This really is the most wonderful time of the year. Although at times this week I've felt a little crazy getting everything done, (we're going out of town, so I've had one week less to do all of my "usual" things), it's been more wonderful than anything else. My highlights:
Last Saturday was our ward Christmas pancake breakfast party. Of course, one of Santa's helper Santas made an appearance (you know Santa can't be everywhere at once!) and I acted as Santa's helper telling him the names of all the children.
Lisi asked for a snowboard for Christmas, makes sense with all of our Kansas mountains and snow, haha!
Kierst wants a professional cake decorating set (and a DSi, but she already knows that's not happening!). I love that she helped Santa wrap gifts for her little sisters yesterday:) 
Abs figured out who's really Santa (see last year's post about her finding my stash of Easter chocolate), but she knows that once she stops believing the presents stop coming! We always got Santa presents growing up, even in high school, I still wrap presents to Chris and me from Santa!)
Anyway, she had absolutely no desire to sit on Santa's lap and ask for anything because she "knows" but all of her friends lined up and she gave into peer pressure to do the same!!
Saturday night I got together with a few friends to sew blankets for the NICU at KU Med (where Chris did his residency, it services a large underpriveleged population). This is a yearly tradition that started with Chris' Mom about 7? years ago (miss you Julie!). I love it, we had such fun! And completed 22 blankets which we'll drop off in time for Christmas!
This week was also the Christmas program at Lisi's preschool.She played the shepherd. I asked her to smile for a picture and here's what I got:
Being "sore afraid" of the angel
Being "sore afraid" of the angelAt the manger
After the nativity, the children sang Christmas songs. She really loves to sing!
Every year we make Christmas goodies to take to friends and neighbors. Lisi and I spent one afternoon cutting out sugar cookies and when Kierst and Abs got home from school we spent the rest of the afternoon frosting them. By the time we finished our table was covered with dozens of Christmas cookies and about an inch of frosting and sprinkles!
After the nativity, the children sang Christmas songs. She really loves to sing!
Every year we make Christmas goodies to take to friends and neighbors. Lisi and I spent one afternoon cutting out sugar cookies and when Kierst and Abs got home from school we spent the rest of the afternoon frosting them. By the time we finished our table was covered with dozens of Christmas cookies and about an inch of frosting and sprinkles!
Lisi was all about getting the job done, she had 10 cookies frosted before I could even check on her!
Abs added red hots to all of her cookies. 
Ever the artistically and creatively minded one, Kierst spent about 15 minutes on each cookie, making sure they looked like a real tree or stocking or snowman (she definately gets that from Chris!)
Then we made: Peanut Butter Blossoms....
Almond Roca (toffee, for those of you not from the Northwest)...
and Peppermint Bark dipped in chocolate.
Saturday morning, Kierst had a basketball game, Chris has been taking her, but I got to go this time! They won 14-8. More on b-ball in another post.
After that it was off to a Christmas piano recital for Kierst-delightful! Except that we argued over what she should wear-she wanted more casual, I wanted her to wear a Christmas dress, aahhh, we both have strong opinions! She finally won out when I realized this wasn't worth fighting over, I have a feeling we're going to have many more of these in the future!
The best part of this week is that today is Chris' birthday!! Chris surprised me with 38 cupcakes from my favorite bakery for my b-day in November, it's hard to top that one. But I do have a few surprises up my sleeve...Happy Birthday to my sweetie of 15 years!!
Abs added red hots to all of her cookies. Ever the artistically and creatively minded one, Kierst spent about 15 minutes on each cookie, making sure they looked like a real tree or stocking or snowman (she definately gets that from Chris!) With Lisi's help I also made:
Russian Butterballs. I think these are sometimes called Mexican Wedding Cookies, but that's the name my Mom called them, so that's what they are at our house. They are simply made of butter, sugar, walnuts and flour. Yum. The warm, buttery smell of these cookies combined with the fragrance of powdered sugar melting over their tops really reminds me of Christmas.
Then we made: Peanut Butter Blossoms....
Almond Roca (toffee, for those of you not from the Northwest)...
and Peppermint Bark dipped in chocolate.
Saturday morning, Kierst had a basketball game, Chris has been taking her, but I got to go this time! They won 14-8. More on b-ball in another post.
After that it was off to a Christmas piano recital for Kierst-delightful! Except that we argued over what she should wear-she wanted more casual, I wanted her to wear a Christmas dress, aahhh, we both have strong opinions! She finally won out when I realized this wasn't worth fighting over, I have a feeling we're going to have many more of these in the future!
The best part of this week is that today is Chris' birthday!! Chris surprised me with 38 cupcakes from my favorite bakery for my b-day in November, it's hard to top that one. But I do have a few surprises up my sleeve...Happy Birthday to my sweetie of 15 years!!
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