100th Day of School...and pretty much everything else!

So...as usual...I'm playing catch up once again!!! Enjoy!

Yesterday was the 100th day of school! The best part about the 100th day of school is that Kindergarten has a huge party!!!
Here are Rylie and Lauren making their 1oo piece trail mix!

They even mixed in a groundhog day project! As we know...he saw his shadow...so six more weeks of winter. One of the little boys in her class told me that his groundhog didn't see his, so it will be Spring at his house and Winter at Rylie's!

Me and my girl!

My friend Karolin with Rylie, Lauren, and her daughter Andrea! They are all in the same class...which means when there is a party, Karolin, Julie, and I get to party with the girls!

Those are some awesome 100th day crowns!!!

On top of it being the 100th day Kindergarten Celebration, it was also the CHES 1st Annual 100 Cans on the 100th Day Canned Food Drive!

The goal was to get each class to bring in 100 cans of food. We spent the first few hours of school yesterday morning lining getting the cans from the classroom and setting them up on the stage so that the students could see what they accomplished together!

After all was said and done, CHES brought in 2173 cans!!!

Here is our Principal, Mr. Anderson. He's such a good sport! We love him! He not only is always there for our kids, but he supports everything the PTSA does as well!

After lunch, we loaded up the cans to send off to Joseph's Storehouse. This facility not only gives food to those in need, they provide shelter for people who have no place to go when it gets below 40 degrees. Rylie worked so hard loading up crates...I was so proud of her!

Here is the truck...the whole experience was very humbling! It was a great thing our kids came together and accomplished!

So...two Fridays ago, we got a call at 6:30 a.m. from our carpool...apparently there was no school because of SNOW!!! The kids were so excited! I still can't get over the sight of snow on the palm trees out back!

Mason and Rylie with their fort!

Parker and the snowman!

Shane and the kids!

We have an amazing Assistant Principal at our school. She has been fighting cancer for quite awhile now. She is such an inspiration to all of us! Through chemo and all, she has been at work more often than not. To celebrate the end of what we hope to be her last round of chemo, CHES WENT PINK!!!

My boys were all over the pink t-shirts! They were pretty funny...

We had our friend Kay over a few weeks ago! She never lets us take pictures of her...so I had to post the rare event!

My kids adore her!

While we were in Texas, Parker got baptized! I was really fun to have it be a family event! He was baptized the day after Christmas, and his cousins as well as all of his grandparents were there!
Shane and Parker right before his baptism!
Here we all are afterwards! It was such a neat baptism! Parker assigned everyone a job...from conducting, to talks and musical numbers. We were so grateful to share this special day with everyone we love! The only people missing were Kelsey and her family...but we totally understood...the babies can't travel yet!
Me and Parks!
One of the unique things we did over the holidays was go to THE ICE! Everything was sculpted out of ice! Here we are in the ice tunnel! It was a Grinch Who Stole Christmas theme...and it was amazing!

As you can see...it has been a busy month! I only touched on things...but at least I got it posted!!! Soccer season as well as baseball season is about to get into full swing again...the fun never ends!

Christmas!!!

So...we had a great Christmas! We spent it in Dallas with my family...and believe it or not...we had a White Christmas! Here are a few highlights!!!

Parker out in the snow on Christmas Eve!
Me and Rylie...my Christmas Elf!

Me with my sister Kari, my brother Donny, and my mom and dad. Kelsey couldn't make it...since her babies are still too small to travel! Notice the Christmas Plaid on Dad and Donny...they make sure to wear it EVERY year!!!

The Girls...Me, Jordan, Mom, Kari, Paige, and Rylie!

The Guys...Dad, Shane, Rick, Cody, Parker, Donny, Mason, and Chase!

Me and Donny

Me and Shane...getting ready to eat Christmas Eve Dinner! Mom does our big dinner on Christmas Eve so that nobody has to cook on Christmas!

Yes...the annual Christmas Jamies!!!

Rylie and Paige

Jordan and Rylie

Christmas Morning...boy did Santa come!!!

The kids...waiting patiently on the stairs to see what Santa left for them!

ALL of the kids...they were such good sports...we took SO many pictures on the stairs!!!

The "bed head picture"...the last one before presents!!!

Santa brought Mason and Chase the coolest books...they were so excited!

Rylie was so excited...the Elves made her some Zhu Zhu pets!!!

Parker finally got his At-at Walker...and this one is even motorized!!!

It wouldn't be Christmas if Mason didn't get a huge Lego!!!

So...this is the bottom of one of the Zhu Zhu pets...notice what it says...

Rylie didn't read it...she was trying to put a Zhu Zhu down Paige's back...it ended up stuck in her hair...thank goodness we got it out without cutting off her braid!

Me and Shane...hanging out on Christmas Day!

Rylie and Cody both got Zhu Zhu pets! They had so much fun playing with them...they are actually pretty funny to watch!

Rylie got a bed for her American Girl Dolls. She was so excited! After she tucked them in, she showed it to me. She said, "look mom...their bed is so POSH...that's another word for FANCY"! Yes...she's read the Fancy Nancy Books maybe one too many times!

It was a great day! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!!!

Holiday Fun!!!

So...things have been crazy...busy...yet FUN!!! We love this time of the year! Here is a quick recap of the past week!!!

Rylie had her Kindergarten Christmas Program. Here she is with her best buddies...Andrea and Lauren!!! Every year, we have our own little Christmas! We exchange our gifts to each other so that they don't have to travel with us! Parker did a lot of his shopping at the Holiday Shop at school. He always puts a lot of thought into the gifts he picks out for each person...making sure it is perfect! He gave Shane an ornament that he personalized himself! Mason got me a much needed massage! It is no secret that Rylie and I love our American Girl Dolls! This year she surprised me with a "little Julie" doll...for my Julie doll! As you can see...we were both VERY excited! Rylie has been very worried about Julie because she didn't have any jammies. So...not only did she get her some...she got me some to match!
Mason and Parker's classes performed in the school wide Winter Musical. They both did a great job! Occasionally, Mason and Parker wear matching shirts. Rylie is always asking, "who will match with me?"...well...I'm not above matching my 5 year old every now and then! These were the shirts we wore on the last day of break for her kindergarten party! Parker and his buddy Brody, showing off the snowmen they made in class! Our friends, the Byers, included us in one of their holiday traditions this year! We went on the Huntington Harbor Cruise of Lights! The Rhodds came also! We had such a great time!!! This was one of our favorite houses...and boats! Rylie especially liked snuggling up next to her dad while we were on the boat ride! Mason liked the fact that he could walk around on the boat while looking at the lights! Parker loved the fact that he was not only with his family, but that he was with some of his best buddies too! I was glad that he still took time to look at lights with his mom... Today, Rylie and I took Grandma to the American Girl Store in Dallas! We even stopped in the bistro for lunch...notice that our dolls even got to eat with us! Me and my girl...doing what we like to do best..."girly stuff"!Here we are with Jordan...my sister Kari's oldest! We are so excited to spend the holidays with family!