Looking at Christmas Lights

Every Christmas we take a night out to go driving around looking at Christmas lights. This year we went to a new place (for us) in Mesa.  It was one street but it was full for awesome lights and displays.  There was a line of people on the sidewalk to walk around and see it. One display was in someone back yard too.  We also visited the Mesa Temple ligths and a few of our favorites in Gilbert and Queen Creek.

Pictures aren't very good because I just had my cell phone to take pictures 

See the line of people walking down the sidewalks?

We bought the kids these suckers that are after the Rudolph Movie. Paxton and Emmie have a Rudolph nose and mouth and Hayden's is the Abominable Snowman.

One house in Queen Creek has their whole garage done in a tiny village. It looks awesome in person.

Paxton's Preschool Christmas Party

The last day of preschool before Christmas break Paxton's class had a little party and made Gingerbread houses and wore their PJ's to school. I came to help out and as I arrived they were already sitting down decorating them. And Paxton was sitting next to Aubry. Aubry is the girl that likes him and he now likes her. At the Halloween party Aubrey's mom was there and told me Aubry really likes Paxton and talks about him all the time. I never told Paxton because I didn't want him to get embarrassed and maybe not treat her nice. One day Aaron picked up Paxton and jokingly asked Paxton if the girl by him was his girlfriend, without thinking he said "No, she didn't come to school today." So he admitted he had a girlfriend. Later that night I asked him who it was and after awhile he said Aubry. I thought it was so cute, he liked her too and he didn't even know about the comment her mom made at the Halloween party.  Here is Paxton (and Aubrey) making their cute Gingerbread Houses! (Sorry, crappy Cell phone pics)

Drinking Hot Coco

When they were done they went outside for pictures

The Kids School Christmas Program

This year the kids performed their Christmas Program at the Higley Center for the Performing Arts. Since there is so many kids they broke the program into 2 parts. Emmie performed the 1st part with the K-2nd graders. Hayden performed later with the 3rd-5th graders.

 Emmie with the other 1st graders

K-2nd performing last song together

Now the 2nd part of the program
Hayden with the other 3rd graders

At the end the 3rd graders sang the last song in the aisle and Hayden happen to stand right next to us

Hayden and Emmie after the show. They did awesome!

Our Elf of the Shelf

Meet Holly, our new Elf of the Shelf. Hayden has begged me for a few years now to get one and he couldn't stop talking about it recently. The night of his actual birthday we went out to dinner and since it was his birthday we went to the store and let him get one. He was so excited.

It blows my mind how my kids believe it so much. I get how they believe Santa because we told them from the beginning all about him but the Elf is something Hayden heard about from friends and we went to the store to buy it together. The fact we bought it would seem fake to me. Every morning Hayden runs in our room to tell us what the elf did, its like Christmas morning everyday for him. I keep thinking he is going to ask if its fake but he's more excited and loves it more then my younger kids. But I do love how it makes him so happy, so I am glad we got it.

Most nights I took pictures of what our Elf Holly did each night, here is some of the fun she had.