Sarah's School Party

Sarah's class had a Christmas craft party. We made a tree and a paper gingerbread house. She had lots of fun. She is really doing good in school. She loves to go and I am beginning to see her do some new skills. She is talking more and is now saying some words unprompted. This is a big step. She is also starting to talk to more people. To this point only her therapist and us have really heard her talk. Tons of new skills all the way around. We are really proud of her.

Terrific Kid

Elijah received the Terrific Kid award at school for outstanding character qualities. I am so proud of my young gentleman! He is really a great kid if I say so myself!!!

My to-do list

This week is busy. Tons to do and then we start our traveling this weekend, so I have lots I really must get done. No time to waste.....well, you know how it goes. Here is a recap of my day yesterday:

To-do list:
1. Finish my last 2 embroidery projects for Christmas. This is where the hang up began. Not a good start. My thread kept breaking. So I changed my needle. I have been embroidering tons so I have gone through the needles. Nope not it. Then I cleaned the bobbin area, changed the bobbin, recleaned the bobbin area, tried a new needle,....you get the picture. I spent all morning on #1. and it is still not done.
2. Clean kitchen because I did not last night because I was downloading the patterns I needed for my embroidery. Not done, see number 1.
3. Laundry. Not done, see #1.
4. Take Sarah to school. Late, see #1.
5. Help at Elijah's school. Late, see #1--forgot to eat so had to stop and get a snack.
6. Pick up kids. Done-ontime, well I was already at the school!!
This was just my list until 3pm, then I just threw out the list and started over!!
Things not on my list:
1. Clean up all of my scrapbook stuff because while I was working on #1, Sarah got the baby gate down and took all of my stuff out and spread them all over the playroom. So not good.
2. Find Sarah's shoes. Boy can those shoes hide!
3. Clean up the trash that Sarah has spread over the kitchen while I was looking for shoes. Now I need to add mopping to my to do list.
4. Count to 10, no make that 100. I was pretty upset by this point and it was only 10:30am.

Praying today goes better, and no #1 is still not complete.

Abbe and Olivia's Christmas Party

Sunday we went to Abbe and Olivia's Fancy Christmas Party. Everyone wore their fancy party outfits.

First we put out magic reindeer food, hoping Santa's reindeer would see it and bring Santa for a visit.

Then we made some fun crafts.

The reindeer found the food, so Santa visited while the reindeer ate!!

Letters to Santa

On Saturday night we put out letters to Santa in our stockings. Doug's family had this tradition. Our family always mailed them. I like putting the letter in the stocking and then the next morning Santa leaves a gift in the stocking. Of course this is a picture moment, so the kids have their Christmas pj's on!!

DSAMT Christmas Party

Please Santa, I have been good....well, sort of.

My what a pretty hat you have, my dear Santa.

Santa he has been bad that is why he does not want to see you...

ME, Santa it is me we are talking about.

Great I have to share Santa with Elijah.

Birthday Party for Jesus

Each year we host a birthday party for Jesus. The kids really love this. I try to start out our Christmas celebration with Jesus and His birth and focus on this. We do have Santa and all of the fun associated with that, but I really try to make Jesus our primary focus. This gets a little harder as Elijah has gotten older, I am sure the time is coming that he will no longer believe in Santa, but the message of Jesus will continue.

We started the night with a few crafts:

Then had supper and did a nativity scavenger hunt:

Where the kids learned "What God wants for Christmas"....their heart:

Then the kids decorated their own gingerbread(graham cracker) house:

Well, most did, Sarah licked the icing off her's:

All in all, we all had FUN!!!