Christmas Bustle

We're in the homestretch.  The kids had their last day of school until 2015 and all the parties and goodies that go along with it.  We also got to have friends come over to play on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday!  Addie came over Monday, Heather came over with Chasity to help me out with getting all the kids home from school.  When Addie's daddy Nate, came to pick her up - we asked him to stay for dinner, then we had a fun FHE watching the "He is the Gift" video.  

Tuesday, Meredith came over after school.  The kids all play well with her and she's a great kid.  Even Eileen likes playing with her and she rarely likes playing with kids that are much younger than she is.  That evening, I went to hang out with a bunch of my old friends in Peoria ward.  A friend is moving out of state and a friend who had moved was visiting, so we celebrated with lots of good food and lots of fun chatter!  

Wednesday was normal, morning, late start school day for the kids, followed by a trip to the library for story time.  We had fun there with Nicole and Riley and Tayanna.  We also bumped into Heather and Chasity there.  That evening, the girls had activity days, I dropped them off, then went to run a few errands.  I'm finally feeling kinda ready for Christmas....

Thursday was the last day of school for the kids - they had parties, and came home excited to be out for a couple weeks!  Then piano lessons after school, plus Meredith came over to play.  Then in the evening I went to go Visiting Teaching.  

Friday, the kids were all home and crazy!  We had the Crockett kids over to play and hang out with us.  We had fun playing with stickers and coloring, and decorating gingerbread cookies and playing outside.  Sister Crockett was kind enough to hang out for a bit after and watch the kids so I could clean up the disaster that was my kitchen!  The kids all had a great time together though.  

Then Saturday night, we did our Christmas cookie cook out - we made our cutout cookies and had fun decorating them.  We let the kids do a few each, then sent them downstairs to watch a Christmas movie while we cleaned up and did some decorating too.

This was what we got done (not including the ones that the kids ate) and the plan is to do the rest tomorrow....  Then we get to distribute cookie plates with some of these, some shortbread, some ginger cookies, and some spritz cookies for FHE.

Today was the Christmas program at church.  It went well, but ran short.  The music was beautiful and I think the spirit was felt.  Then after church, we ate a quick lunch/dinner and then packed the kids up and headed to Grandpa's for the Christmas Carol Sing Along.  It was a lot of fun - the kids all got to play the piano for us (though Aaron refused) and did well!  Then Dan and I headed home and Frank and Tina took the kids - now I have a couple days to get everything ready.  I'm still not sure I will be able to get it all done, but now I have a chance!