"Pat-A-Cake, Pat-A-Cake"

It's Christmas Eve, and we've got some baking to do! We are doing Christmas cookies for Santa and a birthday cake for Jesus. Before we started, you asked, "Is Jesus going to come down from the sky to the party?" Just precious! You and Kylie helped mix up the cake batter and helped with the cleanup (licking the beaters, that is), and then it was on to the real fun-the decorating! Mommy had bought all kinds of sprinkles and decorating frosting for yall to use. You and Kylie really did some fancy stuff, and Me-Me had to get a little squirt of icing on too. You were a little heavy handed with the red, green, and white nonperiels. Hope Jesus likes a crunchy cake! The cookies for Santa were equally as beautiful. Mush had to throw in her artistic touch with a bikini made from marshmallows on one of her cookies. Santa really liked that one! Happy Birthday
Jesus!

"All Aboard The Polar Express!"

Ok. Here's the deal. When I booked these tickets, I, a) didn't realize that the train station was almost three hours away, and b)had no idea that on December 23, there would be an outbreak of huge thunderstorms, including tornadoes, all along our driving route. That being said, we surprised the kids with a ride on The Polar Express!! We didn't tell them until right before we were ready to walk out the door, and they quickly got dressed in their PJ's (Nina and I too!-Daddy had to work, so Nina filled in) and loaded up two cars and headed west. We were only about 15 minutes into the trip when the deluge of rain started. When I say it rained the entire time, I mean it. Finally after a little over three hours in the car in the driving rain and tension, we arrived at the Palestine, Texas State Railroad Depot. Between the six of us, we had one umbrella (great planning, I know), and it was still pouring down rain. So we hauled butt through the parking lot and into the station, with just about 10 minutes to spare. We were drowned rats, but we had made it. The coaches were decorated with garlands and bows, and the smell of hot chocolate wafted through the train. We found our seats, and shortly after, the conductor came for our tickets. "All Aboard," he shouted. Unfortunately, after our long, exhausting ride over, Landon was over-tired and over-hungry, and a complete "yes/no" grouch. Kylie had a stomachache, but we were going to have a good time dammit!! The chefs came around and passed out hot chocolate and cookies. They sang the "Hot Chocolate" song and danced through the aisles. We all sang Christmas carols on our way to the North Pole. When we got there we picked up Santa Claus. He got on the train and handed out beautiful, silver bells to all that believe! We travelled back to the station and piled back into the cars and travelled quietly, exhaustedly back home. As Mush put it, it was the best, worst idea ever!

"Starstruck"

Tonight was your Christmas performance at school. You were a bell ringer, but not a real effective one. You get a little starstruck on stage, looking around, zoning out. It was so funny how Mrs. Weiss would point to each ringer, and every time she got to you, she would have to point and point and point before you would ring your bell. You would snap out of you daze and ring it like there was no tomorrow. You sang along with most of the songs, most of the time. Joseph (Nathan) had a meltdown and Mary (Sophie) lost her headdress. What do you expect of three year olds!?