Christmas 2012

We started out the week with a visit to Santa. Lea has been very good this year so of course he was happy to see her well written and simple note. 

We went out to Grandmas on Wednesday and spent the week with Grampy (Lea's Great Grandpa) and Margarete. We had one beautiful day and we spent it outside. We fed the goats and donkey, we filled the bird feeders, Lea played scientist and wandered around finding things for us to examine.

We played many games of Train Dominos. 

Someone asked if Lea had a boyfriend and her response of "I'm only six, of course I don't have a boyfriend!" got a big hoot out of Grampy.

Katelyn the "Our Generation" doll (Target's version of American Girl and far more affordable) came with a skating outfit, a book and then also under the tree was a bowling outfit, a sleeping bag and tent and pus for Katelyn. That was certainly the prize present. Lea and Katelyn have been practically inseparable.

Lea also was an awesome gift giver this year. At our church's bizarre they had a "children's store." Garage store quality goods from parishioners that the kids could shop for. The church ladies helped Lea shop without us and she got a gift for me, Dan, Grandma and Grandpa Dan. Lea wrapped the gifts all by herself and left them under the tree for over a month without telling us what they were. All we knew as that we had to be careful with Grandma's because it was breakable. She did wonderful! Grandma got a glass jewelry box, I got a cute box and candle and Dan got a Norman Rockwell coffee cup with a fisher man because "I knew you liked to fish Daddy!" She was so proud and really put thought into the gifts. It is was so cute and sweet. She did awesome!

Santa brought the Playdoh Smashed Potato game which is fun for the whole family. There is a machine that crinkle cuts, chops, snips or french fries your little guy. There could be an extra smashing space on the spinner for more smashing fun, but I guess then the game would last too long. It quickly turned into a game of "restaurant and potato orders" but that was fun too. Santa also brought a Barbie pretend news camera so there was much reporting going on. And in Mommy's stocking was a new camera! Hooray no more rubber band holding her camera together!

A wonderful Christmas. We'll be back out in East Texas for a low key New Years. Thanks to all the rain the week of Christmas we should be able to have a nice fire in the fire pit and roast some marshmallows and drink some cocoa. A wonderful holiday. 

Did I mention she rode a fish (for 8 seconds, even)

So let me explain. We went to the Rodeo in Frisco. We got a groupon. We took Grandpa Dan. We had a great time. By the luck of the draw... or I guess Grandpa would say the luck o' the Irish we made it just in time for bull riding. We had a great time! In the courtyard there was a children's area with remote control bulls, a horse and the catfish that Lea chose. I couldn't have been more proud at her choice. Fun day. We started at the day at the church bazaar where they had a Children's Store where Lea got to go in and shop for Christmas presents for me and dad, Grandma & Grandpa. They also had face painting and Lea wanted to be a Christmas tree which thus explains the green face she had for the rest of the day.

Jingle All the Way

Last Night was Lea's Christmas Choir program called "Jingle All the Way." There was much last minute rehearsal and preparation.

Dan and I created the set for the production. Not much time, but for a simple one performance I think we did great. I am especially proud of the North Pole that Dan created at an angle. We had one mom try to straighten it. I loved that it leaned and had snow around it. Then we had the reindeer area with hay and Reindeer Chow.

But the best part was the elves and reindeer and kids that sang their hearts out — at least for the first 3 songs. By Scene 6 there was some distracted wiggly bottoms on stage and off stage - once the audience was asked to participate in making noise it seemed hard to get them to focus again.

My favorite part is in the song "Jingle in My Heart" they sing "Jingle in my right hand, jingle in my left hand, jingle in my head, jingle in my feet, jingle in my knees, jingle in my bottom!" And each line comes with a shake of said body part. Of course Jingle in my bottom was the best! I was too busy watching to get good photos or video.

Our elf had one line and she did great!

And the choir sounded great.

 
For the last two songs, for some reason Lea did not want her elf hat on, even though she looked so cute. Thus the grumpy elf photo after it was over. I was allowed one photo of the hat and this was it. She was only grumpy because she had to put the hat on, otherwise she had a great night.

I guess she might have been happier as a reindeer, but she did great as an elf.

Christmas Choir at the Tree Lighting

Lea's Choir preformed at the Casa Linda Tree Lighting at the shopping center at the corner of Garland and Buckner. There were several schools that preformed, but of course we were the best (Ok I didn't see any of the others, but who could argue with these cutie pies!)

Lea and Zoe on their way to preform. Lea had that bell in her mouth several times too. Crazy kids.

The quality is not great, the thing you need to listen for is... I have a jingle in my left hand (no the other left), a jingle in my right. And then near the end... what's that? a jingle in my bottom, a jingle overhead. Too cute!

The whole choir that showed up for the performance. They sang 3 songs and did an awesome job. They sounded great!

Next song: What ever happened to Christmas? 

Lea participated in all the songs, had all the hand gestures and actions down. She did great! They all sang and looked spectacular. And you know I'm not biased!