Karaoke Anyone?

I just had to post this video of Samuel and Cameron singing karaoke on Christmas day. They were singing from the High School Musical game but then they switched to a different game. I didn't get any video of their first songs. I thought that they were hilarious doing That's Amore. They had a fun time and we enjoyed their performance!! I hope you enjoy the show!

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

Christmas Eve

Since we spent Thanksgiving this year with the Cortez cousins we thought it would be nice to spend Christmas Eve with the Wright cousins. So, we went to James' sister Mary's house for a great Turkey dinner and an evening of just being together and hanging out. After dinner we introduced our traditional game of a White Elephant Gift exchange. It was a little bit different than playing with the Cortez brothers but it was still fun!! We then sang Christmas Hymns, and my Brother-in-law read the Christmas story out of the Bible. We even got a lesson on the symbolism of the events surrounding the birth of Christ, by James. He never ceases to amaze me at his knowledge of the Scriptures.

Chocolate Dipping at the Wrights

Christmas Time

I saw this on a friends blog so I decided to copy her and write about my favorite things about Christmas time also. So here it goes!

1) Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift Bags, especially if I leave wrapping to the last minute. Gift bags are faster.
2) Real tree or artificial? Artificial, I don't like the mess of real but I do miss the smell.
3) When do you put up the tree? Usually the day after Thanksgiving, but this yr. Dec. 1st.
4) When do you take the tree down? New Years Day
5) Do you like eggnog? No!!
6) Favorite gift received as a child? I was probably 6 or 7 and I remember asking Santa for white Go-Go boots. I got them!!! Hey it was the 70's they were cool!!!!
7) Do you have a nativity scene? Several, I collect them!!
8) Hardest person to buy for? James
9) Easiest person to buy for? The kids
10) Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I can't think of ever getting anything I didn't like.
11) Mail or e-mail Christmas Cards? I am not very good at sending Christmas Cards but when I do I prefer mail.
12) Favorite Christmas movie? Comedy: Elf, Classic: It's a Wonderful Life.
13) When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually November
14) Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think so!
15) Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Everything, especially James' homemade dipped chocolates.
16) Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored and they must blink!!
17) Favorite Christmas song? Oh Holy Night
18) Travel for Christmas or stay home? Stay Home, but I would love to go back to Hawaii for Christmas again. We did that 3 years ago and it was Awesome!!
19) Can you name all of Santa's Reindeer? Probably with some help.
20) Angel on the treetop or star? Angel. A few years ago I found an Angel Moroni at the church bookstore, so now he is on our tree every year.
21) Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning? As a kid I remember opening one present on Christmas Eve, which was always a new pair of P.J's . Everything else was opened in the morning. So with my own children they get to open up one present on Christmas eve also, unless for some reason I didn't buy them new P.J's.
22) Most annoying thing about this time of year? The traffic, just getting to Valley Fair Mall is a nightmare, once you are there it is finding a parking space!!!
23) What I love most about Christmas? Getting together with family and friends, the music, the lights, and seeing my kids faces on Christmas Morning!!
24) Favorite Christmas Tradition? It has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember, to get together on Christmas Eve for a Great dinner, read the Christmas story out of the Bible while the little ones act out the nativity, and then have a visit from Santa, and then play a white elephant gift exchange game. In James' family he has kept up the tradition of Candy Making. He is Great at dipping Chocolates!!

Girl's Night Out!!!

Last night Shelby and I Hit the Town!! We went to see my 5yr. old niece perform in the Nutcracker. The performance was up in Livermore and presented by the Bay Area Dance Company with children from Tiffany's Dance Academy. Carmen was a mouse. Shelby really enjoyed it and now thinks that it would also be fun to take dance classes and perform on stage. She was wanting to take Tap but after last night's performance she thinks Ballet looks like fun.

We had a great time! Thanks Carmen for inviting us, You were the cutest mouse I have ever seen!

All About Shelby

This post is in honor of Shelby!! She made the Honor Roll and we are so proud of her for this accomplishment. She earned straight A's. I met with her teacher a couple of weeks ago at our Parent/Teacher Conf. and she only had good things to say about Shelby!! Shelby works very hard at her school work, and tries her best at everything. She loves writing stories and has a great imagination that shows in the stories she writes for fun.

Congratulations Shelby on making the Honor Roll!! You have worked hard and We are so proud of You!!
In 5th grade the students have the opportunity to go to Science Camp. This year Shelby had that chance. She had so much fun! Her cabin buddies were Betina and Tara. They left on Tues. Nov. 27 and returned on Friday the 30th. Shelby had so much fun. She went on hikes, learned about animals and nature, put on a skit and even held a snake!! Her favorite thing was the night hike. I don't think she was homesick at all the whole time! She was too busy having fun!

Our little girl is growing up! In just a short while she will be in the Young Women's program at church and spend a whole week away from us when she goes to Girl's Camp. We Love our Little Girl!! And we are so Thankful to have her in our Family!!!!