Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!!

Cookies for Santa

We don't make a big deal about Santa at our hosue, but we usually leave cookies. Because he definitely needs a snack after putting all the toys together.

The boys wrote the sweetest notes this year.

Reid made sure to include that he knows that Christmas is really about Jesus--love it!!

Here are the cookies with the notes (notice the forementioned pink and purple sprinkles--Santa didn't seem to mind)

Here is E's note. Kind of hard to read but he wanted to make sure that Santa got home safely and his sleigh didn't crash.

The key we left on the outside of our door so that Santa could get in. We live in an apartment with no chimmney. It is a special key that only Santa can use.

It was a wonderful Christmas Eve!!

Christmas Eve Nativity play

On Christmas Eve the Todds had a really fun party with lots of YUMMY food and the kids put on a sweet little play.

Everett was Joseph alongside Kate as Mary.



And here is our super happy innkeeper.

Joseph hanging out while baby Jesus sleeps. This was right before Rylie (who didn't make the audition cuts this year--mostly because of age) ran up yelling "my baby Jesus" and tried to take him from the basket.



These are the three wise(wo)men. There is a shortage of boys around here and you have to work with what you got people. But aren't they so cute??

Making Cookies

Here is a picture of Rylie helping me make cookies. Our Christmas cookies were decorated with pink and purple Barbie sprinkles that someone left here. Christmas sprinkes are on the list to bring back next year!
But they still tasted yummy!

Christmas Lights

On Friday night before Christmas we piled in our friends minivan (there were 4 adults and 7 children) and drove around looking for Christmas lights. Notice I said "for" not "at". Living in a country that does not celebrate Christmas, makes for very few Christmas lights.

Our first stop was a hotel that had some lights outside and a big Christmas tree inside. We got out, let the kids run around like crazy look at the lights and took some pictures. We then all piled back in the van and set off. After a bit of traffic the littles got hungry so we decided to head to Tony Romas (YUMMO) for a special dinner.

After dinner we walked out the back door into a Christmas Parade! It was so fun!

There was fake snow, people dressed up as presents, trees, cows, and santa handing out candy canes (which we can't buy here, so our kids were stocking up!). What? Your Christmas parade didn't have cows? That's weird.

They had a winter wonderland set-up and the kids loved it! They had a stage where the kids watched a magic show, and then a lady wearing a mrs.clause outfit that could have had more material walked up on stage. with a chair.  then the music started. and then they dancing started. mrs. clause and the chair. we were scrambling to pull the kids away from the front row seat they had for the magic show. After several--"what is she doing?" and "why is she dancing like that?" comments, we quickly distracted the kids with more candy canes. And thankfully, it hasn't been brought up again! Things here are always full of surprises!!

It was such a fun night and the kids asked if we could do it every year!!!

School Christmas Parties

The boys both had Christmas parties in their classrooms this year and I was able to go and help with both!

It was fun to get to be at school with them and meet their friends. I don't get to go out there very much, as it is about a 35 minute cab ride.



                                   

 Here is Everett with his classmates Aiyaka and Gracelynn



In each class we did a craft (made an ornament) and made a sweet treat to eat. Here is E with his Christmas tree cupcake.

Everett and Shawn, the boy he sits next to at school.



This is Reid's best friend at school Canyon.



Reid with his snowman cupcake

Reid and Mommy rocking her sequin red reindeer antlers.......the teacher made me wear them :)



Littles Christmas Party

Rylie, Abby, and Laura Cate

Shannon had such a fun Christmas Party for the littles in our neighborhood! They made a sweet craft--

Here is Rylie working on her craft. We traced their hands and feet and then put them together to make a sweet angel ornament for the tree. And then they decorated them with glitter glue.

They then had some yummy hot chocolate with marshmellows!



Can you tell Rylie enjoyed it??

Rylie and Laura Cate

Happy 35th!!

 Last week Matt turned 35!! Closer to 40 than 30 now :)

We had a fun day celebrating! He went to class in the morning--where he didn't tell them it was his birthday--BOO!! and then we went to a fun family dinner!
One of Matt's favorite foods is pizza, so we headed down to Pizza Hut! We hadn't eaten there yet, and all were excited.

 

Here we are waiting for the bus to go to dinner.

Not sure what Rylie is doing.....

 

Daddy and his girl

  

at Pizza Hut waiting for pizza....again, not sure about Ry.....

 

After dinner we headed home to do cake and presents. The kids had worked all afternoon on their cards and they were so excited to give them to him! While we were gone, a friend brought Matt's big, heavy gift to the house, so it would be waiting when we got here! Here are the kids leading him down to his present!

(rylie is looking and smiling, but there is a toilet in the background...can't win them all)

Here are the kids with Matt and his cake. His homemade chocolate cake with homemade caramel icing. and i know i made it, but I still mourned the washing of the empty cake plate. we had some good, yummy times. sweets are a rarity over here.

There is no picture of the present, but he got an ice maker! He was very excited and the whole family has been enjoying icy drinks!!

I loved celebrating the wonderful man that God has given me! He is an amazing husband, dad, leader, and friend, and I am so thankful that I get to do life with him!

Happy Birthday Matt!!!

Turkey Bowl

There is a super-fun tradition here called the Turkey Bowl. They have been doing it since we were here years ago, and it is so much fun. 

The Saturday after Thanksgiving people from all over our region come to our city to play a little game of football. They usually play SEC vs ACC (with some borrowed people filling in).  Everyone goes out and either plays or cheers the players on....or chases children around. I only have a couple pictures, because I was in the latter group. But it was fun anyway :) 

here they are in action.....matt is in the royal blue shirt

and here is the whole group after the game.

and yes, this is what our city looks like most of the time.

Rylie insisted on wearing her brothers thug hat with the bow sticking out......and it wasn't even really cold.

The kids had a GREAT time running around and playing with each other. 

And the football game was a tie if you were wondering. kind of lame I think :)