Our December was packet with events and festivities. At the beginning of December, Nathan attended his first winter formal with some of his co-op friends. We had to purchase a suit, and Matt gave him a last-minute hair cut before the big event.
He looked so handsome and grown up. I was more emotional that I expected to be. He's just grown up so fast. I can't get over it. I know I'll blink and he'll be graduated.
His friend Colt rode along with him for the night. I'm glad he had a buddy to be with.
Nathan took zero pictures, but thankfully, Colt sent him a few. They ate dinner and danced. Nathan asked a couple of girls to dance, and I was proud of him for going out of his comfort zone. Being a guy at these things is tough! He and Colt both came back to the car at the end of the night smiling and saying they were planning to go back next year.
Samuel and Elisabeth attended a middle school craft day in December and created some really awesome door hangers. Sam especially enjoyed it. Craft days are his favorite days.
While they were crafting with friends. Katherine and Kyla were enjoying yet another play date together.
This time they built forts and pretended to be college girls. I love their creativity.
Katherine picked out this adorable pink suit and had to wear it to choir rehearsal at church. She's so unique in her fashion, and of course she received many compliments.
Elisabeth celebrated Ace's 12th birthday with a fun party with all her friends. She's had many birthday parties lately. She's such a social girl and brightens up anytime she's around her friends.
We cheered on our basketball player at her first league game of the season. It didn't go well, but jaguar ear headbands make any loss a little easier to bear.
Serving at Arms Around BA in December is one of Elisabeth's favorite times to serve. She got to help organize all the toys for parents to "shop" for their kids for Christmas.
The girls sang in the Christmas Show at our church's Christmas event, Christmas on the Hill.
Such beautiful girls.
After they sang, they asked to play outside at all the fun events. It was very cold, but they didn't care.
For our last co-op of the year, the kids had the opportunity to participate in a Christmas Marketplace to sell homemade goods. Nathan signed up for a booth and sold 3-D printed novelties. He sold out of almost everything he printed and made a good amount of money. He was very pleased with his little business.
These girls enjoyed shopping all the booths.
As our last book in book club this semester, we read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The kids water colored a picture of the lamp post in Narnia while we discussed the book. They all did a great job.
The girls sang again in church during a Sunday morning service.
This December has been crammed full of so many activities and busyness that it was mid December, before we finally found a night when everyone was home to watch a Christmas movie. Our first movie of the season was our favorite Eight Bit Christmas. We also broke out our Christmas puzzles. Puzzling while watching a Christmas movie is one of my favorite Christmas activities.
Katherine's dance class had a little mid year in class performance before Christmas break.
It was a really cute dance. I've enjoyed watching Katherine improve over the last several years in dance.
For our December Keepers of the Faith meeting, the girls learned about canning and made a delicious cranberry, jalapeno jelly. We served it over cream cheese with crackers, and it was yummy!
We got a late start, but we still finished three Christmas puzzles before Christmas.
Elisabeth was excited to attend her first Middle School party. It's a tradition to play Dirty Santa at the party, and this was Elisabeth's first time to play.
It was a great afternoon. There are so many middle schoolers, and so many great gifts exchanged during the party.
I thought we were going to miss visiting the Rhema lights this season with all our activities, but we found a night to go. The lights were beautiful, but the crowds were a little overwhelming.
The kids used to love playing in these circles of lights when they were littler. I have sweet memories of them pretending they were their houses and visiting each other's houses.
Even with all the busyness and plans every day, December really is the most wonderful time of the year. As the kids get older, I'm savoring the memories even more.
This year, Katherine desired to have some quality time with some of her homeschool friends. The elementary group at our co-op is huge, and most events don't lend themselves well to quality time, so I offered to host a smaller, more intimate Christmas party for several of Katherine's homeschool friends. We decided to play a few games, enjoy some snacks, have a book gift exchange and decorate gingerbread houses.
After all the guests arrived, I divided them into three tables to play a couple of dice rolling games (roll a snowman and roll a Christmas tree). We also played a quick little this or that game/
I asked everyone to bring a snack, so after the games, the kids ate and mingled.
We took a quick group photo before beginning our gift exhange.
Such a sweet group of kids. These are most of the second and third graders at our co-op.
Then we played the left, right game to the story of the nativity. It took some parental involvement to get the kids all passing in the right direction at the right time. It was certainly comical at times. The kids also got very worried if they were holding their own gift. We had to reassure them that they would continue to pass the gifts around.
The kids also needed a little pep talk at the end about being grateful for their gift and not being upset if their friend received a book that they especially wanted. So many life lessons at the party.
The kids all ended up taking home a great book. And we moms got some good ideas for new books.
After our gift exchange, we ended the party with gingerbread house decorating. I premade the houses, so the kids went at it with frosting and candy.
Elisabeth and Nora were the best helpers during the party. They divided up all the candy and decorations for the two tables and helped the kids decorate.
Katherine was proud of her house. It turned out cute!
The kids had a great time decorating (and eating) their houses.
After they finished their houses, most of the kids ran outside and burn off some of the sugar. It was chilly, but they didn't care. They played for a long time.
After the party we invited Evelyn and Ilona over to use the leftover supplies to decorate a house. Nora and Elisabeth also joined in the fun.
And Samuel asked to make a house too.
He even decorated the interior.
Overall, we had a wonderful day celebrating Christmas with all of Katherine's friends. It was chaotic and busy, but also full of sweet moments of friendship. She's determined we're going to make it a new tradition, and I agree. I can't wait for next year.
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