'Twas the Weekend Before Christmas

What a whirlwind around here lately!

Thursday the 20th

was the day of the school parties, so Mimi & were at school all morning doing the Take Home Reading... ...then all afternoon for the 1st and 3rd grade parties.

{my cookie station at the 1st grade party}

It was really fun, but my migraine was looming right behind my eyeballs, just waiting to become a full-blown menace again. And it did come back, due to the 3rd grade party--what a bunch of wild hooligans!

{cookie station at the 3rd grade party; pro-frosters, compared to the 1st grade}
{Max & his favorite buddy Zack during the class gift exchange.}

They were actually very cute and well-behaved....but typical, rowdy 3rd graders. It's nice to see Max in his classroom environment, looking happy and well-adjusted. He won the drawing to taking home Clyde, the class turtle. So Clyde the tortoise is our houseguest over the break. He's actually got quite a lot of personality, which I didn't expect from a reptile. But we've had more than the usual quality time with Clyde and feel like we know him quite well; he was also our houseguest over a 3-day weekend in October, so we're old friends.

Thursday night after all the school merrymaking, we watched the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional--which I purposely waited to watch until later in December so the kids would get a good powerful dose of the Spirit right before Christmas. I gave them each a Santa Clause pez to play with & munch during the devotional (bribery to keep them concentrating). I had a moment's qualm that the Santa Clause pez was cancelling out my efforts to focus them on the Spirit and Baby Jesus, but they listened really well, so.... whatever works.

Friday the 21st
was another big day. Max & Isabelle both have December birthdays, back-to-back on the 29th, and I've just never been able to muster the enthusiasm to give them a friend party. There is just so much going on in December that just the very thought of a birthday party before the school Christmas break puts me over the edge. But I decided this was the year to take the plunge, and I'm so glad we did it! I kept it very low-key and easy. (Actually, last-minute and thrown together.) They each invited two friends and when everyone arrived, we left and took the party to this big warehouse lined with trampolines. (don't want to name the business on my blog) There were even trampolines up the sides of the walls! Perfect. I paid for one hour, thinking they'd want to stay longer & I'd pay for a second hour later, but they were all totally exhausted and ready to go home after the first hour. So including the time when the kids played at my house before we left, the party was just under three hours and I wasn't frazzled at all. This is the way to do a birthday party! Take it somewhere ELSE. Next time I will pay a little extra and rent the birthday room, so we can also have the pizza, drinks and cake on location. (it seems my footage of Max & friends was only on video, which I do not know how to download from my camcorder.)

We rested up for a while (even though the kids insisted they weren't tired...uh-huh...) and then went to The Nutcracker, which was fabulous! I think the live orchestra makes it an event. We stowed Max away at his cousin's house and Mike & I took the girls. Mimi was wiggly--no surprise there--but loved it beyond measure. Isabelle also loves The Nutcracker and considers it her Christmas tradition. I was hesitant to spring for tickets, but in the end was very glad we did. And we'll be eating ramen or beans & rice next month to make up for it! Today, Saturday the 22nd, has been blissfully uneventful. I had planned to get a jump on the wrapping and make neighbor treats, but nope. I went to buy soup for our Shepherd's dinner (thanks for that great idea, Wendi!) and napped. Yes, it's 5pm. I think I will do a few treats now. Maybe. Zzzzzzz.....