Crazy December

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the three people who still check this blog.  It has been a while.  The lead up into Christmas was pure insanity at our house and I missed my blog.  Mack was out of town for the most of the month of December doing a rotation in Tucson (great timing, huh?) and so I had to keep everything at home afloat while attempting to start some Christmas traditions.  It was exhausting and I am so glad it is over.  So I will have a few Christmas posts and then we are moving upwards and onwards with the latest happenings around here.

 I made this felt tree in an attempt to keep the kids from damaging our real (artificial) tree.  You may notice the play pen surrounding the tree in the background.  It was a good idea that I stole from my sister in law.  Until Brisbane learned how to ram it over with his large trucks.  Less effective.

 The kids enjoyed the felt tree and ornaments though.

 One day for snack we made Christmas trees from sugar cones, green icing, and M&M's.  Healthy, eh?

 The kids weren't that thrilled about having to put the icing and M&M's on the cone...they wanted to put them straight into their mouths.

 Which is pretty much what Brisbane did.  I am learning that I am basically powerless to stop this boy if he puts his mind to something.  (Sidenote:  This is the day that I put Brisbane's shirt on backwards and just couldn't bring myself to change it....that's the kind of month we had...oh brother.)

 We made gingerbread houses one night.  My sister in law swooped in for the save again and let me use her gingerbread house mold (she rocks!).

 The kids had a hard time putting the icing on but if I smeared it on where they wanted it, they loved sticking the candies all over.  (Except for Brisbane who once again just moved candy from the bowls to his mouth.)

 All Smiles!

 The three and their finished product...pretty impressive.

 Reese and Jessenia had a Christmas program at preschool.  It was ten layers of cuteness.  You see that smug expression on Jessenia's face?  Yep, that's how she looked the entire performance.  For a kid who we can't get to stop singing around the house, she sure is playing hard to get at preschool.  And yes, there are only four kids in Jessenia's preschool class.  It's awesome.  And yes, all of the other girls in the class have on adorable Christmas outfits and my child looked homeless.  Why?  Not because my husband was out of town (he was back by then) but because I rolled my ankle running and couldn't get laundry and hair done very well at this point.

 There's a smile!  One little gem during one of the songs with actions.

 And there is Reese with some of his class.  Why are his hands in his mouth?  No idea!  Both of my kids walked out on stage with their hands in their mouths.  I was able to get Jessenia to stop right away, but Reese was more resistant.

 When his teacher handed him some bells, he decided he had something better to do with his hands than suck on them.

Reese was Joseph in the nativity.  We are so proud.  Afterwards his teacher said, "Didn't he make the cutest Joseph?"  I had to agree.
December was an overly stressful month but we had a lot of fun too.  We are just so much happier that Daddy is home now.  We love you Mack, I couldn't do what I do without you...at least not well.