Waco Christmas

 We headed to Alabama the Friday before Christmas, so we had Christmas with the Jonathan's family Thursday night before heading out the next morning.  Hallie enjoyed spending that time with Gramps and RahRah.  She received some very special gifts from them--a beautiful framed cross-stitched poem (Now I lay me down to sleep...) and a very sweet picture album of her year.  Both are super special!

Hallie in front of the tree at Gramps and RahRah's house--she can't smile b/c she has a cough drop in her mouth.  Ha!

A keyboard from Aunt Charlene (RahRah's sister) & Uncle Richard...I know we are going to have tons of fun with this.  Hallie loves making music and trying to figure out little tunes. :o)

A very special Barbie from Uncle Donnie (Gramps's brother) & Aunt Irene.  

Hallie's year in review book. :o)

Hal and Gramps looking through Hallie's picture book.

A Great Weekend Because...

Baylor's Robert Griffin III got this.  Huge for Baylor.  Huge for Baylor Nation.  Huge for Waco.


I found this t-shirt available HERE.  I. Love. It. 

We had our candlelight service at church.

And Hallie and I took a three hour nap. :o)

Little Cherub

Fa la la la la...

Hallie made her debut in her first ever choir performance tonight!  She was adorable!  We are so incredibly proud of what she is learning in Cherub's Choir.  She goes each Wednesday night for 45 mintues...and in just a few short months she learned all the Christmas songs and her sweet little Bible verse.  She was very excited to be singing "on stage" (they actually stood on the stairs leading to the stage).  Super cute!

Yesterday morning's rehearsal. :o)

ADPDE! What's that?

...an ALL DAY PAINT DAY EXTRAVAGANZA! 

The past few days have been...er, stressful (moreso than usual when you're in a small room with 21 six year olds all day long.  All.  Day.  Long.) and today I needed to take care of myself.  After taking care of myself, I proceeded to share a little of the excitement of Hallie's "All Day Paint Day Extravaganza".  Oh boy.  Maybe I should've just gone back to school.  I kid, I kid.  I had the best time watching sweet little faces with the most innocent eyes enjoy their treat.

See, as all teachers do, we offer little rewards for behavior.  Sometimes we offer a reward that isn't quite attainable...a reward that might be *a lot* of work for the teacher.  Sometimes that reward is never reached.  But in the case of Hallie's class...theirs was.  Hal's teacher said something along the lines of this (I'm certain on a particularly trying day...otherwise she just might be crazy--lol...again, I kid.  We love her!):  If we get 10 days on green, then we'll have an all day painting day.  Well...70 days after school started, those kids met that goal!  I believe her words were, "I didn't think they'd get it so quickly." :o)  Ahh...PreK.  Ha.

Nevertheless, Hallie's teacher stayed true to her word.  The second that tenth cotton ball went into the jar and the kids' memory started working overtime remembering her promise, Mrs. B began planning this ADPDE (which is what came home on newsletters and took me the longest time to figure out).  It was a hit!  The kids had stations that they rotated through during the day, and then after lunch they got to "paint the fence"--butcher paper was taped along the fence and the kids went to town.  They were super cute and had a blast.  

We are very thankful that our sweet Hal has such a fun-loving, creative teacher.  She is just what Hallie needed this year!

Get ready for a painting picture extravaganza! haha