More KFLC Christmas Program Pics

I just realized I'd never pulled the photos off the camera Jeff was using the night of the Christmas program. Here is our little guy when he spotted us in the audience.

You go, little clapper!

Ok, if I get desperate (which I am getting), this might be our Christmas photo. EEK!

Guess we'll soon have to teach our little gal to cross her legs.

Dancing King Returns!

Julia and Ms. Dawn hold up one finger as they say the 1st commandment: Thou shall have no other gods before me.

And another video of Mr. Hollywood. The classes at preschool take turns rotating to lead the music/worship portion of school. I had to stick around this morning to get some video of our little guy back in action! I hope he never loses this spirit!!

The boy in the black shirt to the left during most of the video is Cole, who apparently does not like music time. Then beside him is Gavin. Ry talks often about his friend Gavin, I really need to schedule a playdate with his mom! (Ok, actually, I don't know much about him...except for Ry likes to play cars at school with him and every time we see the letter "G" Ry tells me it is Gavin's name). Then there is Ry (of course!), and next to him is Izzy, (whom you have seen in previous posts from playdates).

Bikes and Cookies

It actually feels like Florida here. (Ok, that is a big stretch..but compared to the Chicago temps we just came from, it is no exaggeration!). We took this opportunity to go outside and play with our neighbors, Nicolas and Lexi (and mom, Trina!) who rode their bikes down to our cul-de-sac.

After playing outdoors, we invited our friends in for some impromptu cookie baking. Julia mostly plays with the dough like it is playdough rather than cutting out cookies. (In between the bites she steals, of course!)

Ryan is making an "R" for his name.

"Cheese!"

Getaway Weekend

Each December, Jeff and I try and take a weekend trip to Chicago. It is something that we both look forward to so much, and this year was no exception! Despite the freezing (like 8 degree!) temperatures, we had a really awesome trip! Our adventure began early Saturday morning with a quick stop for mocha drinks and then a 5 hour train ride where we chatted, watched a movie, ate and read.

We spent our time leisurely Christmas shopping..(and some shopping for ourselves!), dining..(without having to say "quiet down!" or "Please sit back down in your seat!" or "Be careful so you don't spill your drink!"), seeing the movie "Four Christmases", more shopping (and actually getting to try things on without attempting to keep two children contained in a fitting room!), sleeping in, meeting up with Jeff and Amy (who ironically were visiting there this weekend also!), and with no schedule! It was SO NICE!
(And a BIG thanks to Aunt Stacy for spending her entire weekend with our children!!)

Christmastime in downtown Chicago is very festive...lights and trees everywhere! Here is a picture of Jeff in front of the Macy's 41st annual story window display.

And me, on the way to dinner right before we caught the train home, in front of the Chicago Board of Trade building. We tried a new restaurant this year, and I give it a HUGE thumbs up! If only I could remember the name of it! But the bruschetta, sweet potato fries and Thai peanut chicken appetizers were all AMAZING!

On the way home, Jeff reminded me that these weekends are so good for us (as if I needed reminding at that point!) "because they remind us that we have a story too, not just as parents." How right he is. And how happy I am that I get to be a part of his story!

Our Christmas Star

This is the second year Ryan's preschool class has been included in the Christmas program at Maryville Baptist. And this year was even more memorable than last...something I didn't think would be 'outdone'. (I was wrong!) Last year he was on the top row of the risers and during "Away in a Manger" he decided he wanted to check out the little baby Jesus for himself. He began pushing classmates as he made his way down to the bottom row to get a better look and to peer in the crib. Wow, is that mild compared to this year's performance...A night I might never forget! His class came up to sing the last song, and our little Mr. Hollywood was EXCITED. Actually, I think that is putting it mildly. On the way to the event, he told us in the car, "I can't want to sing and dance tonight." I can't even imagine how he could have been more spirited had he actually been "in the mood!" Apparently, right before going on stage, his teacher, Ms. Amanda, told the kids that she had a special treat for whoever sang the loudest. (They had trouble during the practices with lack of singing from their class, so she was trying to encourage them). She later told me that as soon as they walked offstage, he asked her, "Where is my treat?"

Ty steals a hug from Julia.

Sorry for the fact the video is so up and down. I am not even kidding when I say I was on the floor (yes, very lady-like, isn't it?!) laughing so hard I couldn't even manage to hold the camera upright...and I was TRYING!

After the performance, people were coming up to me saying, "Wow, Ryan stole the show!", "Man, he has Jesus in him!!", "What a happy, spirited kid!" , "Oh my, I didn't even SEE my kid during that song because I was too busy watching Ryan!" and "You guys really need to move to LA." And Krista overheard someone afterward pointing to Ry and saying "Hey, I think that is that boy!"

Ry and Isabelle

Ry and Izzy show us ornaments they made on a tree in their classroom. They enjoy hanging out together so much!

Ry and Ty

I think you can tell for sure that they are related, don't you? Especially since Ty got his hair cut shorter more like Ry's.

