Merry Christmas month!

Merry Christmas month!

We have been busy decorating the tree...

and putting other decorations out around the house.

Ellie had her Christmas program at Friendship School. (She mainly played with her shoes & flirted with the twin boys who were sitting on either side of her.)

The girls started their "12 Days of Christmas tradition" that their daddy started a few years ago. Each day leading up to Christmas, 12 days out, they get to open a small gift from their daddy. Day 1 was flashlights, Day 2 was some art things, and Day 3 was a individual package of cookies.

We had Cookies 'n Milk with Santa at church, where gingerbread houses were created, cookies were eaten, and Santa was talked to.


Gracie's house

Fun times with friends!

Gracie got to sing with the 5th grade choir at a local mall and enjoy lunch in the food court afterwards.

We even ran into Santa in the food court!

Sisters have had fun in the park.

Ellie has enjoyed time with the lobsters, a.k.a. 'monsters,' at HEB.

Gracie qualified to be in the 4th & 5th grade School Spelling Bee!

Busy, busy time!

star, running, Lewis & Clark, Toby Mac

I'm trying to catch up a bit after taking about a month blogging break, so this may not seem too organized.

Katie was so excited to be "Star of the Week" for her class at school. She got to make a poster to share with her class and take special things to show, like her Mickey blanket and Buzz, etc.

Gracie has been improving on her running time with "Read, Deed, Run" on Tuesday afternoons. She is doing great!

This year, we stayed home for Thanksgiving. Our friends, the Schaefers, were kind to welcome us into their home that day which we greatly appreciated. That morning, Gracie & Chris ran in a 5K. Gracie's first ever! She was hot & tired, but she made it!

Chris putting her 'chip' on that will record her time.

Before the run

After the run

Mid November, Gracie & the rest of the 5th graders performed in a play, "The Adventures of Lewis & Clark." It was really cute! Her music teachers did a great job of coordinating all of them. Gracie was a pioneer woman. A friend from church just happened to have this great dress from her childhood that she loaned Gracie to use. It was perfect!

Chris, Gracie, & I had a blast when we got to attend the Skillet/Toby Mac concert in November. It was such a good show! It was LOUD, and we couldn't understand some of the lyrics, but we knew a lot of Toby Mac's songs. He has such a good message with his songs, and it was fun to watch some of the youth group who was with us. It was heartwarming to see these teens enjoying being at an event that glorified God throughout the whole thing.

Gracie with her daddy!

It was fun enjoying the concert with Cindy, too! She was fun to watch! :)

Recital/All A's

(Our regular camera 'bit the dust,' so we are down to our iPhones, thus the lack of quality in pictures these days.)

Gracie had her violin recital Saturday. She did well and continues to enjoy taking lessons. (She just needs to practice a bit more.)

She started out the day cuddling with her daddy who had made the decision to stay in town for her recital rather than attend the OU/Texas Tech game in Norman. Such a sweet daddy.

Heading into the recital.

Posing with her sisters.

I think she was getting a bit nervous (and annoyed that we kept taking pictures.)

I hate that the picture is from so far away, but here she is!

Posing with her trophy.

Not only was it Gracie's recital day, but the day before had been report card day. We were very proud of both girls for making straight A's! We decided to go to Outback to 'celebrate!'

Yum...chocolate!

All gone!

I happened to catch Ellie the other day in a funny pose. She loves to put on clothes...no matter whose they are! This happens to be Katie's dress!