Christmas 2013's Top Ten

(so here is a dump of basically every single thing that happened around Christmas- if you make it though the whole thing - you deserve extra special friend points.)
 
1.  Tree findin

2.  Joy School visit to nursing home

 This was really such a Christmas highlight for me.  These adorable 3 year olds did a nativity program and sang for the folks at a nursing home.  I wish I brought a camera but I will just have to remember those cute elderly faces light up and the way I felt.  After the program the kids walked around and gave each grandma and grandpa a candy cane and a hug.  And it just made their day (and made me cry).  they seemed so extremely happy to have hugs and a little visit from these kids.  I was so proud of Lucy for giving such good hugs and being so sweet.  And she was soooo happy.  A lady came up to me and pointing to Lucy and Maryanne said "you are so blessed to have these beautiful children - never forget that."   

practicing at my house...
Daxton, Lucy, Helen, Jackson and Jane

 And afterward - outside the nursing home...

3. Baking, Caroling and Lights

Making our ninjabread men

 traveling to caroling and the "dancing lights"

Jane, Kate and Malan singing "Mary's Lullaby".  So beautiful.  This was just our at-home church when we had an ice storm.  But they also sang it for our church's Christmas program and it was probably my favorite musical number the whole day.

speaking of singing - Lucy sure did a lot of that during the holidays.  A lot of "In a Little Stable" and "The Very Best Part of Christmastime"  (her Joy School songs)  But she wanted me to record some "Here comes Santa Clause" (her declared Christmas favorite this year) and "Jingle Bells".
 

4. Santa and Bass Pro

This year Bass Pro was as fun as ever but the Santa was sure a grouch.  I remember just loving the Bass Pro Santa - giving our kids high fives and telling them how proud of them he was.  This Santa there was like basically no talking and definitely no "ho-ho-hos".  After meeting this Santa - Lucy said "I didn't even tell him what I wanted!"  Oh, it's because he didn't even ask!  Jeesh.  You have one job dude.

This is the day after I got my red candy cane stripes in my hair - so it's super bright.  

but festive...?

Speaking of candy canes - the kids got candy canes from Santa and when we got in the van Luke said "this is my first REAL candy cane! I've never tasted one before!"  

He ceremoniously takes a lick and we say 

"Well, what do you think? Do you like it"

He makes a grimace and says "No! It tastes like floss!"

true.

Our ward Santa was AWESOME! 

"SANTA HERE!!!???  know him!  I know him!"

Luke taking his asking quite seriously.  He was worried if he didn't describe it to a tee Santa would bring him the wrong thing.

 and Lucy finally gets to ask for a pink stick horse

4.  Christmas Eve and Morning
 So, I was a huge procrastinator this year and we had a pretty crazy Christmas Eve.  I will have to remember not to do that next year.  We did a lot of our shopping, all our neighbor visits and our Christmas cards ON Christmas Eve. AND made a Christmas Eve dinner.  When it was time to stay up and wrap presents - I was so, so, so tired.   Not a good idea.
But of course the Wilsons helped us have a lovely evening of the nativity story with puppets made by Grandma Wilson and acting out skits written by Grandpa Hale

and one of my favorite things this Christmas was a new family tradition started.
My mom gave us this book along with a nativity set.
Each Monday night for 7 Mondays before Christmas we had the kids set out a new figure for the nativity and you talk about each one and do an activity that has to do with that person.  I liked it a lot. And then of course the last one is baby Jesus and you do that on Christmas eve. 

some favorite presents Christmas morning....

ninja costume and purple kitty

 cinderella horse and carriage

 hello kitty marshmellow suckers!  and a hair styling kit from cousin Johnny.

 A new present in the hideout!!!

Video of Maryanne's new yippy dog, Luke playing his new battleship and Lucy and her pink horse.  (The day before Christmas she walked around the house singing Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas... is a pinkhorse!!"  It was dang cute.  And luckily, she got it.

5. Snoop Doggy Dog!

 On Christmas we told our kids they got to have a dog for 10 days.  We borrowed a dog from some friends who were going out of town.  It's really the perfect way to have a dog - cause the kids were in heaven and loved it... but then we got to give her back when the novelty wore off.  (not that it had yet)   She is a Jack Russel Terrier mixed with other things and her name is Snoopy.  VERY good natured, sweet dog.   The first day Maryanne was freaked out but it didn't take her long to warm up to Snoopy and when she did - she was her number one fan.

snoopy from katiehale on Vimeo.

6. Christmas chillin

7. 80's gym skate

We did this 3 times over the break and it was a big hit--- especially when Joey brought speakers for boomin 80's music.  We spent hours and hours there and the kids never got tired of it.  It's awesome cause it's a free and warm activity.

 80sgymskate from katiehale on Vimeo.

8.  Karate for Christmas!!!!

Luke's been asking for Karate for a while but then when we were shopping at the grocery store a guy ran past Luke and handed him a flyer and yelled "Karate for Christmas!"  Well, Luke was soooo excited by this.  He said, "Mom, he just gave me Karate for Christmas!"  I was like "great."  But then I looked at the flyer and it was a smokin deal - so we gave him Karate for Christmas.

 9.  12 days of Katie

My BNF (best neighbor forever) Amanda did the "12 days of Katie" for me with awesome presents every day - like fuzzy socks, crackling candle, homemade chocolate covered cherries, homemade hot chocolate with a hot chocolate maker, an awesome tea set, mad libs and a beautiful Japanese "It's a Small World" doll that sings in Japanese.   I can't remember ALL the stuff she gave me - but it was so, so awesome and made me feel so special.  Plus I got a nightly visit from her which was a bonus.  

Oh, and let's not forget the GIANT Reese's peanut butter cups.  They are each 1/2 pounders.  Eats like a meal.

10.  Frozen

We followed the Hale tradition of a movie on Christmas Day and saw Frozen with the Wilsons. 

Loved it. 

Of course Lucy and the cousins have been singing ever since.  The cousins have ever word memorized.  Lucy... not so much.