Christmas 2010

Camryn's Kindergarten class went to two Assisted Living Communities to sing Christmas Carols. I was lucky enough to get to go watch.

Camryn is is the back in the middle, right in front of her teacher, Ms. Jacobson, playing the guitar.

Her class also had a Christmas Party.

I was able to go and help the kids make these gingerbread ornaments. We started with sandpaper cut out like a gingerbread man and the kids ground cinnamon sticks over them so they smelled nice, then decorated them with glitter gel.

Kendra can't wait until she's in school too. She got to pick out a dress to wear that day and had her done in a curly bun. She got to play with kids at Grandma Lori's house (a friend in our ward that watches the girls for us). She will be in Kindergarten before we know it. This was our Christmas Tree this year. I don't do the same tree every year. I have lots of different decorations I have accumulated from after-Christmas clearances. This year, our tree was silver and white.

I had to get a picture of it, because I had to take it down BEFORE Christmas.

Kent had a break from school between semesters, and I was able to get a few days off work, so we tackled our hard wood floors. Refinishing them has been our list of projects for awhile.

First we had to clear everything off the floors. The only floors not being re-done were in the kitchen, bathrooms, and our bedroom. Everything else had to be bare. Hence the tree coming down. I think getting our couches out of the living room was the hardest part of this entire project. We started on Saturday before Christmas, and moved furniture back in 7 days later, on Christmas Morning.

BEFORE--The Living Room

AFTER

Here is everything set up for Christmas morning. We took our small little porch tree inside so we at least had A tree.

We were done just in time for presents with the kids.

Then I made biscuits and gravy for these silly people.

We also painted the dining room and put up chair rail just before we started the floors. You can see that finished project in the background. We hadn't had time to move the table back in yet.

After breakfast, we all played.

Kent's gift this year was a new hunting rifle. I got a Cricut Create, that cuts vinyl. I am SO EXCITED!!! I also got a new camera. It was a great Christmas for all of us.

I have to share some things about our girls. They get so excited about giving people gifts. We let them pick out a gift for each other, which they LOVED!

The hard part is that they can't keep a secret at all. Us girls got Kent binoculars that were supposed to be a surprise. They came home and were all giggly. Trying to keep the secret, Kendra said, "Daddy we got you a surprise, and it's not binoculars!" Camryn jumped in quickly, "yeah, we got you some princess stuff!" They giggled and joked about what they didn't get him for awhile.

Then, Camryn came home from school with a gift wrapped for Kent and me. She tells me it is a surprise. Then she says, "the santa on the outside of the gift actually goes on December." I just say, "oh really." She is quiet for a minute then asks, "Mom, do you need a new calendar?" I tell her I do. Then she says, "I think you'll like my surprise, but you have to wait until Christmas to open it!" She was so sweet about it all. I don't think she realized she told me what it was.

We love our girls, and we had a WONDERFUL Christmas with them. I have to try to cherish this time, because I know I will miss it when they are all grown up.