Christmas Eve

 

Busy, busy before Christmas

Our ward put together the church as a Nativity walk through for the community.

Here's the nativity display I helped to set up. 

                                                Here's the stable.....baby Jesus in the manger.

Here are a couple of wise guys.

Outside it was pretty cold...but, they led the way.

                                            Crazy Christmas sweater day with Payton...

Jacob's 5th grade breakfast party.

Jacob's teacher Ms. Harner

Jacob's crafts from the last day of school.

Tara and Emily's piano recital last night. 

Emily played "We Three Kings" and "Sonata" from her piano book

Tara played "Did you think to pray" and "Do you hear what I hear?"

With teacher Jessica Stoner-she's headed back to BYU-I so, we need to find a new teacher or try skyping!

Tara's choir concert

She had to let the hem of her dress, from last year, minutes before the concert. 

 3" and it was still too short.

She's been a great missionary.  Melody in red and Haven in black are both taking the missionary discussions.

Band concert

 

Our weekend was packed full.  Gene returned from Chicago right before the weather got terrible.

Tara helped out NJHS by ringing the bell at the mall-cute girls singing apparently helps others to donate!

Emily participated in the primary nativity.  She is usually an angel-she and her friends wanted to try something different (so, they were shepherds)

This was such a great idea for a star....we just had to get a picture.

She performed for us a preview of her upcoming Christmas band concert.

 We have all of our Christmas decorations up and everyone looked so nice for church today, I just had to get some pictures by the tree.....

The girls and I went to the Nutcracker -our yearly tradition.  Thanks mom!  Now that they are taking dance lessons, the ride home was a lot more fun.  The 2nd Act really made them want to dance.

Captain Yawn (he's so tired after school).  I prefer "Capt' Yawesome!"

Sister Paxton:  a sister missionary who was recently transferred.

The girls went to go see Catching Fire.....so great! 

Jacob's 5th Grade Music show "Of Thee I Sing".  His favorite song was "The Water is Wide"

Kazoos and mini flags in their back pockets. 

These pictures are out of order but, it takes way too much time to fix it.  This is Tara's medal for participating in the fashion show "'Under Construction" It is a fund raiser for their school.  8th graders only get to show off.  A Past, Present and Future outfit. 

Emily and Elise practicing their duet..."Christopher's Dream"

My friend Jen (from high school) saw j's other Y shirt photo (see above) and sent him BYU math stuff from her department.  It's so fun to have a friend on the inside!  She's putting him on the web page too!

It snowed early this year and we had a visitor up in our tree.

The kids spent the morning of the first day of Thanksgiving break outside

There was even enough snow for a snowman

When it thawed out a little, we got the wreaths up on the house.

Tara in her "present" outfit. 

After Jacob's concert.

 

More of the fashion show "past" was carebears

"future" was college-pj pants,

The whole group at the end of the fashion show.