He was such a help with the kids! He kept Austin and the neighbor boy, Steven, entertained as they made many different playdough creations!
Tom also had fun with the Legos. I guess he never grew up! You can see why he is considered the *favorite* uncle.
We had such a fantastic ward Christmas Party! It was a Polar Express theme so the kids came in pajamas and had their gold tickets to get aboard the train!
Bishop Bakow would punch their tickets in the overflow section that had the movie playing.
Adrian helped with the food. Our ward has THE best cooks so we ate ham, potatoes (very well seasoned) and sweet potatoes, salad, rolls.
My parents came to join in the fun.
There was a sweet shop with cookies and a cocoa cafe with all kinds of toppings/mix-ins for the hot chocolate.
Claire, Maddie, Carli and Sammy helped serve. Don't they look cute?
Austin got a little bell from Santa. Ethan, who has an understand about Santa's "Helpers", really surprised me when I asked him why he didn't sit on Santa's lap he said, "Why would I want to sit on some old guys lap?"
Brother Bodily read the Polar Express to the children.
Later we sang Christmas Carols and Sister Tingey had a bunch of men come up to help sing the 12 Days of Christmas.
Bishop Bakow started us off with a Partridge in a Pear Tree!
They were a hoot to watch! See if you can figure out their parts in the song...
Brother Shepherd I'm guessing was "Ladies Dancing".
Brother Lee cracked us up with singing in a falsetto voice, "5 Gold Rings."
Adrian was "3 Calling Birds".
Looks like Brother Jones is trying real hard to be a goose laying an egg to me!
I can almost hear Brother Babineaux's pipes piping.
Pres. Tingey ends it with "12 Drummers Drumming."
I think Brother Miner enjoyed being the "8 Maids a Milking."
There are SO many event in the month of December so brace yourself for a long post! I couldn't help but take this picture of our cat, Abby, snuggled under the Christmas tree.
This year we got to try out our new "pre-lit" tree. It was so nice to not spend a ton of time putting on the lights and ending up with sore hands.
Austin loves to wrap presents. Here Adrian opens a gift he wrapped...a pot from the kitchen!
During Thanksgiving break, we always enjoy decorating a gingerbread house. 
I used really get into the whole decorating thing but it would usually not be that fun for the kids because I would be too controlling- so for the last several years, I've left it entirely up to the kids to do it however they want!
We also bought a gingerbread man kit. This way the kids can keep decorating while the house takes time to set up as you build it. 
Plus you can eat the gingerbread man right away...
Good enough to eat.
The finished product!
The kids had written letters to santa and a few weeks later, they each got their own card from Santa back!
There was a lot of excitement in the air after that.
This year Lexie, being in honor choir, had to sing at the Tree Lighting ceremony. Their choir teacher, Mrs. Hubbard gets their voices warmed up.
This takes place outside in downtown Meridian. It was extremely cold!
Ethan tries to warm up with the free hot chololate they had.
There was a huge blow up screen where "The Grinch" was playing.
The kids were very cold but sang beautifully!
We loved the song about hot chocolate!
We barely lasted long enough to get a free Krispy Kreme doughnut. I think the kids were almost in tears because their hands and feet were hurting from the cold!
I guess Adrian and Tom used to make card houses all the time as kids. Austin gets the hang of it and is proud of his creation.
Ethan being a kid.
That wedgie looks painful!
Christmas isn't Christmas without some holiday baking! Adrian made up some chocolate-chip candycane cookies,candied nuts, rice krispie treats, and carmels.
These are the treats we delivered to neighbors and friends.
The kids had nice little parties at school. Austin's class did different activities at 3 stations. Here he decorates a cookie.
Ethan's class got to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas and have treats in jammies on the floor.
Lexie's class danced around and sang the 12 Days of Christmas and had a few treats.
December is always full of parties. Here my Card Group friends enjoy breakfast at Golden Corral with a gift exchange.
There's Jamie, Mindy, Myself, LeeAnn, Adrianne, Julie and Erin! 
In a neighborhood just across from Settler's Park is an amazing house with a light show put to music. We had a blast checking it out!
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