A Manger is His Throne

This morning at church, Frog sang a solo with the adult choir.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WD8qaCpF9A

Keith and I were both so proud that we cried and couldn't sing our part. 

Hardin Family Christmas

We do Christmas in stages. (Doesn't everyone?) The Hardin family Christmas was a success.

The girls got princess dresses.

And Little Monkey got a Thomas Train set that he cried when we wouldn't let him have any of the tracks. He played lots with the engines, though.

Wearable Christmas

David in his Razorback shirt from his mom and dad, and Keith in his Razorback sweat shirt from his mom and dad. David is also wearing a razorback bib that he got from his Bibi and Babu, but it's being used as a Kleenex today.

Discovery and Curiosity

David has discovered all of our Christmas story books that sing. I have a headache.

L: (reading Christmas Story) Come on soldiers, let's kill the babies! Dun dun. Dun dun. Dun dun. (Jaws theme song!!!!!)

Creativity Abounds

The best part about marrying into a family full of creative, artistic educators (other than the fact that I fit in) is that they give my kids the best gifts. Today, we "played" with a bunch of their Christmas gifts. It was all highly educational too.

Top Left: the art easel from Bibi, Babu, and Uncle John was set up and colored on.
Top and Bottom Right: The "Tickle Me Plants" from Uncle Chris and Aunt Brenda were planted in their pots. We talked extensively about Mimosas and looked up pictures of them on the computer and in Mommy's new Pictorial Webster's.
Bottom Left: The Make Your Own Monsters from Uncle Chris and Aunt Brenda were stuffed, sewn, and adorned today. Laura's is on the left with its cape draped above it; Karen's is on the right in its cute skirt.

Watching Veggie Tales' Little Drummer Boy while waiting for dinner.

David the Reindeer

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Lights and hot chocolate

We went to the Fayetteville Square tonight to see the lights. The girls seemed to quickly get over the disappointment that the camels and ponies were absent. When we got home, we had hot chocolate to combat the bitter cold. A: Do you want some hot chocolate, honey?
K: Yes, please.
L: It's hot!
K: Your chocolate?
L: Yes. And yummy!
K: Is it?
KJ: And hot!

Laura and Karen's favorite part of the elementary play was the puppets that told the story!

Grammy and Zina taught Laura and Karen how to make reindeer cookies!

Laura wanted me to post a picture of her nativity sticker craft. Merry Christmas!

Make Your Own Ornament Tradition

Every year, we make an ornament for each child. (I actually started this when Laura was a year old, but I made one retroactively for before that.) This year's ornament is buttons! Now that the girls are old enough to help, I try to pick projects that they can do. They filled their globes with buttons, then told me where to glue the outside buttons on.

Last year, we made these painted strip ornaments, but because we didn't name last year's miscarriages until this year (2011 was an overwhelming year), I had to make two ornaments this year for those babies. We've named them Francis and Jean.

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So, here are Karen's 2012 and Francis's 2011 ornaments.

-MrsAWiggins

I have a feeling the girls won't want to eat dinner tonight.

Karen painting with her Christmas present. She could do this all day long, even sick.

Laura got a frame for Christmas. I told her she could pick any pic from the comp,& I'd print it. She asked for one of her & Uncle Ethan.

New toys, books, & art supplies are in our house. What do the girls choose to play with 1st? Keith's '80s games they call their "iPhones."

I hate 5:00am on Christmas morning. None of us feel well, but we're forced to be awake because someone can't wait to open presents.

Christmas in November? My Mom bought Laura & Karen new coats and boots so that they would look cute on her Grand Marshall float with her.

An attempt to get Christmas pictures

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