Christmas So Far

Family pic while making cookies-I finally figured out how to use the timer on my camera after owning it for about 5 years.

 The newly engaged couple ;)

Ian, Jacob, JP, Ava, and Kiersten at their class party.  The kids had made all the background props for their play.  Jacob had made 4 of the "Who Houses" that you can't see in this shot, because when I told him to get in front of his houses so I could take a pic, these four all shouted, "Me too!"  Makes for a much better picture I think :)

 Putting the star on top!

 The house all decorated.

Elfis (pronounced like Elvis) returned!

Jacob has had this blue tree for several years.  He picked it out for his room one year.  It is blue. Yes. It came pre-lit with white lights, but they died this year.  We had an extra candy cane from the front yard decorations that we didn't use, and it has a short string of lights in it.  And they were red, making this a Giants tree!! It was very exciting ;)

Grammy buys them hats every year.  They are so cute, as soon as they walk into her house, they put them on.  

"Helping" decorate her tree.  Helping is in quotation marks because that term should be used very lightly to describe what they contributed.

Incidentally, these two have come up with some goofy dance moves.  I can't tell if it is a thug thing, or a confused "Walk Like an Egyptian" thing...Here is Jacob demonstrating in the car:  "The Move"

 We did another project with Little Helpers.  This month we met at St. Peter's Villa to sing Christmas Carols.  It was like pulling up to a time warp for me--remembering the 4th of July picnics.  I kept asking the other parents if they remembered going, but NOT ONE PERSON DID. WHAT THE HECK. Did our childhood really exist?? Or did we all just imagine it??? I mean seriously, thank you Mom and Aunt Debbie. Good. Grief.

 Above they are "singing"-again with the quotation marks...

Below, a group pic.

 And then a silly group pic. 

Video:  Singing at St. Peter's Villa

There is a lady in the front row who was really cute.  She was singing along, talking to the kids.  Apparently she used to be a school teacher.  And then as Jon was walking past her, she told him to "bring that pecker on over here."  Awesome.

Here are the winning Christmas Cookies (and by winners I mean the ones that were selected to go on the plate for Santa).  Abby made the lips (she also made one with a heart on it.  She is talking to a new boy....), Hallie made the tree and the Mrs. Claus with a "bookini"-as Jacob calls it, Josh made the present, I made the candy cane, and Jacob made the "Mrs. Clause throwing up water."  Poor Jon did not have one selected, although his were all great too.

 Love my signs made by Nicole!! A FB friend posted a store bought  plaque given to her with a quote from the Grinch...while it was a great quote ("Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.  Maybe Christmas means a little bit more.") it was store bought.  These poor people who don't have talented people in their family.

The annual baking for the people at the office.  There are 5 bosses there, 2 maintenance men, and 2  receptionists. I started this tradition when we first got married, all proud of myself for being such a good wife. It has definitely become a chore, but it makes me feel good because they all have their fave thing, and they literally talk about it ALL YEAR LONG.

The fudge is Miss Pat's and Bobby's fave.  (Bobby tells everyone, "No one makes fudge like Shae.")  Seriously, I just follow the recipe on the back of the Marshmallow Cream Jar.  And I tell him that too...

The No Bake cookies are Ronnie's wife's fave.

 

The peanut butter with Hershey Kisses are Christy's fave.  The rest of them just like it all :)

I tell Jon one of the best things about doing this is by the time I am finished with it all, I am so sick of looking/smelling/thinking about sweets that I don't want any for a long time.  However, before that feeling kicked in this time, I unwrapped ONE Hershey Kiss and ate it.  Then, as I finished up with all the batches, I was ONE short.  I couldn't believe it.  I told them all whoever finds the lonesome cookie in their tubs wins a prize :) 

 *I also make little bags for neighbors & assistant managers.  This year I even had enough to make an extra tub to give away at the work Christmas Party. 
**I also make a tub to send Keith every year.  I love thinking about him eating it, so far away.

 Setting up for the work Christmas Party!! Hanging up behind the boxes is a huge collage poster of pics of the employees I have stolen from their FB pages throughout the year :)  And all the food comes from them: they have to sign up to bring something.  Then Jon and I bring the main dish:  this year it was Bar-B-Q.  They kept asking if I made it. What?

 Explaining the rules of the game.  I did the "Left/Right Twas the Night Before Christmas" where everyone is holding a gift (in this case an envelope), and I read the traditional poem, only the words "right" and "left" are inserted throughout.  So every time you hear "right," you pass your gift to the right, and the same for "left."  It's funny because the people playing get turned around, and at some point someone always ends up with two gifts while another person doesn't have one at all.

 

The envelopes always have different amounts of money in them.  Usually ranging from $10-$50.  But this year, I had less to work with (we are given a specific budget) so I had to get creative.  The envelopes held $5-$20, and we added a $15 "food credit" for work to each one. They can use this for breaks :)

I bought this "background scene" at a party store, but cut out the snowmen heads for photo ops (I like cutouts, as noted in a previous blog:  Yes, I am a weirdo.

Soooo, Sonic has a site where you can buy Sonic apparel.  That's right. Here it is in case you are weird:  Sonic Apparel for Weridos.  Anyway, I ACCIDENTALLY stumbled upon it (I swear) a few months ago and saw this shirt.  It says "Tot Mama."  I swore to myself that the next employee to get pregnant was getting this shirt.  It comes in pink as well, but our assistant manager is having a boy so I got her this one! LOVE.

That is all for now :)