Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Class Parties

 I can't remember what we are all doing this day - the kids are at my house looking cute all matching...maybe this was before the kids headed to a play with Grandma and Grandpa?




 Elizabeth's brownie troop had their Christmas party at one of the other girl's house. 
 Here they are doing an ornament exchange. 

 Grandma and Grandpa B surprised the kids with a trip to see Christmas lights and go out to dinner!  They told me when they were coming by so I made sure it was quiet in the house.  My parents went to our front door and started shaking jingle bells.  My kids heard them and were a little confused what was going on - until they heard that they got to go to dinner and see Christmas lights - then they were just excited!

 I am Ben's room mom so I planned the K Christmas party for his class.  I am going to explain what I did so I can remember for future years :)
 The first game was a snowball relay.  The kids used a spoon to carry a cotton ball to the snowman contained at the end of the room. 


 The next game we played was each group had one candy cane they had to move from one end of the line to the other using only their pinkies. 
 They loved it!

 Next we came back to the classroom and the kids worked at four stations.  One station was cookie decorating (they decorated a round cookie like a snowman face) and drinking hot chocolate.
 At the second station the kids made an ornament and played with peppermint play dough.
 The third station was snowman bingo.




 The fourth station was pin the nose on the teacher and then they played with mini marshmallows - stacking them, racing with them, etc...
It was a very fun party.  As soon as it was finished I headed over to 2nd grade to help with her party. 
 They made ornaments with fruit loops on pipe cleaners. 

 This game was a huge hit.  They had to race to see who could eat a mini donut fastest.  Everyone LOVED it!







Elizabeth and her teacher.  It was a busy, fun day!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Santa

 A couple of days before Christmas we took the kids to Cabelas to sit on Santa's lap. 
 Elizabeth is being so nice to "help" me get a picture of Ben.

 Tom was really happy waiting in line for an hour or so (there's Ben being crazy!)
 Finally, the big guy!
 They also got to see Mrs. Claus.
 Now they are telling Santa what they want for Christmas.  I'm trying to remember what they said.  I know Elizabeth wanted an American Girl doll and maybe Ben said a camera. 


 After Cabelas we went to Victoria's house to decorate cookies. 

 Notice Ben and Josh's face - they were giving themselves frosting mustaches!
 He's got to lick off all those sprinkles of course!
 Josh and Zach
 Josh, Zach and Ben
 Drew did one cookie and was done so I was trying to catch him for a picture. 



 Carole and Tom were getting into the decorating action. 
We had a big pile of cookies by the end of it- plenty for Santa in a couple of days! 


Monday, January 14, 2013

St. Nicholas Tea Party

 Grandma B outdid herself again with this beautiful tea party for Elizabeth and her friends.
 Here is Elizabeth with 2 of her friends from school, Kambria and Ellie.


 All the girls - Cousin Amelia, Emma, Ellie, Elizabeth, Kambria and Bridget
 Elizabeth had such a good time serving all her friends their "tea" - it was really a snowman punch.
 Then they played Bingo,
 and moved onto the Rudolf hot potato game.
 (my girl, twirling her hair :)
Thank you, Grandma, for a great party!!

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Church Winter Carnival

 Our church holds a winter carnival every year that the kids really look forward to.  This year we invited our neighbor kids.  There's Cooper, Ben, Bridget, and Elizabeth. 
 First thing up, the snow hill!  Cooper loved it,
 so did Brady.
 Bridget's turn,
 then Ben.
 
 then Elizabeth. 
 Only in TX will you see a kid go down a snowhill in crocs!

 Ben and Cooper are such good buddies!
 Next the kids rode this spinning ride.  They had to pump the handles up and down and it made the ride spin pretty fast. 





 Next they rode the big swings. 

 Face Painting!
 Cotton candy - yum!
 Jackson mostly hung out and watched - he wasn't a fan of the rides. 
 Last we watched the live nativity - it's Elizabeth's favorite part of the carnival.  They all think it is so neat that their is a "real" baby Jesus in the show. 
We had a great time at the carnival!