Double trouble..and a little lovin'.

And a little spat over who gets to be the driver! =)

Playdate at Andrew's House

This morning Ryan was invited to a cookie making playdate at his friend Andrew's house. Braeden was also invited. (Both of the boys live just across the street from us and have missed riding bikes together in the cul-de-sac since the weather turned cold!)The cookie making was a fun project...what kid wouldn't love getting handed a jar full or sugar!?

Julia and Laura (Andrew's mom) hanging out.

Carrie and Katrina (Braeden's mom and sister).

Christmas 2006

I found this photo today. It is from Ryan's visit with Santa in December 2006. I had planned to bring Ry to the Galleria to meet Jeff for lunch and do this visit with Santa. And then we had a little accident...a slip in the tub. (You know how you always fret something terrible will happen when you are naked (and wet in this case!)? It did. In a panic I called my dad over, and totally expected him to say "no worries!" but he took a look in his mouth and informed me this was something we needed to see a pediatric specialist for. YIKES. His tooth was chipped and jammed up in his gums..oh, yeah, and the nerve was exposed in the back, which was the cause for all the screaming (by Ryan..I was incredibly calm during this chaos). So I jumped in the car with the poor screaming child, headed straight to Jeff's office to pick him up (the nurse told me on the phone, "we'll need to do some x-rays for sure..you aren't pregnant or anything are you? You'll need to probably hold him down." Uhhh...yeah, 7 mos! So we needed Daddy for not only moral support but to help with this!

So, here he is with Santa...about a week after he had his first oral surgery to remove his front tooth.

Our theme this Christmas was that song: "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth"! =)

Wednesday

After leaving the candy store, we came home and had a lunch and a playdate with Isabelle O'Day. The kids (still on a sugar high!) were super excited about our afternoon plans!

Ry and Izzy play some type of hand game they thought was very funny.

We also made Christmas wreaths with paper plates this afternoon. I painted the kids hands green to make the greenery on the wreath (duh!) and then we used red paint on their fingertips to make the berries. When I asked Ry to hold up his plate so I could snap a photo, he put this piece of tape on his face and said "Look, mommy...I am like Santa!" What a creative bearded boy! =)

My sister had given me something called "Friendship Bread." It is where you have this bread mix in a bag for 10 days and knead it each day, add some ingredients on day 6 and on day 10 separate it into 4 bags to give away and then bake a batch for yourself. Well, OOPS, I misread the directions and ended up adding some of the ingredients for baking your own batch to the "original mix" and so I had to make all 4 batches! YIKES!!! So, thanks to my friend Jamie (for laughing along with me at the mess I created here, and helping me mix this batter that took my two largest bowls to contain!!!), for Trina (for allowing me to run down to borrow 5 eggs, vanilla, oil and extra baking pans!), and Krista for understanding how I messed this up and has so kindly agreed to give me another "starter" in 10 days when hers refreshes. Love you!
All the crazy baking that happened this afternoon wasn't for nothing, as the kids and I had a great time playing "elves" tonight and delivered some bread to our friends doorsteps. Happy early Christmas!

Sweeties

This morning the candy store up the street, Sweeties, had an open house and Glammie was there displaying her jewelry line. It didn't take much to convince the kids to have a little outing there!

Um, do you think they were enjoying themselves? Or perhaps on the sugar high...when I told Glammie they could each have ONE piece, she told me that seemed a bit unfair. We settled on three, but I somehow think they ate more than that, and we certainly came home with a bag of even more! =)

Glamour Girl

As I think I've previously mentioned, Julia usually plays with a toothbrush in the sink while I get ready in the morning. (And Ry gets some alone-time in the train room without the fear of baby sister wrecking the track!) This morning, she saw me putting in rollers (yeah, it happens sometimes!! HA) and started saying "I ant some! I ant some!" So, here she is!

Our little diva even wanted to wear them down to breakfast!

Oops..Christmas Decor

Our tree "with lots of balls" as both Julia and Ry like to say.

Uh, PECAE on earth? I think this was up 3 days before Jeff looked up and started laughing. This is a great sign that I need more sleep!

Superhero Boots?

Glammie stopped by tonight and Ry wanted to try on her boots. When she took them off for him, he saw her brown tights on her legs and said "Glammie, WHAT happened to your legs?!?" in sincere concern.

He kept them on all of about 2 minutes before wanting to wear just one....which lasted maybe another 30 seconds before he asked for help taking it off.

Snow (sorta) Day!

After watching "Frosty the Snowman" movie on Thanksgiving at Uncle Jeff and Aunt Amy's house, Ryan is SUPER excited to try and build a snowman. (Isn't it crazy how a year changes things? Last year I had to practically force him to try and build one with me!)

We had the tiniest bit of snowfall today and Ryan begged to go out in the yard to play.

He lasted all of about 10 minutes before he came inside claiming "It's cold out here!" I think he might be cold-blooded like his momma! Sorry, daddy...we might not have a future skiier here unless those feet warmers become more advanced in technology! =)