Santa Does Early Deliveries!

Heading in to the Head Start Preschool!

Sharing gifts with little kiddos!

"Hey, what's under this thing?"

This year Scott was able to help deliver gifts to a Head Start preschool in the area. He helped last year and really enjoyed it. This year was no different. This particular location is in a very poverty stricken area. The parents of the children who attend this school are so poor. It was so rewarding to present them with a few gifts.

Christmas Party!

Vanessa is standing in the back, on the left and Tanner is in all brown, kneeling in the middle.

We just had to show you a picture of Tanner's costume. He's a donkey, remember? Check out that tail!! It kind of threw us too!! :)

Last night was our Christmas party at the church. We had a few kids at home with Daddy and I took the rest with me. Samantha and Sabrina sang a couple of songs with the choir. Tanner and Vanessa also sang 2 songs with all the children. And then they helped act out the Christmas story! Tanner was a donkey and Vanessa was an angel. It was beautiful and they did a great job!

Only two more days of school for all the kiddos and then they are off for 2 weeks!

Thomas' Christmas Program!

Thomas is on the far right, top row, 2nd from the right!

This morning we went to Thomas and Vanessa's school to listen to the 4th grade Christmas program! Their school is only 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. The 4th graders get to do a program for their parents.

They sang 4 songs, I believe and the music teacher also had students accompanying them on several different instruments. The children were amazing! They sang so well and the instruments they used really added to the program. I was pleasantly surprised as they sang a song talking about the birth of the baby Jesus! In school????? Yes indeed!!!!

We forgot the camera but of course had our cell phones so the pictures were not great but the video shows the enthusiasm that the children had!

Way to go Thomas!!!

Christmas Is Coming.....

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care.........

Tree is up, with only strong, sturdy ornaments!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas over here! A huge thank you to Sam for putting up the tree and helping with the ornaments and decorations! Every year we give our children an ornament. Their Nana (Scott's mom) also gives them an ornament. They each have a special box, filled with just their ornaments. It will be a special treasure for each child to take with them when they leave our home. Only the strong and sturdiest of ornaments was allowed on the tree this year. We still have two little ones (well to be honest, just one little cute boy) that is sure each ornament needs to be checked out by him. Maybe next year we will be able to put the pretty glass/ceramic ones on the tree as well!

I hadn't started my Christmas shopping until yesterday. Now that might sound like a reason to panic to most people with 10 kids but to be honest, it really didn't scare me. I usually like to have it done by now so I don't have to worry about it, but because of the way we do Christmas, it's really no problem.

Years ago we started giving gifts to each other the way the Three Wise Men brought gifts to baby Jesus, we give 3 gifts per person. We took it a step further in that each year they get the same 3 gifts: a book, a game or toy and a clothing item. Just like the ornaments, each child will have a collection of books to take with them when they leave to start families of their own. They will have books in each age range and (if they have survived the constant usage) a collection of board games to take with them. Our kids love to play board games and reading is a favorite pastime for several of our children.

On Christmas Eve they unwrap two gifts: their new ornament to hang on the tree and of course, Christmas p.j.'s! The next morning after we have eaten our homemade cinnamon rolls, we sit down together and open our gifts. It's great because they know what to expect, there is no disappointment that they didn't get some big item on their 'wish' list. I have always told them, making a wish list is pretty pointless. When we pick out their gifts, we pick things that we want to give them! I don't like to be told by someone, "Get me this, this is what I really want!" Gift giving comes from the heart. I try to always find things I think they will enjoy but if it's not exactly to their liking we are also teaching them to always receive a gift graciously.

I love that after Christmas we no longer need to spend tons of time trying to find places to fit all of our new Christmas gifts. The books get added to the shelves, the games go in to the game closet and the new clothing item gets hung up in their closet.

Oh and the stockings?? Santa fills those with yummy treats like little oranges, candy canes jerky, ( I know weird huh? But they love it!) and maybe a little trinket or two.

Anyway, there ya have it, a few of our traditions! Traditions are what our children look forward to every year. Putting together a gingerbread house and delivering it secretly to a family, making plates of Christmas goodies and delivering them to friends and neighbors, going to see the Zoolights, drinking plenty of hot chocolate, watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel.....I will try to capture as many pictures as I can this beautiful Christmas season!

Way To Go, Tanner!!

Tanner received a very nice award today at school during an awards ceremony. The school sent a letter in the mail, informing me about it so we could go watch. Isaiah and I got to go watch the presentation. Tanner had no idea he was going to be getting an award, so he was surprised.

Here's what the award said:

Helpful, motivated, organized, interested, dedicated, respectful, energetic, enthusiastic, honest-the list of words to describe this student could go on and on. In every subject, he does his best at all times and is a motivated class participant, raising his hand to offer insights or ask questions that demonstrate he is listening and processing information constantly. When things don't come easily, he perseveres and digs in until he gets it. He has a great sense of humor and comes to class with a positive attitude. I really appreciate this student's obvious appreciation for learning and his enthusiasm for each new area of study. Thanks for being a pleasure to teach and to know, Tanner.

Wow, if I was ever looking for a way to describe Tanner, that would be him in a nutshell! Love you Tanner!!

Christmas Programs!

Savannah singing, "Ring your bells"

Cute little girls

Mary and Joseph

Her whole class!

Talisha with her class!

Singing a sweet little song about the baby Jesus.

That little character next to Talisha stole the show a couple of times!

Singing her solo!

Talisha and Savannah attend the same school. Talisha is enrolled in the private kindergarten and Savannah is in the pre-school class. Both classes are taught by the same amazing teacher. One girl goes in the morning, the other in the afternoon. They love their school and their teacher. We have had some great teachers in the past and this one ranks right up at the top!

Monday evening we went to their Christmas programs. Savannah's class was first. She got to play the part of Mary in their program. It was a sweet little program, with a handful of 4 year- olds singing songs about Jesus and the night of His birth. Savannah did a great job and really enjoyed having her whole family there to watch her!

Talisha's class was next and they did a great job singing different songs but all still focused on the night of His birth. Talisha had a solo in one of the songs. It brought me to tears. She has a beautiful, clear, strong voice that could be heard through the whole room. She is very much into singing, performing and everything that goes with it.

They had been looking forward to their program for the past month and it was a great way to spend our Monday family night! A perfect way to kick off our Christmas season!

Iron Chef, Part....???

I love their faces in this one! So serious! Tanner's 3 plates are the ones closest to them. Levi's are the middle 3 and Vanessa's are the last 3.
Something was funny!

I really love this shot!!!! These kids have sooo much fun in the kitchen. It always amazes me what they come up with! We may have a little too much competitive spirit in our home....hahaha

Merry Christmas 2010!

Well, here it is! Our family picture for this year!

This year in an effort to relieve some holiday stress, we decided to simplify our Christmas and just refer people to our blog to catch up on our latest happenings instead of including a traditional Christmas letter with our family picture.

I will do my best to update this more often, especially during the holidays.

Wishing you and yours a blessed Christmas and best wishes for The New Year!

Love,

All of us!