Christmas fun

Tom came home with this white elephant gift from a work party.  Are you kidding?  I think it's great!

 

5 days until Christmas!  Yesterday was the last day of school for the girls.  They both watched movies and ate popcorn in class - exactly like little kids are supposed to do the day before the holiday break.  Friday we baked the majority of the cookies for the holidays and today we'll make the final batch- grandma's sugar cookies.  I remember my Grandma Florentine always making her sugar cookies and it's with such nostalgia that I make them each Christmas. 

Hey, you.  You still with me?  You're still stuck on the fact that my grandma's name is Florentine, aren't you?  Let me fill you in on the most awesome set of grandparent names:  My dad's parents' names were Florentine and Sylvester.  My mom's parents' names were Marcella (although we called her grandma Sally) and Gilbert.  Grandma Florentine always made these wonderfully soft, round sugar cookies year round.  Grandma Sally always made the best cut out cookies complete with homemade icing each Christmas.  I wasn't just lucky to have cool grandparent names, I was lucky to have grandmas that made the best cookies.

So with Christmas music accompanying us, we stirred and chopped and baked until our heart were content.


My big helper

I turn around for 2 seconds and Emily gets the chocolate chips

I got to help out with Casey's class party on Tuesday afternoon with Emily in tow.  I was in charge of the games for the party, and thanks to Pinterest, came up with some cute ideas.  The first one we played had the kids writing on piece of paper what Christmas gift they would give to anyone in the world if they could choose.  Most kids picked their mom or a sibling to buy for and it was usually something like a necklace or carpet cleaner for mom and a special toy for a brother or sister.  The innocence of it was so sweet :)  For the second game, the kids had to get a red pom on their noses and transfer it to another location without using their hands.  It was fun, but, honestly, I felt like I had been beat with a broom afterwards.  I was exhausted after 1 hour and left wondering how teachers do this all day every day and feeling like I should have gotten Casey's teacher a bigger gift..... :)

 

 

Emily keeps asking where Santa is at and tells me she doesn't see him when she looks up at the sky.  Yeah, little sister, is loving Santa this year.  I realized this was Emily's first time actually getting to see Santa. Her first Christmas she was in the hospital with bronchiolitis until 3 days before Christmas. Her second one we were quarantining ourselves as we prepared for her big spine surgery 3 days after Christmas. The next year we were back in the hospital with bronchiolitis again. And last year, she had a tube in her stomach from her kidney surgery, so we didn't like the idea of Santa wrestling her with all that. 

Talking a good game before we left to go see Santa

We've been talking about going to see him and she's been so excited to go!  Yesterday she told me when she sees Santa he is going to give her a kitchen.  So we had to talk about how she needs to tell him what she wants and he will bring it on Christmas Eve; that he won't actually give her it when she sits on his lap.  So we got ourselves all packed up this morning to go see the big guy.  Excitement was buzzing through the girls. 

Priceless

We walked through the Kenwood mall, arrived at Santa's area near the food court to find there was no line!!!!  (Excitement started to buzz through mom and dad.)  Casey's got her Santa hat on and knows exactly what she's going to tell Santa she wants.  She knows with 5 days left, it's game time.  The list has been sent but there's nothing like a little eye contact to make sure her wishes are clearly known.

Maybe a little nervous?

So off Casey goes and Emily gets a glimpse of the jolly old guy..... and she freezes.  I kneel down to quietly talk to her and tell her it's okay and I realize she is shaking.  Like one might if they are outside in their underwear in a snowstorm.  10 degrees below zero.  She was terrified of him and firmly planted herself behind daddy's leg.

Where is Emily? (behind daddy)

I was trying to enjoy Casey's time on his lap while persuading Emily to let me carry her and hold her for a picture at the same time.  Basically, I was crazy mom in Santa-land.  I may as well of had been pulling a mule by a rope because Emily was not going anywhere near Santa.  I asked her if she was going to tell Santa what to bring her, and finally, sensing maybe the importance of being there, she peeks out from behind Tom's leg and desperately shouts: 'I want a kitchen!'  From 8 feet away.  Then quickly tucks herself behind Tom again.  I am still laughing just thinking about it.

Nerves aside.  This is business :)

 

Turns out, she's not a fan of Santa

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 We've also carolled with Casey's Girl Scout troop at a local retirement community.

Handing out cards they made for residents

Cracking up because they totally screwed up The 12 Days of Christmas

 And Emily's dance class on Tuesday turned into a holiday party with new, cool, hip hats for everyone.

The special needs dance team rocks!

Emily, her helper, Taylor, and her little dance buddies

 5 days to go. We can now check 'Seeing Santa' off the list. We've driven to see lights, had popcorn and watched all the shows on TV, all the gifts are bought and wrapped and the cookies are made. It's time to start focusing on the real meaning of Christmas - celebrating the birth of Jesus, our Savior, and enjoy time with our families.