The best pancakes

Best Santa Ever

The kids are always asking to go to Entertrainment Junction. Jenna loves the funhouse and Sarah and Matthew love the trains and play area. This year we also visited Santa there. This Santa was the best Santa we have ever seen. Ever. We've seen a lot of Santas. Jenna asked why his elfs were so tall. He went into this huge dialogue about how there are elf microscopius and elf humongous and different crazy elf species. He was hilarious and Jenna loved it. 

Fun house

 Jenna loves the hall of mirrors and crazy spinny things at the funhouse. It all makes Erik sick so I'm the one who takes her all through the funhouse when we go. I love it too! After Entertrainment Junction we went to Ihop. Jenna said it was the best day ever.

Matthew really loves trains

 Erik has never liked our Christmas tree. It is wide and full and beautiful. It gives us Christmas cheer as we sit by the fire drinking hot cocoa next to our beautiful tree.

Instead, Erik decided to go buy a "pencil tree" that looks more like a toothpick. He can lift it with one hand and just loves it. I'm not a fan.....

He's so proud of our Christmas toothpick

 After going to Ihop we discussed the best type of pancakes. Instead of just discussing we decided to have a pancake taste test. We ordered take out pancakes from Bob Evans and Ihop and we made homemade pancakes. I liked Bob Evans the best, Jenna and Erik liked Ihop and Sarah liked the homemade. Matthew abstained from voting.

Jenna loves pancakes

 Both girl scout troops went caroling at a nursing home. The residents really loved the girls excitement especially in Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. In the corner you can see my old boom box. I almost teased my hair and wore leg warmers to fit in. I couldn't get the bluetooth speaker to work with my phone so I had to resort to an old school method of using a boom box. Still worked just fine!

Christmas Carols

I have the flu and most likely double ear infections. It has hit me hard and I've had no energy. I've been laying by our fireplace all day doing nothing. This has been awful!

That one kid

You know how at every Christmas play there is always that one kid who does something really silly. This year that kid was mine.

Tonight we had our annual Christmas Smorgasboard. It is a huge feast and there is always a kids program. This year Sarah and Matthew sang songs with the kids from kidmax and Jenna was in the Christmas play with her club 456 friends.

Before the program started, Matthew was acting out a little while we were waiting in line. I told Matthew he needed to sing or I would take away his blankies..... well apparently that threat worked.

Matthew bent down and sang SO loud in the microphone that everyone in the church cracked up. He stole the show. I was laughing so hard I was crying. One of my friends got this video:
http://youtu.be/CgRTcRjL4YU

Kids singing

Jenna has her back to us - she is an angel

Sarah did a great job singing too. There were motions to "Go Tell it on the Mountain" and she did an amazing job with the motions.  She really knew her parts.

Jenna was an angel in her play and she did a great job with her lines. She loved being in the play.

The kids are so excited for Christmas. Jenna is not excited as much for gifts as to see family. Her prayer tonight was that Nana, Papa, Missy, Dave, and Amanda would be here for Christmas. It's sweet how much they love family!

In other news:

• I mentioned we stopped our small group. This was a big decision but we are excited about going to a small group. We have joined a new small group and are excited to attend a group rather than leading.
• I've LOVED going to the YMCA to workout. I have a routine now. This came at the perfect time since I've been eating an enormous amount of food and making tons of cookies.
• My Thursday morning Bible study has stopped for Christmas break,but a few of the Moms and I have gotten together to drink coffee and talk and pray. I've loved it. 
• Erik and I have been playing Heroes of Might and Magic every night. It has been so fun and helped me take my mind off of all my course developments, messy house because I have a full time job, piles of laundry, and crazy kids.