"Mommy, Santa is wearing rain boots!!"

We had a fun time at our ward Christmas party this year and the highlight was, as always, Santa. Kate was so excited about it and could hardly wait. When he made his entrance and we went to stand in line, she could hardly keep her eyes off him. She was excitedly telling me she was going to tell him she wants a "kid's sewing machine" and I told her she should probably think of another idea too. (that isn't my favorite idea!) She finally settled on Barbies. Sawyer was excited about Santa too but instead of waiting in line he was running around like a crazy person, being "watched" by his Daddy. The next thing I know I have a friend pointing out the fact that Sawyer was sitting on Sawyer's lap. Good job watching, Dad. Eventually he got back in line, waited his turn and asked "Ho ho" for "Woody".
On the way home, Kate was wondering why Santa was wearing rain boots (I said its because he knows it doesn't snow in Houston) and how he got back up on the roof to his reindeer when he was done (magic).
We are loving the Christmas season!

Santa Claus is coming to town and pizza

Saturday was our ward Christmas party and it was a fun evening of food and music and, of course, Santa! Kate is so excited about Santa this year and she is constantly asking me questions about the reindeer and how he gets in and how he knows if she is good. Seriously, if I had a nickel for every time she asked me how he knows she is good, I would be rich! As soon as we got to the party she pointed to the corner and said, "That is Santa's chair." Then she asked me why Santa wasn't here yet (I told her he would come when we were done eating) and how he was going to know when we were done eating (I told her someone would call him) and what he was going to ask her and so on. When we were in line, a friend asked her what she was going to ask Santa for and she said a princess clock. It took us a while to understand that was what she was saying. Where did that come from? I have no idea. When I asked her where she had seen a princess clock she told me she had seen one at the store. I think is funny that every time we see Santa at a ward Christmas party it is always warm and her cheeks get red. See last year and this is her first Christmas party with Santa


Oh man, how did she get so big? Well here is this year. Can you tell she's excited?
Sawyer, on the other hand, was less than excited and this picture doesn't properly convey how scared he was. Ryan looks really excited to see Santa, though!
And during December we've taken the idea from other people and I made an advent calender with activities for each day. They're usually small like write letters or make cookies. Friday we made snowman pizza. I hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season as much as we are! I just wish it would slow down!

Santa Claus is coming to town

Last night was our Tucson ward's Christmas party and it was a lot of fun. All day long Kate and I talked about getting to see Santa and she was really excited. We even started learning "Santa Claus is coming to town." My favorite part is when she sings "you better not pout!" We got out the Santa hats for them to wear to the party and she could not get over the fact that she was going to match Santa!

The evening started out with traditional Christmas food....enchaladas with beans and rice. Then we ate WAY too many yummy desserts. And then just as soon as Kate was totally ready to see Santa, they started a musical program
Kate was unimpressed....can you tell?

We sang "The Twelve Days of Christmas....Tucson Style" and, I have to admit, it filled me with Tucson pride. I sure have come to love this funny state!

It went a little something like this: (you should probably skip to the bottom and sing from the 12th day of Christmas on up for the full effect)

1st: ...A wren in a Palo Verde tree

2nd: ...Two horny toads

3rd: ...Three Rattlesnakes

4th: ...Four great horned owls

5th: ...Five Golden Sunsets (ahhh!)

6th: ...Six Prickly Pears

7th: ...Seven Quails a running

8th: ...Eight Gila Monsters

9th: ...Nine Saguaro Cacti

10th: ...Ten Coyotes Howling

11th: ...Eleven Javalinas

12th: ...Twelve Racing Roadrunners

Pretty funny....

And then it was time to see the big guy. We got in line last (after all the primary kids who were already onstage shaking their maracas and singing Feliz Navidad) and the whole way up she was saying she was going to sit on his lap...and then when it was our turn and she ran the other direction. I finally got her to stand in front of him for a quick picture...and then she happily ran off with her treat bag. Silly Kate.

We've been so busy since being here with running around and finishing wedding stuff that we haven't had time to decorate for Christmas! And it makes me so sad because it doesn't even feel like Christmas yet! So today we finished some projects so we could clean them up and get the tree out. One of my projects was 24 ribbon wands

check.

And 6 CUTE aprons for wedding kitchen helpers...sorry no picture.

check!

While I was finishing all that, Kate followed Papa around all morning. It was so adoreable. He was fixing the pool pump and she kept walking in and out of the house and back and forth. I looked out the window and she had come in and found her wooden hammer and screwdriver and then went back out! It was so funny. Here they are working together on lighting the cactus.

(Sawyer is supervising, of course!)

Tomorrow we'll get the tree decorated and that will help it feel a little more like Christmas!

And is anyone else super excited that I downloaded my collage maker on mom's computer?!

In the Christmas spirit

Isn't it a little too early for Christmas, you might ask? Maybe. But who can pass up a personal photo shoot with the big guy?!? He's only at the Picture People from now until Thanksgiving (things get a little busy for him after that!)



Although I must confess I have been listening to Christmas music already! I'm just too EXCITED!



You may also be asking, why is Kate not cool enough to be in a blog header picture? This just might be the answer:

The fact that she was not only not smiling but crying hystarically made me so frustrated...but now it just makes me giggle.

For the record, she was talking non stop before we went about how cool and nice and funny Santa is and she talked about him all the way home.