December Beginnings

I'll be sad the year that we unpack the nativity set and no one wants to play with it

I introduced the kids to The Sound of Music - to say it was a hit would be an understatement!

Christmas reading - this year, I wrapped a book for each day in December.  Some were our books, but most were from the library!  We had fun opening and reading a new book each day.

The kids' collective favorite Christmas Countdown activity this year: seeing the Grinch in the theater!

While I accompanied a children's Christmas program rehearsal, the kids worked on math  

One of my favorite Christmas Countdown activities we've done for several years now: 

The making of our most favorite Christmas treat: Peppermint Pretzels!

"All I want for Christmas are my two front teeth!!"

Our neighbor gave the kids this gingerbread train kit that was fun to finish as a family

What do you when your washing machine breaks down on Friday morning (Friday is laundry day in our house, so there was a week's worth of dirty clothes piled up!)?  Wake up early on Saturday morning, grab doughnuts, and beat the crowds to the laundromat 

The morning was a fun memory, except for the part when Bridgette slammed her finger in the sliding door of the van.  Hard.  She's super tough, but this one was really bad.  Thankfully, a bag of frozen peas not only helped the swelling and pain, but provided her with one of her favorite snacks (for real!)

A friend and I led put together a children's choir for our church's Christmas carols service.  What do you do when 50 children need to rehearse, but your church meets in a school gym and you don't have your own space?  Have choir practice in the Payne's living room!

 

Field trip to the Natural History Museum as we've been learning about different types of rocks . . .

. . .  and Ryan got to go with us! 

After checking out the rocks, we headed to the Botanical Gardens for the Christmas train display.  

The trains were fun to see, but I think the best part of the visit was our in-depth hands-on lesson about tree cones! 

Thank you, Stranger, for offering to take this photo for us.  It's a new favorite =)

Thanksgiving!

Puzzles during the holidays.  Always.

Kaye K and Gretchen hanging out near some of the appetizer snacks

Bridgette showed Gramma one of our family photo books

Duets with my mom!  

The table is set mostly thanks to Gretchen and Bridgette

Thankful for family

Brothers!  Let's eat!

Our 2018 Thanksgiving Tree

Day-after-Thanksgiving sight-seeing

Now let's get ready for Christmas!  My mom is the queen of lights.

Some Shots from November

We take every warm day we can get!

Look who can finally tie her own shoes!

A fall art project; when dry, they peeled off the blue painters tape and revealed a white outline of trees

Spending an afternoon at one of our favorite places: the arboretum

Bridgette has always been able to hold her own as the youngest!

Pioneer Day at our co-op:

A super fun date with my oldest girl to play games and drink hot cocoa

I love this pic of these sister friends!

a bit of rock and mineral study for science

Kaye K and Big Daddy came for Thanksgiving!  We introduced them to Dude Perfect, which in this photo looks to be more amusing for the grandparents than it was for the kids.  But our kids think it's great, and we all loved hearing Big Daddy laugh at the videos!

Kaye K doing her thing with the kids at the piano

Shopping for, and preparing our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  Having Mom and Dad, who work for Smaritan's Purse, with us made the tradition extra special

Sharing the arboretum with Mom and Dad.  Look at Kaye K up in the tree!

Not even a bonsai tree exhibit could distract from the football score.  I tease, but I actually love that they all enjoy sports so much together.

Riding bikes and walking around Lake Artemesia on an unusually warm day.

Our friend, who works for the FBI, hooked us up with a tour of the FBI building!