dazzled at the holidazzle...

last sunday, we visited our friends- paul, laurie, and owen - in cottage grove for some christmas fun! We started with some pizza, then presents, and finally a fun trip into Minneapolis for the Holidazzle Parade. The parade is an evening, outdoor parade consisting mainly of lights on floats and costumes. It is pretty spectacular and COLD! This year we decided to try the parade, but with a little "perk". We purchased the "Hot Seats" in which you are able to sit inside a plexiglas area and are given hot chocolate and apple cider. The girls had a blast (we did, too!). I think it was definitely a highlight for the Withers and Mordorski Families :)

 livia, bobby, owen, me, and sophia

 some bathtime fun for owen!

 owen - a.k.a. "the tickle monster"

 waiting for the parade to start

 see how tightly packed we are sitting in the "hot seats"...good thing, too, since it was in the teens for temperatures that night!

 the circus

 the wizard of oz

 aladdin

 santa was the last float of the night...pretty nice of him to make an appearance, since the next evening was christmas eve! 

 our friends and partners in crime - the adorable Mordorski Family

 who was having the most fun that night?

sneaky sam the elf...

we have had our "elf on the shelf" for 2 years now...it has definitely been a highlight for the withers family from thanksgiving to christmas eve! Each morning the girls awakened and looked feverishly for Sam, and it was so much fun to see their delight in all of his elf-antics. One day we even found him suspended from the ceiling in the garage! Boy, that elf sure did have some fun! Here are a few that were caught on film during Sam's stay...

didn't quite make it in from the storm...

 taking a "bubble bath" in our bathtub...boy, was i mad at Sam for using up all my marshmallows!  what was i going to use now in my hot chocolate?

 so that is what he is up to when we are gone all day.

at least we know he is a fun little elf!

until next year, sam...

angels we have heard on high...

sophia's preschool presented a christmas program for us in the month of december. We were so excited to find out that Sophia was playing "Angel #1"...we have dubbed her the #1 angel in our household (a little tongue in cheek...). She did a fantastic job singing and acting - to our surprise, she even had a speaking part! I was a little sentimental thinking about her being a kindergartner next year, so I tried to live in the moment and appreciate her sweet performance. We are so proud of our little angel!

 "the baby is coming", said angel #1 to mary 

 the whole cast of the nativity play...

 singing "away in the manger"

 

singing "rudolph the red-nosed reindeer"

 "jingle bells" 

 so proud!

ready for some cookies and punch after the fabulous performance!

school, sleigh bells, and second grade

the weeks leading up to christmas at school are magical (and a bit CrAzY!). Here are a few pictures of some of that magic and craziness caught on film!

 each fourth grade class buys gifts for families that are in need this christmas...we took a walk to ShopKo to fulfill our shopping needs and fill our souls with a little christmas spirit!

 we walked to the state theatre to watch the movie, "journey 2" as a way to celebrate the holidays...the kids were great!

livia earned a limousine ride as a part of a "incentive" during our school fundraiser...

 i was able to catch her in between one of my preps...can you make her out in the back?

 "oh what fun it is to ride in a"...limousine?

 i made crock pot hot chocolate for my kids at school on thursday (thank you, pinterest, for the idea!)...

 what's hot chocolate without a few marshmallows?

before they received their hot chocolate, my students were given a ticket to the polar express...did you notice that we dressed in pajamas in honor of "Polar Express Day" in our classroom? We also listened to the book on http://storylineonline.net .

on the last day before winter break, my students participated in "winter wonderland" in phy. ed...i was told that my name was on the naughty list. I told me kids I was naughty because I refuse to share my chocolate!

family festivities...

the first sunday in december my birth mother, leonice, paid us a lovely visit. She came for brunch and stayed for some fun. Leonice came by herself so she got a little quality time with the Withers Family. Afterwards we attended an annual Christmas tradition in Hutchinson entitled, "A Cup of Christmas Tea". It was a warm afternoon filled with Christmas songs, a reading of the book, "A Cup of Christmas Tea", and some caroling. Leonice and I even got in a little shopping before she left. It was nice spending some one on one time with Leonice. I hope we can do it again next year!

 ----

last weekend in the midst of a GIANT snowstorm, our family celebrated jim and jenny decann's december birthdays. We had a delicious meal, watched an exciting Vikings game, gave out fun birthday gifts, and enjoyed each other's company.

 i just LOVE using my christmas plates...this was a "mock" photo, since i would not allow anyone to eat or drink until a photo had been taken :) my family is so obliging!

happy birthday, uncle jim and auntie jenny!

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas...

thanksgiving weekend we invited our friends, paul, laurie, and owen, to hutchinson for some fun. Usually we try to meet in the "middle" and find a kid-friendly activity for our two families. With my mind blank (all right, no comments on that one!), i decided to invite them to over to our house for a relaxing morning. We had a lovely pre-naptime visit filled with Christmas Tree decorating, lots of playing, delicious meal and dessert eating, a trip to the sanctuary, and some present opening! We are excited for our next adventure with the Mordorski Family - our very first trip to the Holidazzle Parade sitting in the "Hot Seats"!

decorating trees

i think owen is thinking, "who is the crazy lady and why is she asking me to smile?"

before

 

after

 before

 after

 hmmm...i wonder if this is any good?

 i think he likes it!

  thanks mordorski family for all the awesome presents! you spoiled us! 

  a trip to the sanctuary to feed the deer and ducks

 livia enjoying the deer 

 laurie was a little frightened of the birds, so paul helped out with the "feeding"

 what cuties!