Looks a lot like Christmas

Merry Christmas!!

A few of our Christmas activities this season:

Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt

Macey's Christmas Dance Show

Cody's School Christmas Concert

Christmas Boat Parade

Picture Scavenger Hunt

Visiting Santa

Being Sick

Grandma and Grandpa Visiting (from the previous post:))

Pictures! in no particular order:

Light Scavenger Hunt

(Some of the neighborhoods go crazy here!)

 Visiting Santa

 Cody was sure to let Santa know what he wanted, but he knew he already got it, so he was good.

Macey told Santa she wanted a real kitty, but we told her Santa doesn't do live things. Hopefully she is good with what she got! She chatted on and on about this and that until I drug her away for someone else's turn.

Mackayla wouldn't sit on their lap but she told them she wanted a dog.

The Picture Scavenger Hunt was at the dollar store.

We had things like 

find a lollipop 

 ...something blue

 ...something gross 

 ...wacky sunglasses

and the biggest thing you could hold.

 It was supposed to be a game girls vs. boys. BUT someone got called out for a sick horse right when we got there SO...not nearly as fun. arg. but still fun. It reminded me how spoiled we've been having a dad around (usually)!!

The best thing we did this season (aside from our service project!) was give the kids each two dollars and told them to find a present for their siblings. It was good for them to think of giving gifts to each other instead of just think about what they want. They loved trying to hide them and give surprises. They have turned out to be some of their favorite gifts!! (even though they will break soon:)!)

  Being sick

We have had beautiful weather

and it's kinda a shame that the kids have all had a bout of serious fevers and colds.

Cody, Macey and Ben all went swimming while I let Mackayla nap today so she can get over hers.

Really, it gives me a chance to record this entire month while they're gone:)!

Boat Parade

Cody was still kind of recovering from his week of sickness and fell asleep on the way there. Taking pictures of my kids sleeping is never ever going to get old to me.

 In all honesty we missed most of the parade and ran 1 1/2 miles to get to it because we parked at the wrong side of the place. I really shouldn't be in charge of this stuff. I had run a long run that morning and this just about killed me. I was carrying Mackayla who came down with a fever while we were there. Awesome. We'll still count it as done and I'm not sure if we'll go again. The idea is cool though!

Macey's Dance Showcase

Macey's dance class had their own little presentation instead of a recital for Christmas. Their big recital is in the summer. It was so fun to be up close and have them so excited to show us what they have practiced. Ben made special arrangements at work so he could be there, Cody had a fever so he missed school and was there. My parents were able to come too, so great timing!! It turns out Macey's teacher is from our area in Utah too!

 Notice the stars on the floor and Macey's somewhat determined look in this picture:

 The little girl by her kept getting on Macey's star at the wrong times and Macey was not having it.

 So FUN to watch!!

 Cody's Class Concert

 Cody and his friend Joshua

 Cody and his teacher Mrs. Portnoff. We love her!

Mackayla nursery leader made little christmas gift bags for all the kids.

This was one of the things in them. So creative.

For Christmas we got the kids Disney Passes!!!

Someone told us it's one of the perks of living here. Maybe not every year for us, that's for sure. But this year Mackayla is free and we have really wanted to go since we came.

After we opened the other little gifts this morning Mackayla strapped on her shoes and said "I'm ready for Disneyland. I'm going to go ride horses."

I think we'll be riding the carousel. a lot.

I don't know if I'm more excited than the kids?! They're pretty excited!

Last night, Christmas Eve, we had dinner and then did the nativity.

Ben was the angel Gabriel, Macey was Mary, Cody was Joseph and Mackayla was a shepherd.

Mackayla is clinging to the gold.:)

We used chocolate gold coins, frankincense essential oils, and random stuff for myrrh (I really don't know what it is anyway).

We talked about the gifts from the wise men and God's gift to us.

Then we decided what our gift would be this year, wrote them down and put them in a special box that we will unlock next year.

