Christmas 2011

This Christmas season was kicked off with Tyson's Christmas performance at Grace Community Christian preschool.  It's so adorable to see how the teachers work hard to coordinate a bunch of 4 year olds to sing about Jesus' birth.  Tyson didn't tell me so much to my surprise, he played the part of Joseph in their photo montage that reenacted Mary and Joseph finding a place to stay with and keep baby Jesus when He was born.  I got a little video of it but look forward to the pictures that Mrs. Neal (his teacher) said I could have. 

Here we are after the performance celebrating Jesus' birthday with cupcakes.

and Tyson's debut...

Then Trey's school - EAGLE College Prep Elementary - had their Christmas performance at a local high school.  The kids did a great job and it was fun to see Trey much more animated this year.  It was clear that the music teacher and his assistant had worked very hard at coordinating the performance!  I got one very poor quality picture of Michael but wanted to document here that he had a speaking part.  He did so well and even had to do it solo after finding out that the girl he shared the part with was home sick.  So brave!

I love the expression I caught here when Trey realized I was taking his picture :). 

 Here's Michael standing at the microphone 

On Christmas Eve we celebrated with Kenny's family at his parents house.  We ate well as we always do when my mother in law cooks.  We exchanged gifts and then we went to church. At church, all the GBC kids sang "Away in a Manger" together.  I was in the nursery and wished that I would have sent a camera with Kenny...darn!

Christmas morning we hung out with my mom and had a very quiet morning opening presents and eating breakfast.  Later that day we went to my brother's house where all the kids had a blast playing with their "big" cousins.   It was a great weekend!

Today we went to my mom's house and made gingerbread houses.  As you can imagine, anything involving sugar is fun for these kids.  I was encouraged by something I read (Loving the Little Years - Motherhood in the Trenches) last night that helped me today...we are making memories with the kids. They won't remember how dirty the floor got with crushed graham cracker, icing and every thing else that could have possibly dropped on the floor.  They will remember going to Nena's (my mom) and doing fun stuff like this with their cousins.  I'm still learning to be IN the moment and not IN my mind thinking of the clean-up that will later come.  I'm so grateful for these times!

Christmas morning

Mom with her tiniest grandchild 

At my mom's making gingerbread houses

Jaker 

Trey 

Michael 

Ryan 

Sam

Brooklyn 

Lukers 

Tyson 

Some of the wonderful creations...