Merry Christmas 2010

So for Christmas every year I like to take some pictures the Sunday before Christmas all dressed up from Church. This year I pulled out a green sheet and tried to take them. Here are a few from that night that make me smile. Hope they make you smile too.

The 3 loves of my life

Christmas morning. Here she is with her pillow pet. I bought this a while ago because this was them one she kept wanting. Then after I bought it she changed her mind every week. So I was a little nervous. But when she told Santa last week that she wanted a ladybug pillow pet I knew it was good. It was nice to see her smile.
opening their stockings
He had a hard time putting this toy down to open any other presents.
Daddy juggling an Apple and and Orange
The blanket I made for her big bed to match her pillow pet. She seemed happy with it.
Hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas. Full of family and love. I also hope that everyone took a moment to reflect amidst all the Christmas presents and food and games, shopping and candy, that you found yourself with your families reflecting on the reason for the season. I am so grateful to a Father in Heaven who sent his only begotten Son to this Earth. I am humbled by the humble surroundings of the baby Jesus' birth. Which was the start of a miraculous life. A man who suffered for my sorrows, grief and pain. Who loved me before I came to this Earth enough to give his life for me. In the words of Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

Christmas Recital 2010

She had her Christmas recital last night. She was cute, adorable, beautiful, and a little bit a show off. She did so good. No extra craziness like last years telling elves off but it was good all the same. I love how confident she is when she dances. For this reason alone it is worth it to me. I want her to grow up knowing that she is beautiful. I also want her to be kind and confident. So many things that I want for her. Well you aren't looking at this to read my sentimentality. Enjoy the pictures!

Before the recital started. The costumes this year have a french theme.

Behind Stage getting ready to go on

One of her dance friends

Most of her class

Another one of her dance friends in their Christmas doll outfits

After the recital my kids got to see Santa.

Now without further ado I present the recital Dances on Video

Sad Dolly Dance

Santa's Workshop Candy Cane Dolly Dance

The finale didn't turn out according to the teachers vision but in her words they are little kids and that is half the fun. There was a little girl that was dancing in front of everyone else the whole time and she knew she was the star of the show. However we were focusing in on our daughter. You can see at one point where my daughter seriously considers joining the other little girl though.

I just looked at last years recital and it brings tears to my eyes to see how much she has grown. And laughter to my heart to relive those memories.

Dance Rehearsal

She gets to be a doll for for Christmas. As if she isn't a doll already. Here she got to try on one of her costumes and practice with everyone else to get ready for the recital. Isn't she cute!

Crazy kids

Pictures of them In December. Just having fun at home. And some at Temple Square seeing the lights.

Oh and a quick Video of a Happy Boy!

Decorating the Tree

We decorated the tree on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. My daughter is at that age that she can help. My son not so much help so there aren't any of him decorating the tree. And then there were tears because we would take ornaments away so he wouldn't break them. We tried with his own ornament and he pulled the hanger out. Not enough time to take a picture.

Day after Thanksgiving

So my husband had to work this day. But since the weather was good and I felt brave, the kids and I joined my husband's Grandma and family for a day after Thanksgiving dinner. She made a delicious dinner. A couple hours before heading to Grandmas though I drove to visit my sister since I was close to her house.

Grandma is amazing with her cakes. It's a Turkey!

My daughter and her cousin waiting for a piece of the Turkey Cake

My daughters other cousin enjoying some Turkey cake as well.

My son found his favorite place at Great Grandmas. He found these trucks and would line them up and drive them and I once tried to move them and play trucks to. He did not like me messing up his trucks.

Below are from my visit with my sister. She got some chocolate chips and became my sons best friend for the moment.

I love this picture! He is totally looking at my sister like she must be the coolest person EVER.

And well this is so sweet.

Thanksgiving 2010

Playing with Grandma.
Me and my son

The boys and a little girl watching some football and talking about phones.

Dress up is Fun

I made 2 Pumpkin Pies and 1 Apple pie. I had a little fun cutting out feet for the top of the pie.

Playing in some Thanksgiving Snow

Preschool Thanksgiving Feast

Mom take a Picture of Me Sitting on the Pumpkin!

Turkey Talking Time

So I haven't done much about her Talking Time Classes. Once a week we go for an hour to work on my daughter's speech. At it we start by doing a hello song, chant, or poem. Then they introduce a sound and theme that they are focusing the games on. Then we read a story that also emphasizes that sound and theme. Next each kid gets their folder and then they divide up into a different station where mom and kid focus on the individual sound that the therapists would like you to focus on with your child. every 10 minutes we move to the next station which includes 2 stations with personal 1 on 1 time with the 2 therapists. In the last couple of months my daughter has made leaps and bounds in her speech. It isn't perfect yet, but it is so nice to have people look at her and know some of what she is saying than to always look to me to translate. Because although I understood a bit more of what she said it broke my heart every time I didn't. After all a mother is supposed to understand her kid and I wasn't. Most of the time the only way I understood her was by her ability to express herself through actions and sound effects. She is so smart. So here are some pictures of a Talking Time day. Enjoy!

Marshmallow Turkey's She would say a few words with the sounds we were working on and then get a marshmallow to add to her turkey.

One of the Therapists had an alligator game that my daughter got to push the teeth down after saying some words and phrases with her sound. That gator could chomp.

Playing in the sandbox looking for items with the letter D

Working with the other therapist building donuts.