More Christmas fun.

 Luke & I went on a double date with our friends from town.

I still can't believe it...Luke & I went on a date!

And we got a babysitter too.

That is sure a rarity lately.

We met at Grizzly's & we had amazing food.

Then we ventured downtown St. Cloud to the Paramount

to watch White Christmas.

It was so wonderful,

especially since all 4 of us LOVE the old movie.

Our friends came over another day & this is what happened

the whole time.

I guess with 6 boys under the age of 7

you can't ask for anything different!

The free library gingerbread house making event was full this year.

SHOOT!

So I had to improvise

& I was not going to entertain the idea of spending $10 or more

on a premade house or kit.

So instead I let the boys pick out a cake mix & I explained to them

that they can bake their own house to frost, decorate & then eat!

Of course I came up with this idea because I wanted a house to decorate 

& eat too!!! 

It was a win for everyone.

Here's the houses fresh out of the oven

ready for some frosting.

Brock decided to frost his roof & be done with it.

My hungry boy wanted to eat it!

This little one shared a house with me & kept picking off the candies

& eating them faster than I could put them back on!

And Mr. articulate frosted his just so & made sure

there were candy patterns on his roof & things looked perfect

before he dove in!

Brock had his 1st Agape Preschool Christmas concert.

Grandma Yvonne came after work to enjoy the festivities

like she does every year & she even spent the night,

which the boys just loved.

Making crafts before the concert.

Brock told us as we drove into town, "I'm so excited to sing."

His remarks were so promising.

I was so excited to finally have a child who wanted to participate 

& sing his little heart out

(as we know Adler is the last person to sing & stand in front of people).

But then stage fright kicked in

& this is all that happened

during the ENTIRE concert!

I felt bad for my little man, but what can you do but laugh.

What's wrong with my kids?!

His hands actually came down for a moment in between songs.

I think this was the picture I got of him at the end of the concert.

Brock's clapping section for the concert.

This past Sunday we bundled up & went to Buffalo to see the lighted train.

It was magical.

Sadly, it was also absolutely freezing outside.

The boys thought it was the Polar Express & they were so excited

to touch the train. 

We were outside for maybe 10 minutes & my face was so cold I couldn't talk.

That's a good sign that you might want to get back in the car!

We got to see the train go down the tracks 

& we got to wave to Santa on the end boxcar.

Then came the time for the kids Christmas pageant at church.

We bribed Adler with candy if he would stand up in the front by himself.

He did it.  We were proud. And yes, he got candy.

(Adler is actually the one not looking at the camera, behind his friend Trent)

Then there was my Brockie.

All the preschool children were supposed to dress up like sheep

& make baa noises when cued.

Brock was the only black sheep who refused to wear 'that costume'

& who refused to baa upon cue!

He hid from all of us & would not look at the camera.

We bribed him with candy too.

(because during the 1st pageant he cried the whole time

& I had to sit with him upfront.  I sure didn't want a repeat of that!)

He sat upfront with the rest of his class (by himself!),

he sang his songs (even though he faced the front of the church 

& not the audience),

and yes, he got his candy.

Ahh these children are tiring!

Yup, that's Brock in the striped shirt, the only one not in white with sheep ears!

That's how Brock sang his songs!

I asked him later if he was admiring the Christmas trees,

I mean what else could I assume?!

After church great grandma Elois & grandpa Wayne ate at the 

church fundraiser event.

Everyone had a good time anyway!

Here's to a better preschool concert & church pageant in 2014!