Well, finishing off Christmas pics.  Starting with Kya's attire for her school Christmas party.  Since she has earings now, we have been playing around with fun and festive jewelry.  I just love how she gets into fashion with me.  And then of course she had to wear a Santa hat.  She had been asking to wear it for weeks, so I finally let her wear it to school.

Then the kids decided they wanted to play dress up...somehow Zander always ends up in tutus and even put a purple tutu on for his "hair"...what a goon.

Christmas Eve traditions next.  We went to my mom's for her traditional dinner of Clam Chowder and Eggnog.  Of course with options of Potato Soup and this year she added Shrimp Chowder...that one was good.  After dinner Grandpa played a video of the birth of our Savior for the kids to watch.  As a child, my siblings and myself would reenact the story of Jesus with blankets and dolls.  We were so excited when we finally had a baby brother to play the roll of baby Jesus.  Now my kids have technology to learn from.

Topping of the night with new jammies from Gma Morgan and getting Santa's plate with cookies, carrots and milk on our awesome Santa plate that Gma Popejoy made for us a couple years ago.

Then to bed they went, dreaming of sugar plums and toys.  Hoping Santa would come...and come he did.  The kids got a nice Christmas...but our focus this year was service.  We have a new Christmas Eve tradition where we do an act of service (which of course we try to do an activity of service at least once a week out side the home).  We put together care packages to leave in our car for people in need if we come across someone in need.

Truly grateful for all our loving family and friends and this time of year to celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 Kya got to play some fun games with her friends while waiting for dad to pick her up from piano lessons.  What a fun time.

More Christmas

Some more of what Belle has been up to...we found her playing Hungry, Hungry Hippo with some of the kids toys.

Last night we made a gingerbread house...these kids love crafts, and I love watching them.

Tonight we went to Kya's first grade Christmas concert and it was so cute.  Kya has switched her hands twitching to a nervous twitch with her eyes and head...silly girl was doing it through the whole concert.  She kept trying to get our attention to have us tell Zander that Rudolph and Santa were at the concert.  I love that she was so concerned about Z enjoying the show.

On a side note for journaling, we had a FHE lesson last night about service and remembering how to be more like Jesus, and the way we show our Savior how we love him is to serve others.  Based on a lesson in YW I heard, we extended a challenge to the kids.  They wrote down 3 different opportunities of service they  wanted to do and if they did them on their own, they get a candy cane.  Zander was going on and on with every little thing he was doing saying it was service.  Chores, good manners...everything.  He was really sweet this morning, after throwing a bit of a fit when I asked him to make his bed, I said, Santa doesn't bring things to little boys that throw a fit.  (yes, classical Santa threat...I know, mother of the year here)  His response was that he doesn't like toys and he wanted to give all his toys away to kids that don't have toys.  He started to pack up his room and all his toys into a box and bags, so he could give them away...."some kids don't have a lot of toys"  (a mother loves to see her kids want to give)

Then tonight, after the concert, we had some hot cocoa for a treat.  Zander cleaned up his cup and Kya's....service...he got a candy cane.  Shortly after, Kya put toothpaste on Zander's toothbrush for him....service...she got a candy cane.  My heart is melting...I love my kids.