Couldn't resist...

So this morning I had just gotten Russ out of the tub & got him lotioned up when the timer went off on my cookies, well I didn't want them to burn so I ran in to get them out. When I came back little Russy had opened his drawers & was pulling his clothes out like he was trying to figure out what to wear. I thought it was so funny because he was so serious when I got back to him almost like uh, mom, since you left me I decided I would get my own clothes. Is amazing how quickly they figure out routines & what happens next, he will be a year old in a few weeks. Makes me so sad that he has grown so quickly, he has been such a sweet baby! How could anyone resist a chubby face like this one!!

Garret & his friend Tyler

Mary & Joseph & Jesus

Shepards & the Angels

Angels

Christmas Activities this week...I'm exhausted

Brennen, I caught him as he was walking across the stage

Makenna & her best friend Brylee (you would think with that red hair she would be mine!)

Right before they started singing the song she hates!

On stage afterwards

Garret & Santa

This week was filled with Christmas stuff going on. We had 3 nights at the school this week for the Christmas programs. Tuesday night we went to see our neighbor & Makenna's best friend Brylee sing. Makenna's was on Wed. night and her grade sang 3 songs, I'm a bad mom because I don't remember them all, I do remember Joy to the World, and then there was December Nights, December Lights, she continually reminded me for the past week how much she hates that song! She was on the front row & looked so pretty, I was so proud of her! We were lucky to get front row seats. (Todd is on the school board, so we got reserved seating...spiffs of the position I guess!) Thursday night was the 8th grade's turn. They did a Nativity play/scene. Brennen was the big shot narrator who read the story of the birth of Jesus along with another girl in his class! He looked so handsome & grown up, my little boy is long gone now, he is morphing into a young man right before our eyes! He did a great job. It makes me happy to see that our school still carries on the traditions of singing Christmas songs & having the kids read the nativity story. In Mesa this wasn't an option, in fact it was getting to a point where they didn't celebrate any holidays in school for fear of upsetting those who didn't celebrate that particular holiday. Out here in Palo Verde/No man's land it is still good old fashioned Christmas songs & the birth of Jesus celebrated...and for that I am happy! :) Also this week was Garret's Preschool Christmas party where he got to sit on Santa's lap & get a toy, he was pretty happy to sit on his lap & open the present up. This is now the 3rd Santa he has sat on this year...and each one he points out cannot be the "real" Santa because they aren't wearing real black Santa boots, they are just black coverings, so any Santa's out there, you are gonna have to step it up & get some real black Santa boots cuz you ain't foolin the 4 year old!

Whatever...

This is what kind of pictures with Santa I get when I leave the party for a good cause & give the camera to Todd in hopes of some great pictures with Santa...who the heck are they waving to & why are they waving? He took pictures of Mak, & G and then 4 other kids in our ward, they are all waving to the same person...whomever this may be...? I asked Todd who are they waving at, he says I don't know I just took the picture. Silly! I did get to take Garret & Russ to the Santa at Arrowhead Mall the other day, I happened to be in there & no line at all, I wasn't planning on doing it, but how can you pass up no line for Santa?! I will have to scan the photo & post it, so I have at least one good Santa photo for the year!

O Christmas Tree!

Our finished product, I should have taken the pic in the dark, it is much prettier!

This would be what we typically see going on, body slamming, dog piles, all that good stuff!

My crazy kids, they really do love each other this much!

Russ hiding under the tree, he looks a bit scared

Before...

We got our tree on Dec. 1st. We set out for FHE to find a tree, at first it was to find a fake tree, so after going from store to store looking for the best deal (I can't imagine ever paying full price for anything) Todd decided that I should wait & get a tree after Christmas when they are clearanced off. All of the ones I loved were over $300 and well if the kids would rather the tree be their Christmas it wasn't really an option! So Todd talked me in to a real tree. We went to a tree lot near Indian School/Litchfield and found an 8 or so foot tall tree. I don't know what kind it is, just that it is bushy & green & smells Christmasy. We didn't get home with the tree until after 10, so we didn't get to decorate it until the next night. The kids had a blast as usual decorating the tree. When Brennen was a baby on his first Christmas I got him an ornament, so it has become tradition in the Hall home that every year the kids pick out 1 new ornament that they love, & the kids have so much fun every year going through & picking out all their ornaments and putting them up. So far this year we haven't even had time to go pick any new ones out, but Grandma Peg let them pick out ornaments that were Grandma Weeze's which is much more special for them anyway. Todd was watching tv while the Josh Groban Christmas CD was blaring & the kids are yelling & having a blast, (what a bum, not much of a tree decorating fan I guess, he did help out with the lights though). By the time we finally got it finished it was very late, the kids were still bouncing off the walls, but they had school the next day, so off to bed they went. It was a fun evening.

4H Pigs

Brennen and Makenna are involved in the local 4H club, they will be showing pigs this next year. They got their pigs on Dec. 6th. Brennen bought a Duroc which is the red (looks brown in the pictures) colored pig, this will be his first experience with a Duroc, they are known to be a little feisty (must be the red hair!). Makenna got a Yorkshire and a Crossbred. They will be getting 3 more this week, but will only be keeping 1 of them for Brennen, just have to choose which of the 3 he wants to keep after a month of feeding. Anyhow this is Makenna's first year of pig showing and she seems to be really excited. I am not sure if the names have stuck, but last I heard Mak's York is Priscilla, and the Cross is Twinkie (Garret actually thinks Twinkie is his and we will continue to let him think that to keep the peace!) Brennen was undecided, he wanted to name it Red, however I didn't like that, it is my nickname, not a good name for the pig! We are excited for pig season, well I should say they all are, I just go along with it because I know they love it & Todd eats every minute of it up, he has built this pig barn that you would not believe, I just like that he spends time with the kids showing them how to be responsible.