Hanging of the Greens

Once again, our church kicked off the Advent/Christmas season with the Hanging of the Greens service.  This year both girls were able to participate and we loved it!  Mallary is still in the Cherub Choir and they sang Silent Night and Jingle Bells.  She did great and we had to crack up when she took a big bow at the end!

Gracie is in the Kindergarten-1st Grade Choir now and they had lots of songs to learn and sing.  We had been working on them since September!  She did so good and looked so grown up in her choir robe.  She sang her songs so well.  I was so proud of both of my girls!

The Polar Express

On Friday after Thanksgiving, we headed to our annual ride on the Polar Express - except this year it was called the North Pole Express and we loved it just the same.  It was the same type of story, but the kids got a key as their special gift.  Of course as we got closer, we sang lots of Christmas Carols and watched for lights. 

Waiting in line - getting ready to board

Getting our tickets punched by our conductor

Waiting to ride

Getting closer to the NorthPole

I looked up and and cracked up to see her sitting like this!

She was really excited to be at Santa's House

One of the elves letting us know Santa was coming!

Here he is!

Our picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus

Time for cookies and chocolate milk!  Yumm

She really liked hers!!

Our special ornament to remember our trip

Her treasures!

Bye Bye North Pole - See you next year!

Every year someone asks me where we do this and it is in Calera, AL - south of Birmingham through the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum.  And you have to get tickets like in August - seriously!  They keep going on sale earlier and earlier and selling out faster and faster!

One more birthday celebration

This year we have had a crazy November/December and trying to fit in a birthday party just wasn't in the works for this year.  We let Gracie have 1 friend and Mallary to do a fun play day out on the town what she wanted to do.   She opted for manicures and lunch at Chick fil a with ice cream and play time and then have Abby come over and play for the afternoon.  They had such a fun afternoon together!

The Tooth Fairy!

After Gracie's day at her Thanksgiving feast - she really kept wiggling her loose tooth.  Finally she got brave enough to let her Daddy pull it out for her!  She was so excited and that night she put her little tooth under her pillow for the tooth fairy.  Lucky her the Tooth Fairy came and left her $10 and a chocolate gold coin. 

A few days later she lost the other bottom tooth.  This time she wrote the tooth fairy a note asking for 2 gold coins.  We thought she really wanted 2 candies and didn't question it.  The next morning when she woke up - she immediately came out to the living room and said "Look Mallary the tooth fairy brought us each a gold coin."  LOVE!!!  What a sweet sister and just about made this mama cry. 

The Thanksgiving Feast

The Kindergarten classes celebrated Thanksgiving with a delicious feast of popcorn chicken, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, biscuits and Turkey cookies.  Gracie's class were the pilgrims and the other class were the Indians.  After their delicious feast they rotated through Thanksgiving stations of projects and games.  Afterwards they read a story and each time they said the Pilgrim Ladies Gracie and the girls would yell "Mercy Me".   What a fun day at her school!

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving...

and seriously the CUTEST play ever!  We have had our lines for weeks and practiced them so much that even Mallary knew them.  Gracie was assigned the part "Turkey #2".  She looked so cute dressed up like the Turkey.  I loved it!

The play is about some students who go to Farmer Mack Nugget's Turkey Farm and while they are there they spot the Axe and learn the Turkey's fate on Thanksgiving Eve.  The students rescue the Turkeys and they all have a Happy Thanksgiving : )

The students arriving at the Turkey farm

The turkeys and students being friends

Uh -oh someone spots the axe!!

 
 The Students rescue the turkeys and get back on the bus


 Mack Nugget and the teacher

My Star Turkey #2

Also as part of Turkey week - Gracie had her first real homework assignment.  She got a blank turkey and had to disguise it so no one could tell it was a turkey.  We went through many options and decided on...

a sparkly ballerina complete with a feather tutu and headdress!