Our many adventures in December. Lots of new pictures

December was a huge busy month. We had a lot of activities and family events. I have a lot of pictures to share. We have great news, our house should be closing (finally) tomorrow. We should be living in it by the end of the month. I'm so excited for all the new blessings that are unfolding so far this year. I will blog more on those later. Here is a re-cap of what we've been doing for the last month. I also hope you enjoyed your daily Proverb for the last 31 days.

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In early December, K and A along with their Musical Presentation group from 4H performed Christmas songs for two nursing homes in our town. It was very sweet and the kids all sang and did sign language to the songs along with playing instruments. My girls said they really enjoyed it and it they liked the feeling of doing something nice for those older ladies.

A and K at the 2nd nursing home

The ladies at the first home we went to



After the presentation. K, A, J and E



This year at church we did things a little different, usually there is a play put on by the children. Instead, our Pastor and one of the men recited the Christmas story from Luke and Matthew, while stopping at different parts so that others could perform specials. We had piano playing and violins and singing. It was beautiful. My 5 girls did a scripture recitation, they did Luke 2:7 and 2:11. August performed Joy to the World on her violin and K played The First Noel on hers. It was a nice evening.

Pastor and Bro. Michael

Waiting to do their Christmas specials

  



My girls about to do their scriptures

K playing The First Noel

A playing Joy to the World

We also had several different Christmas gatherings with family this year. We celebrated with my Step-Moms family on the weekend before Christmas. This was a lot of fun because I don't usually get to see them at Christmas. My Step-mom and Aunts lost their mother in October and it was their first Christmas without her. That's got to be hard, I'm sure. We all miss her a lot.

The girls and I made these cute reindeer cupcakes from the Family Fun magazine.



All of the younger girl cousins

This year we had our first annual Christmas cookie baking day at Oma's (my mother in laws) house. Her sister came to visit for a couple weeks from Germany.  It's exciting when out of town family comes to visit. My girls all loved her a lot. It was a very fun day. The kids decorated sugar cookies and other goodies and then went on to make Christmas trees out of ice cream cones.

A, "A" and K

Me, E, J and Tante Bettina
(tante is aunt in German)

Oma with most of her grandchildren




Oma helping S, E and J make ice cream cone Christmas trees

Our regular tradition is to open all the presents on Christmas Eve morning. All of the girls open a gift of new jammies the night before. We only have H with us on Christmas Eve, so most of our celebrating is done that day. This was a very small Christmas this year as far as gifts go. The kids received jammies, one larger gift they asked for and a small puzzle for the little girls and a sewing kit for the older girls. We are buying a house and cut back a lot on the gifts this year. I also always make a big Christmas Eve morning breakfast. This year my husband's parents and his aunt came to eat with us. It was a very nice morning. Adam helped me cook the breakfast and the kids played happily with their new stuff.



J and E got flannel nightgowns with matching ones for their dolls




Our nice neighbors brought over some gifts for the girls as well



J and her Leapster. It's an educational game.

A and her new camera



H and her shearling boots



E and her Leapster

K and her new camera

 

Adam makin' bacon. I'm terrible at making bacon.



E, Oma and J

 

Oma, A, H and K

After some clean up Adam and I took the girls on a little nature walk. It was a little chilly but very nice. August had fun testing out her new camera.
 

All of our sweet girlies



 

Mommy and Daddy
photo by A

 Later that evening we went out to Oma and Opa's house to have Christmas Eve dinner with Adams family. My mom came too. It was a very nice evening and the dinner was delicious.

Opa opening his gifts

A took a picture of one of her gifts. Those are the best chocolates. Yumm.

All but one of the grandkids

Adam's older brother and sister

Adam and E



Adam's younger brother and his girlfriend





J and Mimi (my mom)

 And just when you thought that wasn't enough Christmas...Christmas day morning we were bombarded by little girls in our bed with their stockings to open. Then, we packed everyone up again and drove out to my Dad and Step-Moms house for Christmas dinner. This was the first Christmas without any of our Grandmas. One passed away this year and the other the year before. It seemed a little strange without them. We had a nice dinner and opened gifts.
  

J and Grandpa (my dad)




Grandma and most of the grand-girls



They all got snuggies

And last but not least. We spent New Years eve at our church. We had a nice Watchnight service and then played games and did fireworks. We got home and had birthday cake for H at 1 am. She turned 11 on 1-1-11.

H and her Uncle

H and her Grandpa

 

 Whew, it sure was a busy month. We had a great time though. We are now getting ready to move into our new home.