Christmas Eve with the Kudrons

My brother and sister-in-law hosted a fantastic Christmas Eve night for the Kudron Family. They made an amazing meal of pork tenderloin and all the fixins'. So yummy. In addition to the amazing chef skills, I love going to their house at Christmastime because their community if so full of life during this time of year. Their neighborhood is known for their house decorating. Every house is amazing. People come from all around to see the houses. the cars are lined up bumper to bumper, music is playing, and lots of neighbors are out walking around. Combined with great family fun... and a perfect night if complete!

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Nonna and Grandpa had to first conduct an official "Buckaroo Club Meeting." The moms and dads are NOT invited. Only grandkids and grandparents. This year's agenda was short but over the top. Each Buckaroo Club member received light up sunglasses, wand, and necklace. There was a lot of lights to fill the room for sure. The kids loved it (and I think Nonna loves it just as much).

After dinner, we went to the front yard where all the action is. Mike and Nancy do a candy cane theme for their house decorations. It's beautiful. I brought supplies for the kids to make reindeer food so that was our first order of business.

They made the food and sprinkled it all over the lawn so that the reindeer would have nice full tummies for their long night.

You can see some of the fabulous lights in this picture with Grandpa, Mike, and Nancy.

My brother is quite handy with the tools (crazy, I know since there is NO genetic connection to his handiness.) He made the kids this playhouse/puppet theatre/candy cane stand. Amazing. He even created the candy cane sign that is all lit up. The kids "sold" candy canes for free to all of the passersby. They were in heaven.

After the kids exhausted the candy cane "sales," we headed out for a stroll around the neighborhood to check out all of the other houses. Here is Nancy with the push car in case little Cameron gets too tired for the walk. Good thinking Nancy but uhhhhh... isn't that Charlie taking advantage of the ride? Standard.

The girls took any opportunity to pose for the camera. They loved this snowman house.

When everyone was too cold to keep going, we returned for warm, restful conversation and the long-awaited present opening!

Thanks for hosting us Kudron Family! We had a great night.

Christmas Prep

Christmas takes so much prep work. Both "behind the scenes" and with the kiddos. This year, we took the "Christmas Light" approach to our prep. Since we weren't having any big functions here for the holidays, we left more than a few boxes of decorations and stuff in storage for the year. Next year though, will be "Christmas Full Force" I'm sure!

Here are some of the prep projects we had to do to prepare.

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First and foremost, we had a very big debate this year about Santa's elves. The girls have decided that each family all over the planet gets their own elf. That elf helps Santa to shop and/or make toys because Santa can't possibly do it all by himself. The girls also decided that all the elves are hidden among the humans at Christmastime. Their theories ranged from the elves wearing hats to cover their pointy ears in Target (Charlie insisted she saw one) to the elves sneaking into the air conditioning ducts at Target and waiting until it closes to come through the ceiling to get toys for their family. with all the theories though, at least the girls thought for sure that the elves leave the money for the gifts by the cash register. Of course, I encouraged these theories because this gives a fabulous explanation to how Santa gets things from the girls' favorite stores. So this year, our Christmas Eve letter to Santa included lots of questions about our elves. Here are the letters. You will have to wait to see if Santa responded in a later post and what he had to say about the Fir Avenue Grace Family Elf.

The table is set for Christmas morning breakfast.

The presents are wrapped and under the tree.
Christmas Eve jammies are ready to be unwrapped by two little rugrats.

Christmas cookies are ready for Santa and to go with our Christmas morning coffee.

I love Christmas. So much.

Christmas Cookie Playdate

The vacation has been full of fun playdates and activities, for sure! Before Christmas, the girls had some friends over to decorate Christmas cookies (an annual tradtion) and hang out. I'm certainly noticing that as the girls get older, their playdates are changing a bit. I like to listen in (but pretend I'm not listening) as they have conversations with their friends. It is so stinkin' cute how they try to have such grown up conversations. They listen to each other and try ask meaningful questions. Charlie asked, "So Ava, what did you ask Santa for?" And Ava went through her list so eloquently. Gosh, I wish I could tape some of their conversations.

Now, I can only promise that the cookies were made with love and complete concentration.

Eating them, on the other hand, is completely at your own risk!

Christmas in First Grade

This was a very special day for Ryan and Mommy. I don't volunteer in Ryan's classroom this year because my work schedule conflicts with the days/times the teacher would like help. So... needless to say, gettting to be in Ryan's class to help with her holiday party was quite a treat for both of us.

