Kindergarten Nativity Program...

The 4k and Kindergarten had a program for the parents.  It was so cute.  The 4k which had Ben Livingston in it sang Christmas songs, then the Kinder did the Christmas Nativity.  Nash was one of the Wise Men.  His part was "We have traveled far to bring gifts to Jesus."

Atticus Adams, Nash and Grayson.

His good friend Emerson Jones.

Occasionally our kids will break out into a hug, letting us know they like each other.

Night in Bethlehem

Grace United Methodist puts on a really cool activity every 2 years at Christmas time.  They create a village to look like Bethlehem.  You walk through it as a group and they narrate the whole experience.  You really feel like you are in Bethlehem.  I got pretty choked up as we walked through, I love it when the Christmas season is brought to life like this!

Project...November

My cousin Kristin Batchelor wanted me to take their family pictures so the Saturday after Thanksgiving we went to Columbia to play with cousins.  I snapped some pictures of my kids too to add to our monthly project.  (Right hand column.)

Thanksgiving Service...

Because we had Thanksgiving before Halloween when my parents were here we did not plan on having it again. Plus Darin had to work.  We were invited over to a friends house but I decided I really wanted the boys to do service instead.  We started the day out with Turkey pancakes.  Sorry the picture is upside down I am too lazy to change it. :)

Darin was working in the PICU on nights so he had just arrived home in time to have breakfast with us before he went to bed.

While Darin slept the boys and I got busy making cards, cookies and little acorns to deliver to people at the hospital.  

We decided that we would take treats to all the workers at the hospital that had to work on Thanksgiving.  We made little cards that we put on their cars.

We also did an angel tree for the kroc center.  We had a little boy who was 6 and loved spiderman.  I took the boys shopping earlier in the week to find toys and clothes for the little boy.  It was a hard thing for the boys to focus on buying for someone else and not themselves.  We actually had to put all the stuff away and not show it to others because if Asa saw any of it he was determined to have it for himself!

Our friend Amanda came over to help with the service project!  My kids LOVE Amanda, they think she is the greatest and I have to say she has been my saving grace more then once.  We are so grateful to have her as a friend!

When Darin went back to work we went with him so we could do all the service we had planned.  The kids favorite part was putting the cards on the cars.  There were a few nurses who came out while we were there and their reaction was priceless.  Nash said his heart felt so happy! lol

Then we went to the PICU, Pediatric ED, and Adult ED.  The doctors and nurses were so happy.  We even gave some cookies to one of the janitors.  He acted like it was the highlight of his whole day.

Honestly I did not miss the crazy Thanksgiving dinner prep and stuffing myself until I couldn't move.  This was such a fun thing to do I hope we can make it a tradition to do more service especially around Thanksgiving!