Choir Christmas Program

The girls are both in the children's choir at our church, the choir they sing in is appropriately named the Cherub Choir. Next year Brit will move up to the Sunshine Choir, I'm already dreading the extra rehearsal.

This program was later the same day as the Sunday School program, which is why the girls are wearing the same outfit as in the previous post. Oh how I love these outfits though, they are coordinating Greggy Girl's, Bella has one too. The girls especially like them because they aren't identical. Thanks Nana!

The Christmas program was a collaboration of the Cherub and Sunshine Choirs, and was very nice. Their was a little drama involved too, some of the big kiddos had a few lines. Brit, in all her dramatic flair, was disappointed that the little kids didn't get any lines cause she wanted some. Brittney did get a little solo she was very excited about. She would only sing it to me ahead of time, she wanted to surprise everyone else! Nana was disappointed in this, as she wanted a sneak peak, but Brit stuck to her guns! Here it is...
The girls choir director at our church, Emily, was just diagnosed with breast cancer and is having a rough time right now. If you know her or are inclined to do so please keep her in your prayers. My girls worship Miss Emily, and have been very worried about her!

Sunday School Christmas Program

Wow...what a week! This will start me catching you up on our Christmas.

Last Sunday the girls sang in their Sunday School Christmas program.

Brit's Class, Second Grade, sang O'Little Town of Bethlehem.



Brie's Class, the Kindergartners, sang Silent Night.

Cancelled Events

In my post last weekend I talked about how we were going to have a full week of exciting things to post...then we got a light winter storm. Really it wasn't bad at all, but there was ice involved and school was cancelled Monday...so Brie's Kindergarten Christmas program was also cancelled.

On Tuesday they let school out a whopping ten minutes early, yet Brittney's drama club performance was also cancelled. Luckily it is rescheduled for the week the kiddo's get back from Christmas break. Brit has one of the leads in this play, and we have been rehearsing for months. I think I have the darn thing memorized, Brit has an adorable new Zebra dress I purchased special for the occasion, we were both bummed Tuesday!

Wednesday school was cancelled again, but conditions weren't bad that day at all. Luckily for us, Bill (Bill may feel differently about that last statement, I don't think he was feeling so lucky!) was on vacation Monday through Wednesday so we weren't frantically trying to find someone to watch the girls at the last minute. By Wednesday he was feeling the need to get them out of the house so he took them ice skating in East Alton and then to the YMCA to go swimming. Smart on his part, cause after all of that exercise they both took long naps (and Brit never naps anymore)! When I got home I asked him where the pics of ice skating were so I could have a look, and darn him...he didn't take any! Hello honey, we have a blog to update here!

Anyway, our eventful week has been uneventful. Tomorrow the girls have their Sunday School Christmas program in the morning, and their Choir Christmas program at night, so I should have some new pics to post after that.

Hope everyone is doing well and getting all of their Christmas shopping finished up! I need to check my list again, but I think I am down to one more gift yet to purchase and then I am done! Let the wrapping begin!

Well must run, off to bake some cookies for tomorrow nights choir performance...

Christmas in Historic St. Charles

Yesterday my Mom and Dad took me, Beth, and the girls to Historic St. Charles for their Christmas Celebration. I love St. Charles...the cute little shops filled with adorable ornaments, beautiful quilts, and hand made treasures. My favorite store is the Main Street Spice shop...fun holiday teas and coffees, great spices and mixes, fun kitchen gadgets. Did a little Christmas shopping there for the girls teachers and such.

I didn't know this before, but at Christmas time the downtown St. Charles area is even more adorable. Everything is decorated so nicely. The kids can get their pics taken with a Santa...normally a Victorian Santa, but yesterday it was the Civil War Santa who was all decked out in red, white and blue.

They have a parade of Santas each day at 1:30 (different Santa's from around the world and throughout time), carolers dressed in attire from the past, there were appearances from the Sugar Plus Fairy and other characters from the Nutcracker, Scrooge and Tiny Tim, Angels, etc.


After the parade the characters all walk around the street and talk to people. These are great people, extremely friendly and very into character. The each have trading cards too, the girls loved asking them for a card and then that person would give them a little history on who they were and in some cases might make them do something...like scream Merry Christmas in German for example...to someone else before getting their card.

Anyway, this was great fun and I hope that we make it a family tradition, I just hope next year that Bill, Jason, Brian, and Katie can join us.

Breakfast With Santa

Last Saturday we had Breakfast with Santa at EHS. Each year the Poms put on this nice event, it's very fun and we've made a tradition of attending each year with our friends from our old pre-school.

They have lots of great activities. Hot Cakes and Sausage from McDonald's for breakfast...a fav among the kids! The poms girls also do their dances, and since my girls like to dance so much they always love watching them. There were some talented poms girls this year, some of them even sang solo's and did individual dances.

Letters to Santa and Coloring at this station....

Foam Crafts at another...

Face Painting...Brit opted out this year for some reason. Brie picked Rudolph!

These cute little Gingerbread houses made from graham crackers...

And of course, pics with the guest of honor!

Bella was in awe of Santa's beard and I think she nearly pulled it off!

This was Bella first Breakfast with Santa...here she is eating pancakes and sausage on Beth's lap while entertaining the adults.

Three Kids?

Heck no I'm not pregnant!!


Last Friday night Bella came over for some time with Auntie and the Girls while Beth and Jason went to some Christmas parties. Bill was working, so I had the three girls by myself. I don't have any pictures of the occasion, because I was too busy!


I am proud to say that I can manage three children by myself, and even leave the house. I was very scared, but I had promised the girls if they helped pick up the house I would give them each a couple of dollars to spend at Deals and they were going to hold me to it...they had also been begging me to let them use their Pizza Hut Book It pizza certificates and since I know Bella really likes the new Chicken Alfredo pasta from Pizza Hut I caved.


So I braved it, first stop Pizza Hut. As I was taking off coats and getting everyone situated I gave the waitress our order...there will be no wasting time tonight, please hurry! My girls colored and I entertained Bella til the food arrived. Kiddos ate well, and I even managed to get to eat a few bites myself!


Next stop Deals, Bella was an angel here...all our girls like to shop, and we would have it no other way! Three minutes into the store my two start brawling which ends with Brie in tears. Bella pats her head as I try and comfort her. Had a talk with Brit...shape up or we will leave now! We made it out, and I don't think we destructed anything.


As I am pulling into our subdivision Brie starts to cry because she didn't get to have dessert tonight. Um, okay don't worry Brie we have Popsicles or dreamsicles at home in the freezer. No go...had a buy one get one coupon for Cold Stone so I turned around and headed through the drive through and told the girls we would all have to share. The peace was kept again, and I later came to find out that Bella gives kisses for bites of Chocolate Cake Batter ice cream...score one for Auntie!!


Check the watch, yelp bed time. Cleaned everyone one up, changed them all into their jammies, brushed teeth, read a quick book to everyone, tuck my girls in...Whew! Then I got to snuggle Bella while she slept until Beth and Jason came to pick her up a couple of hours later.


Watching Bella was very fun and I hope to get to do it again soon! She is such a sweetie and she gives me way more loves when her Mommy isn't around to steal them all!


I'm also apologizing to you all, cause I'm really bad at keeping up with this blog. We have a busy week this week, lots of performances and events, so I'm going to try and do better!