Holiday Festivities!

We had such a fun, busy December!  Starting right from December 1st we really got into the holiday spirit with lots of fun activities.  Unfortunately, I didn't always have my camera (or I did but Sammy had lost the memory card!) but here are a few I did capture:

December 1st we checked out the Festival of Trees.  My grandparents sent me a bunch of tickets so we invited some friends and their kiddos from our neighborhood and had a great time.  Forgot my camera but I did think to snap a quick photo of Lucy "fishing" at the pond. We went with friends but we also ran into another family from the neighborhood, an old coworker, and my aunt and uncle and their family.  Kinda crazy!

December 3rd was our Ward Christmas party.  We had major camera issues that day - couldn't find the memory card to my camera or the battery to Spencer's.  Didn't think to take a pic with the phone.  Didn't seem to really matter though as Lucy refused to sit on Santa's lap anyway.  A neighbor took one of Sammy so if I ever get it, I'll add it later.  We did have a good time though!

I think this was a week or so later.  My aunt Ruth Ann gave us tickets to see the Forgotten Carols.  We went the first year we were married, so it's been a few years.  It was wonderful.

One day for FHE, we decorated a gingerbread house.  I have never actually done this (at least that I remember) and it was harder than I thought to get it all set up straight!  Lucy loved decorating it though.

Sammy was in "ball" heaven!  All he could concentrate on were the "balls! balls! balls!"  It was pretty cute.

Our little joy school put on a Christmas program with a nativity play and singing.  Lucy got to play Mary and she absolutely loved it!  Here she and Joseph are being turned away from the inn.

And now she's wrapping up baby Jesus.  We did the program for parents and grandparents and family.

The kids also colored pictures that we made into cards.  They passed them out when they were done.

We also performed it at two different nursing homes in the area.  The kids did so great and they were so stinkin' cute!

Spencer and I celebrated our 5th anniversary on the 16th!  We spent our first night away from the kids and it was wonderful!

We went to Olive Garden for dinner and then walked around Temple Square to see the lights and stopped to listen to the Christmas concerts.  It's so fun to have our anniversary during Christmas time because there is always something going on.

Lucy had her first dance recital the next evening.  I'd like to say it was super fun and that she did a wonderful job.  But alas, she was a little stinker.  She looked adorable but she got nervous and cried on the side of the stage instead of dancing.  At the time, I was super irritated.  Now, I'm over it.  Hopefully she'll dance at her next one.

The next day, we had the McConnell party.  Here's the McConnell crew.

Lucy and Sammy hanging with Haley and Corey, reading their new books.

Sammy reading a new book and Lucy hiding in her new princess tent.

Hi Lucy!  The kids got spoiled and we all ate yummy food and visited!

Our final party of the season was the Manwill party.  My aunt gave Sammy this cute fireman hat - he loved it!

Here's Lucy in her cute Christmas skirt my mom made.  She made Sammy a matching vest too.  Unfortunately, the only picture I have of him in it is blurry!  I'll have to have them both wear them again just so I can get a picture.  They were both a bit big too so they'll fit again next year.

I also put together some Christmas Minute-to-win-it games. Here are two cousins - Nick and Liz, trying to get their Rudolph noses to stick.

This picture makes me laugh! Aunt Barbara trying to get the cookie from her forehead to her mouth!

Cousin Danielle and her hubby Brandon trying to stack nuts with a candy cane.  Didn't work - needed bigger nuts.  Maybe should have tested first?

And, finally, Aunt Sandra and Uncle Gary making whipped cream trees.

As always, it was a fun evening with family.