December - part 1

This is a recap of many things we did this month. We had so much fun, and were so busy. I would hate to not have the photos in my journal.The month started out with a trip to the Ballet (or as Sofie calls it, "the Bella - way"). The girls were completely enthralled and mesmerized. It was put on my a dance company that Janelle (a little girl we carpool with) dances with. They do it every year. This was the first year that she was eligible to perform in it. You have to be at least 8 years old I believe. So I took the girls with Jessie (another carpooler) & Samantha, her little sister. Lolly (Janelle's little sister) was there with her family as well.It was called "Molly Mouse's Sugar Plum Debut". It was the music from "The Nutcracker" and it was darling. The costumes were excellent, and the dancers did such a great job. We can't wait to go again next year. Both girls are still talking about how much they want to do Ballet now.Here they are with "our little star of the show". Janelle is next to Bella, holding the flowers.


Next up was a holiday concert with the West Valley Symphony. They had a choir join them for the performance and it was awesome. If anything got me in the holiday spirit, it was this concert. I was all excited about Christmas after the concert. My friend Chantelle plays the cello, she's in the last photo, upper right hand corner.Where else can you see the Grinch and Santa together? They played "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch", and the soloist sounded just like the one on the movie. It was cute and both of them handed out candy canes to all the kids. The do concerts a few times a year, I can't wait to catch another one!

Sofia had her preschool program. She did a great job with all the little actions to the songs, and singing so well.
It was based on the story "Twas the night before Christmas". She had a line to say, which was "As I drew in my head and was turning around, down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound."
She always has fun with her little friend Samantha, and they love going to school together.Her teacher Ms. Beckie is fabulous as well. We love all the hard work she puts into running a successful preschool.

We had a playgroup and a surprise guest showed up - SANTA! And he had the first gift of Christmas for each 0f the children.Needless to say, mine were a bit reluctant to sit on his lap. Like most children, they like him from afar. Unfortunately the only one I got of Reed is blurry. It's okay, it's not like he's smiling or anything! And in most of these photos, Sofie has a funky smile. Oh, it's such a great age for smiling.

Let the festivities begin!

The mad rush began to finish the halloween costumes. Reed's arrived in the mail on Saturday, thanks to Dayna for mailing it my way! By Sunday night I finished the girl's costumes, (and Sofie's bat dolly)

My little Tinkerbella

When the costume process began for me this year, I was debating on what to do for Sofie and Reed (Bella had her mind made up). I found this costume in a catalog, and thought it was funny. I loved the dolly, and the description, "If you've got a bat attitude, this is definitely the disguise for you." The description fit Sofie too perfectly, but unfortunately, the costume did not come in her size.

So this is my take on the costume.I thought it turned out pretty funny. (if you don't know me, when I say "funny" or "hilarious", I think it's cute or sassy)
My baby bear
Last night we went to Grandma Susan's for her annual Halloween party. We enjoyed a delicious dinner, and the kids got to decorate cookies afterwards.

They did a craft of decorating a Halloween pail with cute faces.
They were then each given either a light wand (girls) or a light sword (boys). They are like a giant glow stick, with either a star on one end, or a handle on one end. The kids used their glow sticks to search in the dark for the treasure. Grandma had presents for each of them hidden.

We had so much fun with our Basinger cousins! Thanks Jane for all the cute photos!

Sofie and Reed got dressed up again today for a Halloween party at our house. We had about 25-30 little ones here enjoying a potluck lunch, a little craft, and a fishing pond. We have Sofie's preschool program, and a trick or treating field trip for her on Thursday. Then we do it all again on Halloween.

I love it!

Blast from the past

Recently we had playgroup at "The Gale Center". It is in South Jordan, at Redwood road and 104th South. We had so much fun!

They have a great mining exhibit that the kids loved, and exhibit on the heart (was a little old for them, but they loved pushing the button to hear the loud heartbeat), and some antiques set up to look like a little house.Their favorite part was in the play area. There is a schoolhouse (Bella nominated herself to be the teacher), complete with sacks for potato sack races.
A house with a front porch, kitchen, dining table, living room, and dress up clothes.Out in back of the house is a dog house, chicken coop (you can collect the eggs), clothesline (to hang clothes), cow (to practice milking), and a stream (complete with a footbridge) to fish in.Then there's the country store where you can buy groceries. The kids loved weighing their vegetables, and loading up wheelbarrows and baskets full of goods.
There was an old telephone booth, and a gas station with a couple of cars you could sit in.
The kids did not want to leave (we stayed for almost 2 hours) and were immediately asking when we could return. The best part is - it's FREE!

Beautiful Utah

It is so pretty in Utah, when it's not all covered in snow. We had a very fun playgroup today up in the mountains of Herriman. We were at a beautiful home enjoying the fabulous weather, lunch, and friends.

The girls each got to ride a horse (including me!). And Reed made great friends with the dog. He loved him and would crawl under the table just so he could sit by him.

We even got to see a doe up close, it was under the porch while all the kids were out playing.

It was a fabulous view of the valley, and we had such a great time. Thanks Stacey for making it happen!