We got to decorate cookies together.
With our friends Riley and her mom Cheryl. Riley was on Ryan's soccer team and in dance together when they were little. We have become friends with the family and love that Ryan and Riley have become such good friends. They even sit at the same table in class (which is really, really exciting in first grade, ya know!)

Ry-Ry and Ri-Ri

A shot of the class chaos. Ryan has the best room mom ever. She had 2 different kinds of hot coffee for the parents with all the fixings and organized the cookie party. She also collected gift cards from all the families and put together an amazing gift card "tree" for Mrs. Lupescu, Ryan's teacher.

A opportunity for a class photo.

Hey, I just noticed...Ryan's friend Lilly is giving Ryan bunny ears.

A silly shot of Miss Ryan Corinne.

The kids were more than ready for their 2 week vacation. I'm sure the teacher was more than ready too. These kids were whoa so hyper!

Miss Grace & Miss Grace

Two more teachers have joined the family!

On December 14th, the Grace Girls had the honor of being McGaugh teachers for the day! Way back at the fall festival, Steve and I bid on the girls to become the teachers for a day at their school. Getting this all to work out with BOTH of them getting the honor took some hard work on Mommy and Daddy's part. During the silent auction at the festival Mommy and Daddy had to "hover" around the auction sheets to keep checking to see if we got "out bid."

Imagine, the crocodile tears if only ONE of them won the coveted "Teacher for a Day" spot?

Phewww, luckily it all worked out. Both girls got to be official staff members and the teachers in their class for the whole entire day.

Miss Ryan Grace with her "mentor" (aka the real teacher) Mrs. Lupescu

Miss Charlotte Grace with her "mentor" Mrs. Hobbs.

The girls at the morning "staff meeting."

MISS CHARLOTTE GRACE'S TEACHER DAY

Miss Grace's first order of business.. Check the lesson plans for the day.

Second order of business: Deciding what line of students were doing the best and inviting them to sit on their "magic squares" in their classroom.

Welcoming her students.

Leading the class in the morning songs.

You have got to zoom in on this picture (right click on the photo). Charlie is leading her class in the morning song. So cute... what a natural!

Taking attendace.

Mrs. Hobbs was very impressed that Charlie could read all of the names on her own.

(Mommy was pretty impressed too actually)

Charlie had to tell the students that she would be watching behavior that day and didn't want to have to turn any cards for bad behavior.

Mrs. Hobbs told me after the day that Charlie practically made EVERY kid turn their card. Luckily, the "behavior" improved and they got to put their card back on green. Ohhh, what a little power will do to a person! Whoa, watch out for Charlie!

Charlie led the class in the calendar activities. She even (without prompting from an adult) invited students "who were sitting on their magic squares nicely" (her words) to help her with the calendar. When the students started talking when they shouldn't, she followed up with, "I like the way Adam is being a good listener." Nice use of positive reinforcement Charlie... impressive! Of course the other students quickly sat up tall and listened attentively from that point forward. Such a natural, such a natural.

MISS RYAN GRACE'S TEACHER DAY

After the staff meeting, Ryan and Mrs. Lupescu went to the classroom to check the lesson plans and then headed out to their line to pick up the students. Mrs. Lupescu introduced "Miss Grace" to the students and Miss Grace walked them to class.

During the time I spent in Ryan's class, I got to see Miss Grace teach the students what they would be doing during the small group instruction time. In this picture, Miss Grace (very seriously) discussed the book the groups would be listening to in the "Listening Center."

She even reminded the students about the rules and procedures to get the books and materials.

She wrote the groups and their responsibilities on the board.

(P.S. Check out those tights. Ryan worked out this whole outfit by herself. She is turning into such an individual with her fashion statements. I love it. Hmmm, I wonder if Steve does though?...LOL)

Ryan is looking for the table groups that are "ready to learn" and dismisses them to their small group activities.

Ryan and her reading group are at the listening center. Even though, she is the teacher for the day, there still has to be some learning too!

What a great day for the Grace Girls. Mommy and Daddy are relieved... now we know that both girls have had this great honor, the same year, the same day... no tears! Now we can relax and go through the rest of their elementary career without worrying about whether one will get it and the other won't.

Who knows, we just may have started the beginnings of some actual teaching careers around here. The girls loved it.