Day of Christmas (evening)

So during my time shopping while a babysitter was here I found what I'd been looking for since October. Velvet little jackets for the girls. I was originally wanting shirts, but I'll take the cute jackets. I found these adorabel plaid silk skirts at Target.. as well as the turtle neck and shoes on my older daughter back in October. I knew they'd be adorable for Christmas. We never tried everything on though. Today I realized I better do it now in case things don't fit. We wound up finding out the shoes were both one size too big for each girl. So Ava has the smaller pair and Audrey, well we found an old pair of Ava's that I didn't realize fit her. So that's a good thing. ;) ANyway, I didn't put the tights on, but I got white tights that they'll wear on Christmas Eve. I'm quite excited with these because the skirts were 12.99 and I think the shirts were only 4.99 or 5.99. The shoes from Target 9.99. Not bad.. oh and the little jackets I found for 12.99.
I'd wear this outfit if I could find something like it.. with boots.. it would be really cute. That reminds me that I just don't get myself anything new for Christmas anymore. Remember those days as a child where you so looked forward to wearing your new dress. I love that feeling of something new and special. I love thinking about my girls having that feeling now.

The 10th Day of Christmas

Today at my daughter Ava's oldest preschool class they had a special viewing of The Polar Express. All week they had been doing activities leading up to it, including making their own polar express tickets. Today they were allowed to come to school in their jammies. The class was set up like the train so that when they viewed the movie they would feel like they were on the train too. They had to hold their tickets and get them punched. For a special treat the teachers let them have hot chocolate. She was sooo very excited about this day and talked about it all week. She really enjoyed it and so did the other kids. I could hear one girl saying to another boy, "Turn around, look behind you, there's ice behind you." And when the ticket flew away they were all grabbing for it as though they could really catch it. I love how children place themselves in the scene and the moment and just totally immerse themselves in what they're doing without censor. It was so adorable. THe day is young, perhaps I'll have more to add later. I did hire a babysitter today to get some shopping done. I know I said I'd do it all online, but we have a birthday party to go to on Saturday that I need a gift for and we need groceries in a bad way. SO I figure since I'm going to be out alone anyway, maybe I can pick up a couple of things to cross off my list.

9th day of Christmas

When we got the tree home and Neal set it up it was already dinner and bath time. And.. our tree was in the stand crooked. I just couldn't decorate it crooked and Neal had too much to do to fix it that night, plus the kids really needed to eat, take baths and get to bed. There were some tears, but we promised the next day they could decorate. You forget how exciting and fun this is for them. Actually, I don't forget. I remember waiting and enjoying this process soooo very much as a child. It was the best.
So I let them have at it. Of course if things were breakable I said mommy would need to help. One ornament did break, but we can fix it with superglue. But I didn't censor where things were placed. I will go in and tidy up and fix here and there later. But tonight I just let them have fun.

8th Day of Christmas...

Ok.. so it's the tenth.. and I've massively fallen behind on this 25 days of Christmas. But I do have the best of intentions so hang in there with me. I'll quickly add the last three days. We've had a lot going on and some sorta frustrating moments. But God is good and I'm sure someone needed my things more than I did.

On Tuesday (which is where I stopped blogging momentarily) we went to our bible study. Ava got the most adorable little manger kit to put together and each day, every time you do something kind, as an act of Jesus here on earth for others you add a piece of hay. It is a secret kind of thing. I had read about this where you can even have each member of the family draw a name for the week and you do these kind acts secretly, but you add your hay each time you do. It's symbolic of preparing a place for Jesus and preparing our hearts to welcome Him as we think and act as He would. I loved the idea and was so glad that we had someone put a kit together for us.

So we ran to the mall (which did I mention I really loathe doing) to get my son a coat. It has been in the 30's around here. For Southern Calif. we just don't know what to do with that and his coat from last year no longer fits. SO I did what I normally don't do, I shopped at the mall and found what I needed at the gap..which means I spent more than what I usually like to spend. But it was about getting it done that day. I got the coat, a dress shirt for his Christmas show and Christmas eve church, and a gift (a clone wars shirt that he would have loved).

Leaving the mall, my husband was picking up my son and I said lets meet at home depot and get our tree.. so we did. Then we ran to the post office to drop off my gazillion Christmas cards. My son kept asking, when is the Christmas card chapter going to be done. Everything is in terms of 'chapter books' to him these days. I was glad to get them in the mail and on their way.

Then we got home with the tree and very excited kids to put it up and do some decorating. In the midst of it all I forgot about the bag with the jacket, so in the morning when I went to get it, I couldn't find it. No idea whether it was at Home Depot, the post office, or my own driveway. But at some point my car must not have locked and someone grabbed the bag.

I hope that they'll use the nativity kit and perhaps the directions will convict their hearts. I also figure I guess someone needed that coat and shirts pretty badly.

Anyway.. so that was our 8th day of Christmas..
OH and for the pictures of picking out the tree. THe kids were beyond excited. I lobbied for Home Depot this year so we could afford a Noble Fir. I just love the way they look so much more, but at the lots they're so much more expensive.

Audrey decided to give the tree a hug so everyone else followed suit. I think they picked a good one!