Winter Wonderland

The pictures say it all. Christmas at Grandma and Papa's has been the winter wonderland that Houstonian's do not get, even if it did snow at home this year. They got about a foot of snow a couple of days before we got here and it has lasted the whole time. Our van is parked safely down the mountain. The girls opened presents from us, grandma, papa and their aunt and uncle today. Of course, Santa is coming tonight and the cookies and milk are securely in their place. Poor Helen developed a pretty high fever today. She has had a stuffy nose for quite a while. Hopefully it will be short-lived. We have one more day and a half here and then we are off to visit Daron's side of the family.

Christmas tree

A quick photo of our tree before it comes down on Saturday. Got to get it out of the house before we leave. Daisy didn't pull it down this year, thanks goodness. My crazy week has just gotten a little crazier with a sick child (Daisy). Honey, mommy really needs you to go to preschool this week! Oh well, a few less things will get done, but Christmas will still come no matter how many times I try to hit the pause button. Oh, and that's a good thing.

Performances

Daisy's Christmas program at preschool was Tuesday. She wore an outfit that used to be Helen's and looked ever like the teeny tiny gal she is. I had videotaped practice earlier in the day in case she "froze up" but I needn't have worried. She performed and behaved perfectly up there. She was very enthusiastic and not one bit afraid.
See Mom- I can do it!

The next night found Mary (Helen's friend Skylar) and Joseph (Helen) in their Christmas program. They just had the kids set up in vignettes while an adult read and the kids sang in between. Unfortunately, Helen was extremely distracted by the straw in the manger. She kept poking her friend with it...

and trying to feed it to the baby Jesus (much to Skylar's chagrin).

By this point, Skylar has commandeered the baby altogether while we all get to listen to Helen holler about the injustice of that. It was not one of her finer moments. But, it was all just 4 and 5 year olds and God bless those teachers who volunteer to teach choir to 26 kindergarteners.

We have one more performance to go with Helen's Kindergarten class, two class Christmas parties (one of which I am in charge of), final Christmas shopping, one play, two social events, packing, Daron is out of town 3 of 5 days next week and we leave on Saturday for our two weeks in North Carolina/Tennessee.

Hanging of the Greens

Helen has been going to choir at another church with one of her friends. Actually, the mom and I are friends and we lucked out to both have two girls almost exactly the same ages who get along. Anyway, last night was the Hanging of the Greens service where the choirs sang and then afterward a mix and mingle, including Santa Claus.

Helen's hat was on the right way when she walked up there! She proceeded to walk up there, turn it inside out and put it back on.
Helen and Skylar

Are you the real Santa Claus?

Okay, so I want snow- oh yeah, already got that one!

Daisy always tells Santa "Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas" in that deep raspy voice of hers.

Holy Snowflakes Batman!

And it's still coming down for the next few hours they say. As I've told a few people today, I think a certain underground region has really frozen over this time!

Scenes

Over Thanksgiving break, Helen helped out in the kitchen. Here she is shredding carrots for carrot soup. Despite their reputations for being adventurous eaters, neither of my kids would touch it with a ten foot pole. Helen did say she wants to be a "harvester" when she grows up though.

Meanwhile, Daisy was cooking up Chinese food for Wolfie. (Go Pack- we stomped those Heels!)