Our dinner menu:

Sweet and Tangy Roast

Twice Baked Potatoes

Potato Puff Buns

(this is my neighbors recipe I found on someone else's blog)

Cottage Cheese Fruit Salad

(cottage cheese, jello, cool whip, raspberries)

Green Tossed Salad

Pomegranate Sprite

(Sprite plus pomegranates...I'm addicted today) 

Sweet Potato Pie

Sugar Cookies for Santa on our cute plate!

Adventures

The few days before my parents came to town I taught our coop preschool. A perfect way to get ready for visitors...bomb the house!! Actually, it was pretty fun. One day we read "Christmas Day in the Morning" and the kids were so enthralled with it. I explained to them how to milk a cow. One cute little girl thought about this for some time and then asked, "What animal gives us lemonade?"

Okay one more thing I love, then on to the visit: I was listening to Mackayla play with our fridge magnet nativity as I cooked dinner one night. She was talking with the little people and animals. One of the side-ways facing animals hopped up (in her hand) and asked another side-ways facing animal: "Why do you only have one eye?" "I don't know." I especially love this since she loves me to draw pictures for her and if I ever do a side profile of an animal she insists that I still draw two eyes.

My parents came for a quick pre-Christmas visit. They let the kids open their Christmas presents while they were there too. The day we picked them up from the airport we headed over to do a little sight seeing in style:

A bicycle made for Five. Or Six, depending on how you pack em in.

My dad and I got the workout we never planned on for about a mile. Then we took the brake off by fixing the wheel.

It was smooth-er sailing after that.

As we happily cruised along one quaint sidewalk, Macey, as she read the signs, informed us that there were no bicycles allowed on this path. Good thing one of us is responsible.

 

We went to the swap meet on Saturday The weather was perfect for visitors and we ventured over to the park that afternoon.

After church on Sunday we opened grandma's and grandpa's presents.

She made them all soft blankets they love.

This is what Cody really wanted for Christmas.

Our elf brought us a gingerbread house to make.

On Monday we went to Disneyland!!! Our first time as a family and I probably went when I was six. It really is the happiest place on earth!

It was a way crowded day, but my parents were the perfect people to have along. They were so entertaining for the kids in the lines!
Our first ride was on Peter Pan

We hit the parade. Cody and Macey snuck up a little closer to the front and I put Mackayla on my shoulders.

It worked out great until Mickey and Minnie came along and then she started getting so excited that she was pulling out my hair and attacking my face. It got pretty wild when the princesses came by too.

It was quite the Christmas parade!

Grandpa took a turn at the end. No hair to ruin.

The only thing I remember from Disneyland as a child was It's a Small World. So we definitely went on that ride.

The train was a surprisingly way fun ride, we saw the grand canyon and a world of dinosaurs underground along the way.

It's kind of different having my mom take all the pictures...I'm not used to being in them!

This was Mackayla's favorite ride. I had to pry her off as she cried. Later she told Ben the horses were buckin.

We spent most of our time in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland in Disneyland. Macey even went on the Matterhorn Bobsleds. She was pretty nervous, but it was her first big roller coaster and ended up being her favorite ride!

Anyone remember Captain Eo? A little 1986 Michael Jackson music to rock out to in 3D.

Ben cruised over to meet us after work and got there just in the nick of time to run onto Space Mountain using a parent swap (you go in the exit and right on to the ride)!! This was Cody's favorite ride.

Finding Nemo submarines was the last ride of the night.

The only downer was that Cody wasn't his usual excited self and looked a little tired. I realized he had a fever early on at the park. We got him some medicine, and considering, I think he still had a ton of fun! It's a huge bummer that he didn't feel well though.

By the end of the last ride all the kids were dead tired and fell asleep within five minutes of walking back to the parking lot. I carried Mackayla...she is so much bigger than the last time I walked a mile with her! She clung to her Minnie all day long, even in her sleep:)!

We'll be going back again!!