Polar Express Christmas Party! Lots of posts and pictures

So after days and weeks of planning, our trip to the Polar Express party finally arrived. I had been prepping the kids for awhile about this party and they were so excited. I was anxious about all the preparations for it. I really wanted it to feel like they were on a train as best I could :) So here is the set up:

I wanted to lay train tracks down on the sidewalk but completely ran out of time. Oh well :)

As they each arrived, they received a ticket to ride the Polar Express.

All Aboard the Polar Express!!

As the kids arrived, they all got their tickets and sat in their chair and colored Polar Express pictures. They all looked so cute in their pjs and they had each brought little blankies or teddy bears for the ride.

After the train was full, we read the polar express.

After the book was done, they left the train for a bit, to go on a scavenger hunt.

When they returned, the train had transformed into tables for them to enjoy chocolate milk and doughnuts.

Reindeer Food and Book Exchange

After our refreshments we made some magical reindeer food. The kids really got a kick out of this. We explained that just like Santa, the reindeer need something too to eat. So they each got to take some home to sprinkle on their lawn or rocks (or as one pointed out, on her dirt :) on Christmas Eve.

We then opened our gifts. I was surprised at how gentle and controlled they were with unwrapping their presents. It was very funny to watch them open their gifts.

Santa Visits us on the Polar Express!!

For the last event on the Polar Express, we started singing Jingle Bells when all the sudden the kids heard more bells coming from the kitchen. In came Santa and one of his elves. The shock on the kids faces was priceless. None were expecting it. The kids each got to sit on Santa's lap and he asked them if they believed in Santa and then gave them a silver bell necklace with a goody bag. Very fun!!

Carter was our only shy one this year and this pictures truly captured his attitude towards Santa. Santa tried to give him his things, and Carter wouldn't even look at him :)

This is our class picture!! We are losing 3 of our classmates this semester: Adam, Keiliana and Payton who isn't pictured. We will miss you guys.

Jaiden Andelyn Wyatt, Rylee, Cambree, Adam

Ridge, Keiliana, Dillon, Jacob, Haley, and Carter

Have a Merry Christmas and we'll see you next year!

Christmas Letter

Here's our Christmas Card for those I didn't have addresses for:

I didn't send a letter out to anyone so here's a brief update on what the Allen's have been up to this past year.

First of course, the biggest news of the year was our newest addition to the family as everyone is well aware. Brecklynn Shea made her entrance July 21st- a whole week early. She weighed 7lb. 9oz and had light brown hair. Nothing like her siblings. In fact we still can't figure out who she looks like. She has just recently found her tongue and constantly blows bubbles and babbles all day. She has become a very content little baby and loves her siblings. She is a very smiley baby and loves attention.

Ridge celebrated his 2nd birthday this year. What a ham he is. He has the funniest faces, stances, and is talking up a storm. He joins my preschool this year, which has both been good and bad :) He is a bit young and it shows, but he also loves the interaction with the other kids. He still has a strong love of tractors and if he could, he would watch them with his daddy on his computer all day. His sisters absolutely adore their brother and he adores his sisters. They all have the cutest relationships.

Cambree is the big 3 1/2. I cannot believe how old she is. She has become my little mom. She shocks me daily with her mature comments to her little brother to make him feel better or explain something to him. She is a huge help with Brecklynn. She also helps me now fold clothes, clean and cooks. She's at the age where all of that is fun-so I'll take any help I can get :) Unfortunately she has pretty much outgrown naps, but that has also brought out some special moments for her and me. She's enjoying her last little bit of nursery as she graduates at the first of the year, which is so weird to think. Dancing, singing, and drawing are all things she still loves. If she can get her hands on a piece of paper and a pen, she'll be happy. She loves to take food orders for people and 'write' them down. I just love watching her grow up but sad about the whole thing as well.

Pump

Curtis made a huge change this year by moving from the family business at Allen Pump Company, to the new Vining Funeral Home. It was a HUGE decision, but this has been something Curtis has always enjoyed doing. Its a huge change from his outside dirty work, to in the office in suits all day, but he's great with families and is such a hard worker. We're very proud of him. Besides his work life, he is so involved with his kids. I have to say I think Brecklynn is a true Daddy's girl. She LOVES him. She will constantly stare at him in hopes he'll look her way and talk to her. She giggles and talks to him for so long. Of course, he has such a special relationship with Cambree and Ridge too. He is so patient with them and you can see how much he loves them and how much they love their daddy.

I have been busy with 3 kids. Its not been nearly as hard as I expected. My hardest thing is getting them all on the same schedule. We haven't mastered it but hopefully soon. In preschool this year, I have 13 kids (Cambree and Ridge included). Its been a lot of work, but I LOVE what I do and love that I get to have that interaction with my kids.

Overrall we've been very blessed this year and excited to see what the next year brings for us. We wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Oh This Time of The Year...

2 weeks till Christmas. Can you believe it? Only 2 weeks. Where has the time gone? I feel so terrible as a mom this time of year. I have been so stressed over preschool, presents, money, making traditions etc. that I haven't spent enough time explaining and enjoying this time with my kids. Don't get me wrong, having my kids has definitely helped out, but I sometimes wish I could just sit and enjoy the season- make goodies with my kids to give to families, make gingerbread houses, make cards etc. But I feel like my time is so crunched and flying by. I find myself worrying more about the presents I'm getting the kids, and figuring out how much we can afford and be realistic that I stop thinking about what they really need which is just the memories.

I am trying however to find those moments to spend with my kids. They are growing up, and I want to make sure they do enjoy these times, and have fond memories of their childhood. The other day, I put down my preschool stuff, didn't clean, didn't really do anything, but focus on my kids for the day and it was such a different, special day. I don't do that enough. Here I teach preschool, teach all the other kids how to write their letters, write their names etc. and don't do it with my own kids. Tuesday I took several hours with Cambree and sat and laughed and enjoyed showing her how her name was spelled and worked on how to write it and I was amazed at her enthusiasm for it and joy of doing it. She even learned how to read and write mom and dad too. All in just a couple hours. Made me feel like a real heal of a parent for not doing this more often. Later Ridge and Cambree helped me make some chocolate chip cookies. Again, they loved doing every second of it. Memories!!

Several nights we've gone out as a family to look at Christmas lights around the valley. This is the first year that both Cambree and Ridge understand the whole Christmas idea. They talk about Santa all the time and their presents and LOVE all the lights. Every night Cambree has to turn on our lights and then double check to make sure they look ok. I love that!! I just hope I can slow down and take this all in.

Last Saturday I took the kids to see Santa which was the first time this year for them and I was blown away by how excited they both were. Ridge jumped right up on his lap and just smiled away. Cambree started listing off what she wanted "a castle and new princess phone"- mind you this changes daily so I doubt Santa could even keep up with her list :) and Ridge wanted candy- surprise, surprise.

These are some pictures that I had to take for preschool and they go with something else, but because they are gifts for parents I won't divulge that information at this time to make sure none of my parents figure it out. :) But thought they turned out super cute.

Then I have been decorated for Christmas since the day after Thanksgiving, but again have been too busy to blog about it, but its not too late :) So here is our little house all decorated. The kids really helped this year which was fun. We don't have a full sized tree this year because of the lack of space so we jsut have a little table top tree but the kids don't care. They still love it. Cambree turns on the lights every morning. We didn't put up half of our stuff this year from lack of space but it still looks festive.

Then lastly this is our stockings for preschool. Really fun project that they each did and they loved the glitter names.

Hopefully sometime soon, I'll post our Christmas card and a little Christmas letter update for those that are interested :) Merry Christmas!!