Our Christmas Star

I haven't posted anything for a long time -- sorry! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We certainly enjoyed the Holidays! Christmas is sooo much fun with kids. They really add so much to our lives in so many ways, but especially around the Holidays.
Katelyn's class put on a Christmas play -- the did the manger scene. Katelyn was the Christmas Star. She did a great job leading the shepard and his flock to see baby Jesus and then leading the three kings to see baby Jesus. If Mike gets our video taken off our camera, I might try to post it. Anyway, it was really funny. Katelyn had been talking about the play for a few weeks and we had to practice Away in the Manger and Silent Night ALOT in the car because they sang those songs for us. (but we also got in several rounds of Frosty and Rudoulph and Luna the Green Nose Tuna for those who know that song). She started out saying "Little poor Jesus asleep on the hay" -- eventually she figured out it was "Little Lord Jesus". Anyway, the week of the play, Katelyn tumbled wrong at gymnastics and hurt her neck (at least we think that is what happened). She couldn't move her head so we took her in to see her pediatrician just to make sure everything was ok (She is fine now). While we were there, Katelyn told the Dr. about the play. The pediatrician asked Katelyn what she was doing in the play and Katelyn said "I'm the star" -- the pediatrician's response was -- "modest isn't she?" At which point I explained she really was the Christmas star. It was pretty amusing.

We headed out of town for Christmas, up North where they got dumped on with snow. Katelyn loved playing outside in the snow and Alyssa just stood there. She wasn't at all impressed! We stayed with our friends, Tom and Jill in Genesee (near Moscow) for a few days -- these snow pictures were taken there at the beginning of the visit, they had alot more snow by the time we left. Tom and Jill have two kids and Katelyn and Alyssa really enjoyed playing with them and Mike and I enjoyed seeing Tom and Jill again.

We drank, chatted and played Trivia Pursuit, something I haven't done in a long, long, long time. We also got in a few games of Trouble, Sorry and Guess Who with Katelyn and their kids.

Then we made it up to Post Falls and stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Lich (Brenda's parents) the rest of the time. My Mom and Leonard came over to visit so the girls got to see Grandma and Grandpa Z again (they were down in Boise over Thanksgiving so we got to see them twice in about a months time, the girls really enjoyed that). Brenda and Nick made it over from Seattle for the Holidays and we just kind of hung out and ATE and ATE and ATE. I guess that is what the Holidays are for, right?

Actually, the girls will tell you that the Holidays are for lights, Christmas trees, Santa and PRESENTS! They really raked in the loot this year. Katelyn's favorite presents had to include anything princess and barbie dolls -- she got several. Alyssa was more into her purse then anything else (and of course the accessories to go in it -- pretend cell phone, pretend lip stick, pretend coin purse, etc). They also loved the water bottles Grandma and Grandpa Z got for them. Now I just need to find a home for all this stuff and we will be set! Everything is currently shoved into their closets, you just don't want to open the closet doors or try to find anything :)

Oh -- this picture of Katelyn is with one of her other favorite toys, her Leapster. It has the disney princesses on it and we got her a disney princess game cartridge, needless to say, she thinks its pretty cool.

We came back to Boise the weekend after Christmas. Both Mike and I had to work the week on New Years, so Mike's Mom watched the girls for us on New Years Eve since their daycare was closed. Then we had New Years day off and had to go back to work on Friday. We hung out at home on New Years. I made a breakfast casserole in my new crock pot for New Years morning and then we used it again and made beef stew for that evening. Not exactly action packed, but we had a nice day.

We got our tree taken down this last weekend and all the decorations taken down (except the outside lights and I'm not sure when Katelyn will let us turn those off, probably not until everyone in our neighborhood has turned theirs off, she really loves Christmas lights!)

Brittany (my niece) came over for dinner the other night. It gave me a chance to make Enchiladas and cook some corn bread. Mike is the usual cook in our household, but I make some dishes and I've been trying to perfect an enchilada recipe. I think, as far as my family is concerned, that we are there -- I really enjoyed them this time. And it was the first time I've made corn bread from scratch using cornmeal -- super easy and yummy, so I think that will become a staple in our house, kind of like beer bread!

I'm sure I'm glossing over ALOT that has happened in the last month, but I can't think of it now. I will try to post a little more frequently. I would say its a new year's resolution, but I didn't make any resolutions, so that would be a fib. I'll just call it a goal.