School and Christmas parties

The holidays are in full swing now and it seems most schools like to put on some sort of holiday program or throw a holiday party for the kids. Well, our schools are no different. Cole's preschool is at a church, so they did a traditional Christmas program, complete with the kids telling the story of Jesus and singing to us some adorable Christmas carols! Cole's class was the loudest of them all, and the most phonetically correct in getting all the lyrics right. It was so entertaining and a little sad for me to my baby boy so grown up on that stage and NOT shy AT ALL!
After the program we celebrated with cookies by the mile and Hot Cocoa by the ton. By the end of the night, the kids were so hyped up on sugar it was only natural that I send them home with Daddy while I headed out to a MOM's Night Out Christmas Cookie Exchange with my friends from the playgroup. We had a grand time drinking wine and home-made Bailey's (thank you Kristi!) and exchanging the hundreds of cookies that we all slaved over for the past week in the kitchen! My friend Kim was gracious enough to host us in her lovely home and break in her newly finished basement, complete with bar! The food and drink were good, but the company was even better!
The next day was Paige's holiday party at school. The 1st graders made homemade gingerbread houses from graham crackers, frosting, licorice, jelly beans, peppermint drops, m&m's, etc. etc. etc... They had so much fun and Paige was a little trend setter at her table making a fence all around her house with gumdrops. It was so cute to see the little creative brains at work. And they really did have to think about what they were doing because they did not use kits.
Friday was the kids last day of school for the Holiday break. Cole's class had a party, but it was a Birthday Party. For Jesus. It was very neat. Cole came home with a goodie bag full of treats and was so excited to tell me all about when Jesus was born! It really is special to see the kids celebrating the true reason for this season in all it's Glory!

Merry Christmas to all!