CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES 2010

Here are some highlights from the month of December:

Our stake has a tradition of hosting a nativity exhibit every year. It is AWESOME! On display are hundreds of nativity sets large and small from all around the world...made from a huge variety of mediums. My favorite are almost always the ones carved out of olive wood from the Holy land. I think the kids liked the set of dressed up Snoopy characters. When you arrive, the kids can get a list of things to find through-out the display...like an "I Spy" book. Pretty fun family activity...plus the stake arranges for musical numbers...so there's a string quartet playing or a local high school choir singing, or an organ soloist to listen to while you look...it's all very festive!

Our tradition of decorating gingerbread houses...this is the "before" picture:

And the "after," with lots of frosting and barely visible Necco's...check out TJ's shirt...you can tell he was busy helping:

Carson in his first Christmas Choir concert...he's on the far right, second row down:

Another local tradition is the appearance of Santa. He rides around the neighborhoods on the firetruck...making his list and checking it twice. He also throws out candy to the kiddos....what a nice guy that Santa Clause!

The boys...trying their best to convey their wishes...

Here's Nixan, a bit shy:

And Trey...the epitome of shy:

Now Carson, not shy at all, but trying hard to remember what was on his list:

Our crazy re-enactment of the Christmas story....Sage made a great (but somewhat whiny) baby Jesus, TJ was a ninja Wise man (at least that's what he looked like to me!), Nixan was an Angel with a Santa halo, Carson a Shepherd straight from Afghanistan, and then Nick was Joseph and I was the female lead! Not a complete cast, but one complete with personality!

The traditional picture in their new pajamas:

Sage's pajamas were so incredibly cute! The boys got such a kick out of her reindeer bum!

Christmas Morning: