Let the festivities begin!

And so it is Christmas time! What a wonderful time of year...busy, but wonderful. This weekend shopping got started and decorations went up. Decorating was easy this year. My kids wanted to do it..so I let them. Jacob decorated the mantel and the entertainment center and the other kids took care of just about everything else. They might not have done it just like I would have, but they did a great job and everything looks great...even better because I didn't have to do it all.

Jacob is our resident Christmas guy. Just to give you a clue to how much this kid likes Christmas I will tell you he stayed up until midnight on Halloween so he could start listening to Christmas music. And he's been listening to it ever since. He has just about as many boxes of Christmas decorations as I do...just for his bedroom. This year he talked us into letting him put up our fake tree in his room. He won't let me take a photo of it yet because it's "not complete". So if you are driving by our house and see the window with all the lights and the tree....you know why. Crazy, I know. Crazier still......he got his driver's licence today!!!!!!! And drove to Jazz band practice all by himself!!!!! He was so excited and, of course, mom and dad were biting our nails. Luckily, he made it home safe and the car did too.
On Monday night I got to go do a fun activity with Tyler and a group of kids from his school--The Safe School Ambassadors (Tyler is one of them and I am one of the two parent helpers).
We took the kids to help sort toys for the Toys For Tots program. Lucky me my friend Stacey--the other parent helper-- already posted on her blog about this. She documented it so well (although we both forgot our cameras..) that I am just going to quote her blog and let her tell about the evening. (Sly...I know...but it will help save time!)


"Tonight, I was honored to go out to Hangar #7 at Million Air to sort toys for Toys for Tots. I am a parent leader of a group of kids (Safe School Ambassadors) at Cole's school, along with my friend, Lindy. The toys that we sorted will go to children on Indian reservations throughout Utah. After sorting, pilots that donate their time fly the toys to various parts of Utah. It was awesome to see the kids sort through the toys, analyze why they should go in certain boxes, and know that they were helping out others. In addition, they got a tour of a couple of hangars and got to go in a private 8 seater jet with a gold toilet (a highlight for many of the kids, including Cole). Million Air and Santa Flight Toys for Tots puts forth their time, space, planes, and the efforts of volunteers to fly toys to children who would not otherwise receive a toy on Christmas. I think the night was summed up for me when one of the girls in our group hugged a bag of toys and said, "this one has some extra love in it". As she left for the night, she hugged me, then went over and gave a hug to the surprised Toys for Tots coordinator. She was just happy to be helping out... and so was I. "

There you go. It was a fun evening and one I will remember for awhile. Hopefully, Tyler will too.

Tonight was another busy night. Miranda had her first guitar concert. She did great. Sadly, even though I had my camera I didn't get a photo of her. She did look amazing though. Dead center of the front row with her blue guitar. Even though we were warned that they weren't going to sound good, they really did sound good after all. To top it off, they passed out treats at the end. Concerts are good if they end like that right? So, that was the first of many concerts this month. Miranda will have a piano recital, Jacob will have two concerts and 3 "gigs" (Jazz band), Tyler will have a band concert (did I ever mention he started playing the trombone too?) and his birthday, we have church, work and family parties....ahhhhh December. What fun! And my oh my, at least I'm a little on the ball...my Christmas cards are in the mail !!!!! (well most of them anyway..) If you don't get one in the next few days and want one, I probably don't have a current address. Email it to me and I will send you a card. I don't want to miss you!
Good luck with all your doings this month. I hope you are having as much fun as I am!