Ward Party

Our Ward Christmas Party this year was put on by the youth, with a Whobilation theme. 

They did an amazing job decorating the cultural hall.

they built us a fireplace and had Christmas trees and presents everywhere.

Even the place settings were amazing.

The seminary teacher in the ward also made this amazing cake. Each layer was green and white stacked cakes.  I didn't taste it, but everyone else did and loved it.  Although The Captain didn't eat the green part, not sure why.

The Grinch even crashed the party.  This man was as dedicated to costumes as I am.  His face and hands were painted green.

Santa and Mrs. Claus were there, too. 

Here's another look at Joy's who-hair.

We really have the greatest Ward Family.  They are loving and accepting and kind.  We are so grateful to have been able to move here and be a part of starting this new ward.  They have been a huge part of why this year has been so wonderful. 

Nativity

Every year our stake puts on a Community Nativity Display.  This year was the tenth anniversary,  and the first time we have been able to go.  We braved the ice storm last year, but the parking lot was deserted.  Apparently later that day more people did brave the storm and it was open, but we didn't go back. So this year, I suppose in an attempt to make up for it, we helped out a lot.

I made lunch for the volunteers setting up on Tuesday.  Johnny went and helped set up on Wednesday.  I was a host on Thursday, and The Captain sung with the Primary on Saturday.  

The cultural hall was open to the chapel where musical groups from other churches in the community and families in various wards constantly filled the display with Christ-centered beautiful Christmas Music.

There were three "kiosks" in addition to displays all around the cultural hall.  This picture only shows two of the three and is missing the stage, which had a cutout of the city of Bethlehem on it.

Close up of a kiosk.  This one had displays from Italy that included
whole villages, and one from the Netherlands with working
windmills.

There was a live nativity facing the chapel, which was one of the first things you see on your way into the display.  There were hour long shifts for Mary and Joseph and sometimes even a live Baby Jesus.  

They had nativities grouped by country of origin, but also a little area with children's nativities.  This one is a pop-up book. 

There were nativities in all different mediums: scarves, glass, marble, wood, bullets from a civil war in Africa, snowmen, paintings . . . 

Here is a plate

and some stamps, didn't know they made these,

and chocolate.  And in the background you can see the paper nativities they handed out to all the kids as they left so they could color, cut and display them at home.

This is a great example of how they displayed these awesome nativities.  There are three on this wooden block, which is the top of three shelves, all full of nativities.  There are trees and lights everywhere, as well as lamps, fabric, signs, pottery, and baskets.

This one in a basket is from Argentina, I believe.

The Asia and Africa section was one of the most amazing ones to me, because who knew that there were such beautiful nativities to be found in India

or Japan

This was a pathetic pictorial representation, really.  It was overwhelming and in the ten years that some people have been setting up, they have yet to see all the different nativity sets.  There are at least 1000, and I could no sooner pick a favorite then count the stars.  But next year I will take more pictures because this is definitely becoming a tradition as long as we are here.

San Antonio - The Alamo

On Saturday we went to the Alamo

We waited in a long line to get in, so we talked about why it's important and what happened there.  The kids were very respectful inside.

On the grounds they had this beautiful old oak tree.  It was one of the first mature tree transplants and has been around over 100 years.  It's crazy because all the branches are twisted and tentacle-ly and have to be supported and propped up so people can walk beneath them.

My sweet family

Shooting me with a cannon.

The beautiful boardwalk

After lunch, we decided to see a movie since the kids were still worn out from all the walking at Sea World and on the Boardwalk, so we went to Big Hero 6.  It got a little scary in parts for Joy, but it was awesome.  I've never taken an infant to the movies before, but the only reason we had to leave was for a diaper change and then Lee slept most of the time, so it was awesome.

Thus ends another successful post-Thanksgiving vacation.  I think next year will be just as great.

San Antonio - Sea World

Our after Thanksgiving trip this year was to San Antonio.  We were planning on going there sometime anyway, but when I found out last year that there was a Sea World there, we made it more of a priority.

Holiday hours meant the park didn't open until noon on Friday, so we packed up the kids and left our house by 7 and got to the park shortly after they opened.  We stayed all day until 9.  It is the first time in our family's road trip history when the kids have crashed fast and easy in a hotel room. Except Lee, of course. 

Holiday time also meant Christmas decorations and holiday shows.  Since the most important and awesome part of Sea World is the shows, we planned out which ones to see as soon as we got there and were able to see 5 different shows throughout the day.  It paid off because that was what The Captain said he enjoyed most.  And even though Joy fell asleep before the last one and slept through it, she still plays Sea World at home and makes her giant dolphin jump and spin around on its tail.

Waiting for the first show

Pacific dolphins = great jumpers

Learning to flip

The first Dolphin/Beluga and Orca shows were less entertaining and more educational.  I'm pretty sure Sea World is recovering from the bad press the Black Fish movie generated.  So we got to see some training and learn about husbandry practices.  

At least the light was good so I got all my jumping shots in early.

After the first shows we went to see the dolphin encounter.

And the rays

And the sharks

Then we rode some rides.  That's me, Joy and The Captain on the Shamoo Roller Coaster, or as the guy operating it said, "the most exciting roller coaster in the world!"  Pretty much everyone who worked there was great.

Joy climbing through 2 story tunnels

While the kids were climbing around, Lee got to have some Muppet encounters

It's your furry pal, Grover

Laughing with Zoe

We convinced the kids to ride Elmo's Blast Off.  They only dropped you a few feet at a time, but the lady running it would ask them how they were doing, and scream with them.  She was great.  I forgot to mention that Sea World and Sesame Place are run by the same people.  So there were a lot of Sesame themed things around.  We ate dinner at Rosita's Cafe, which was surprisingly affordable and a buffet, so definitely better than the pb&j disaster a few years ago.

the dolphin Christmas show had awesome divers, synchronized swimmers, and acrobats.  And it was all to Nutcracker music, so I was happy.

They put 3 guys on the swing you see in the corner then rocked until they launched the first guy up.  Ridiculous.

We walked around to the big roller coasters that Johnny was pining over because I couldn't go with him and The Captain wouldn't.  While we were walking we saw a nativity display with the lights and I thought, we must be in the Bible Belt because they would never put religious decor in amusement parks in the North or the West.  

We saw the penguins and puffin, who were mostly asleep

The dude on the hill was standing right beneath the falling snow
hogging the cold to himself.

Then we saw a pet show with ridiculously well trained animals.  Had time for one more ride before we went to the last show of the night.  The one Joy slept through.

Did we love Sea World?  I think so.

Thanksgiving

This year we continued our tradition of having a gratitude tree on our wall.  Each day we added leaves with things we were grateful for.  I've included the list in between pictures and videos of The Captain's Thanksgiving Kindergarten program.  

Gratitude Tree

 Pumpkin pie

crib

art

pictures

the sun

beds

my calling

moon

 Legos

The Captain

prayer

crayons

eyes

the van

Jesus

microwaves

toothpaste

pots & pans

games

friends

Google

laughter

music

light

warm jammies

How did that get there?

Brazil (Johnny's mission)

clothes

food to stay healthy

my phone

toys

mirror

flowers

my family

Lee

books

Primary

Book of Mormon

candy

medicine

butterflies

my house

air conditioning

hugs

sleep

couches

trees

Daddy & Mom

Daddy's job

health

shoes & socks

muscles

darkness (so we can sleep)

Joy's Preschool

pillows

backpacks

Polite Pig* 

vacations

The Captain's school

heater

teachers

*This was from a Preschool lesson I did on manners.  We passed around the "Polite" Pig using please and thank you.