Christmas 2012

We started out our Christmas Eve at Nana's house (Jeff's Mom) and shared gifts and a meal and lots of good snack foods.

These two little girls can wreck a room in just a few minutes with a handful of gifts.

Proof of their room wrecking skills!

Then we came home to get ready for Santa's visit.  We left food for Santa's reindeer and cookies for Santa.

Sam (the elf) was waiting for Santa at the front door.

 We let the kids open a gift of their choosing from under the tree.  Leanna chose her gift from Mika and LOVED it!!  Baby Mulan is beautiful!

 Christmas morning was a thrill for everyone! 

 

 One of Leanna's favorites was a fortune cookie maker (that was a little disappointing as an actual cookie maker but will make a great play-doh toy).

 I attempted to follow in my mom and grandmother's  traditions and cooked a country ham (then I convinced Jeff and Grandma that they would be SO helpful if they carved it).  It turned out YUMMY!

 We celebrated Christmas with Nanny and Papaw (Jeff's dad) the day after.

 

 Again, those same two little girls can wreck a room in just a few short minutes.

 

December 20, 2012.....Decorating Christmas Cookies

What a mess we made with making ginger bread cookies.  Leanna was so excited about making a mess in the kitchen.  She kept asking if it was really ok to make such a mess after we had done such a great job cleaning the countertops!

December 19, 2012....2nd Grade Christmas Party

 

 

 

Leanna had a great time at her 2nd grade Christmas party. They sang songs, exchanged gifts, and ate donuts.  She even got to chat with Mrs. Clause.

December 15, 2012....Two Parties in One Day

 

 

 

 We celebrated cousin Ally turning six in the morning and,

 

celebated Christmas with Grandma and cousins in the afternoon.

December 13, 2012......Christmas Party at Dance Class

Leanna's dance class had fun with their annual Christmas party.  They ate, danced, jumped over the river, and read with Mrs. Sunny.

December 4, 2012....Taiwan Buddy Christmas Gift Exchange

 

 

This is our first year to do a gift exchange with some of our friends that were born in Taiwan.  Leanna sent a gift to an eight year old little girl in Texas.  We had a blast searching for just the right gift and Leanna decided to send her friend a bracelet kit and we also made her some hair bows and sent some candy.  Leanna was thrilled when the gift for her arrived in the mail!  She got a princess matching puzzle and sweet letter from her buddy in California.

Leanna also received a sweet note and gift back from her Taiwan Buddy Molly.

December 1, 2012......Christmas Dance Performance

Leanna's dance class performed at one of the local craft fairs.  It was a really fun performance for the girls and at the end they threw snowballs into the audience.  These girls thought that was so funny! 

Leanna also got to meet with Mr. and Mrs. Claus while we were there.  She told Santa that she would love to have a Fortune Cookie maker.

 

December 1, 2012.....Morgan's Birthday Party

We LOVED being able to celebrate Morgan's birthday with him!  Hard to believe that the little guy turned five!

 



December 3, 2012....A Christmas Play

 

 

The second graders at Leanna's school produced a Christmas Musical.  Leanna had a speaking part (she had 6 different lines).  Her teachers really bragged on her and encouraged her classmates to speak as loudly and with as much expression as Leanna was using (can we say "drama queen").  It was a beautiful performance.