December Pics

Camille's picture after her dance recital

We celebrated Camille and Ellie's birthdays going out to Pei Wei, Kirkland's and Ocean Blue. These girls were so silly and hyper- or maybe that was us moms....

Camille had a Christmas chorus concert attended by her grandparents

Thomas was helping me put the frozen chicken on the pan to bake. I love how in his mind, bordering the pan with the chicken before putting them in the middle was the way to do it.

We have seen at least 50 of these "DSi 's" made at home and school in the past month. Evan draws all the buttons and will pretend he is playing. His wish is to get one for Christmas.

(Keep wishing son...)

Our December Birthdays

We celebrated Camille's and Evan's birthdays with just family this year. Keeping it low key this year has kept my holiday stress level pretty low. I was pretty much the grinch last year, so this year we are excited and enjoying December! The birthday weekend was fun, beginning with a breakfast before school on Camille's birthday. We let Evan open one of his gifts too since they were getting the same thing.

Menu- Eggs, homemade biscuits and chocolate milk

I take kids their choice of lunch to school on birthdays, luckily they both wanted McDonalds!

On Evan's birthday we went to my mom's for kid's choice for dinner and more presents. Evan's food choice was my mom's homemade pizza and brownies. Camille's was my chicken noodle soup and chocolate shakes.

I noticed that Thomas is in just about every picture! All weekend he refused to admit that it wasn't his birthday. He even sang happy birthday to himself for three days. My little sidekick can make himself center stage anywhere. Of course grandma was kind enough to light the candles again for Thomas to blow out. I commented to my sister how Thomas seems to always get his way and what a youngest child he is. She agreed and said it sounded familiar! Ha!

Big brother helping build Evan's legos- hours of fun!

We had an exciting Skinner gathering for FHE- hopefully no one minded

squeezing into our house, but I am sad I didn't take any pictures.

off to Science Camp

We sent Jarom off to the Baptist Camp on Tonto Rim for 6th grade science camp this morning. Both Ben and I remember going to the same camp when we were in 5th and 6th grade. It is freezing with snow on the ground up there- hopefully he will stay warm and have a great time!

Volcano!

The Christmas Carol

We got tickets for everyone but Thomas to go to the Hale Theater in Gilbert and see the play "The Christmas Carol". We left early from a pizza party at the kids' piano teacher's house where they played their piano pieces for the other students. We met my parents, uncle Brian, uncle Scott and aunt Allison there too. It was a fun and different activity to take them too. There were many other kids there, if Thomas was just a little better behaved he would have enjoyed it too. I loved all the a capella Christmas songs you don't hear very often. The kids loved that after the play, we went outside and it was snowing! You can see the little bubbles on the kids' clothes in the picture. I would love to take them again in two or three years!

Scott took a date to the play, but my kids seldom see my single siblings with dates. Evan whispered to me, "Mom, is that Scott's friend or his life? ...does Scott have a life?" I chuckled and corrected his life to wife, and assured him that she was just a friend.