Merry Christmas

We slept in until 8:00! Our church is at 9:00, so we decided to wait until afterwards to open presents. I let them open their stockings once their church clothes were on. Church was only an hours worth of a lovely Choir program, then back home for breakfast and presents. 

We played with presents, watched a couple new movies, and were unexpectedly an hour late to the Van Leeuwen family party. Oops. More presents and food there, and then home to bed! 

Gift highlights this year:

McKinley: clothes, ukelele, polaroid camera.

Sawyer: clothes, Nintendo 2 DS, Pokemon game, ukelele, skateboard.

Hayden: clothes, Nintendo 2 DS, Pokemon game, drone, plasma ball.

Joshua: clothes, Nintendo 2 DS, Pokemon game, airplane, Paw Patrol.

Christmas Eve

We went to the Korth Christmas Eve party around 1:00 this year. Every one in our family got better and were able to attend. We had a turkey dinner feast, then opened up presents. Around dinner tie we came home, so Kent picked up some pizza on the way home. We watched a Christmas Story, ate pizza, and opened Christmas jammies. Then the kids had a sleepover downstairs. Except Sawyer, he slept in his room because he didn't want to sleep on the floor.

Visiting St. Nick

He was a little nervous at first, but eventually sat on his lap. He has been a good boy this year, and asked for cars and trains. He got a candy cane from Santa's bag. I think this is my first child to sit on Santa's lap.

Cutest lil Reindeer

Josh had his Christmas preschool program. They dressed up like little reindeer and sang some songs. Despite his adamant wish of not attending the program, he sang and shook his little booty with a smile on his face...after I took these pictures.

First try

My friend hand dips fondant in chocolate every year, and I was inspired by her to try it. I learned a few things to try differently next time. My chocolate kept freezing before the fondant was completely covered which left holes. Then the fondant expanded and oozed out of the holes. Still tasted good though!

Cello Concert

Hayden started playing the cello this year in the school's orchestra. He had his Christmas concert and did a great job!

MoTab

We got tickets to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert featuring Rolando Villazon. I took McKinley and my parents, and we had a nice dinner at Little America beforehand. McKinley's YW leader was one of the dancers, so it was fun to spot her. 

Naughty list

We gave each of the kids their own advent calendars to keep in their rooms this year. They could open one door each day and eat their chocolates and get excited to count down to Christmas.

Well....

these two just couldn't handle the temptation. 

I saw Josh being suspicious in his room, and caught him in the act of eating one of his last 3 days. 

So, I checked with the other 'little kid' who has very little willpower and discovered that his was all gone too. Who knows for how long! I think Sawyer may have even started eating the paper too!

Naughty.

Kindergarten check-up!

I can't believe it's time for this! Josh had his kindergarten health check up and shots on Tuesday.

Here is the before shots shot.

He made sure to tell me he did NOT like the shots.

But afterwards he got to go to McDonald's and get a Happy Meal and play in the playland, so it wasn't ALL bad.

Kindergarten here we come! In 8 months at least.

Dutch Christmas Eve

We tried to go authentic this year for Dutch Christmas Eve. Well, semi-authentic. He tried hutspot (a mashed potatoes, carrots, and onions dish), bitterballen (gravy meatballs), and olliebollen (fried donut things) minus the yucky raisins inside.

Sawyer thought the hutspot was "ok". Wouldn't touch the bitterballen. He loved the olliebollen though.

Hayden thought the hutspot tasted "good". But he seemed to really like the bitterballen. Didn't really love the olliebollen like Sawyer did.

Josh would not try a bit of it.

Kent wouldn't either. And McKinley was gone babysitting, but she ate a few olliebollen when she got home and liked those.