It's a New Year!

This morning Ellie came bouncing down the stairs with a huge smile on her face. The very first question out of her mouth was "Mom it's next year, can I start school now? Do I start kindergarten now?"

Not only was I suprised that she comprehended the new year has come, but made the connection that next year "you will start school." What she does not understand is the next year is not 1/1/2011 but when school starts again after we move this summer.

Creating a Build a Bear Christmas Gift

Ellie got a Build a Bear kit to build at home for Christmas on today brought me all her pieces with a hugh smile telling me she needed help fixing Elizebeth.

With a huge smile on her face I watched as she began stuffing her bear. Soon the heart was filled with her love and kisses, the bear stuffed, and she smiled bigger as it was time sew the bear closed. Delightfully, she grabbed the threaded bright red plastic needle and carefully pushed the needle through each pre-stamped hole. With a look that bounced between smiles and careful concentration Ellie found each hole then then pulled her thread as tight as she could.

Once her bear was finished Ellie beamed with delight than ran up stairs to introduce this new bear to her growing collection.

 stuffung her bear

 goofy faces

 sewing the bear closed

 see that look of concentration

 thrilled she did it

 new bear for her teddy bear collection

look who is in love again

Deployed Family Christmas Party

The Deployed Family Christmas Party through the eyes of a nine year old. At some point I will have to have Jairon help narate the pictures and why he took them.

Ellie making faces                            Zach showing someting from the table

picture of me                                   Celidah being pretty

the band was way to cool

being silly with the base photographer

pretty tree



my sisters



talking with Santa

bye Santa

Homeschool Co-op Christmas Program

 Cilidah and Jade singing a duet

 

 Zach reciting his lines

 Ellie reciting her lines

 group song

 Jade reciting her lines

 group song

 

 Celidah reciting her lines

 another group song

 Silent night with candels

  flowers to the program organizers

 All six kids singing Tiger Tiger

  Girls singing Whispering Snow duet

 

  Celidah playing Carol of the Bells solo on the xylophone

other solos and duets were performed but I only put my kids up on the webpage.

 

Gingerbread Winter Wonderland and Skating Party

The kids had a blast creating their gingerbread creations. Getting them to the iceskating arena created the next challenge. Jairon's experienced an earthquake causing his house to topple. Upon checkin several thought he toppled his house on purpose. Zach barely caught his during a sudden brake stop with his toes. Chantelle got a grumbly tummy and started to eat hers during the drive.

With the houses set up the kids were excited for their disploys

 With some magic repositioning one could not tell an earthquake had struck this house :)



Other entries we thought were cool!

overall winner!!!