Reindeer Food

The girls collected moss and clovers from the patio in the backyard because they decided Santa's reindeer would like it! 

And Emma added shredded carrots!

Christmas Carols

I went with Brooke's class on a field trip to a retirement home to sing Christmas songs to the residents. The kids did a great job and I was emotional as I thought about the children who's lives were taken at Sandy Hook elementary school in CT last week. I am grateful my children are safe. 

Gingerbread houses at Grandma's!

The Daleys are here from Texas and we're doing lots of fun things together like making Gingerbread houses!

Holiday Pretzels

We made these for the girls' classes. We used Candiquick meltable chocolate. So fun!

Warms my heart!

This stranger, Barbara Jo Ingram Johnson, saw my cousin Russell in the airport the other night on his way home to Idaho for Christmas. She posted the following on facebook: 

"This is Russell Collins. He was in a corner of the empty airport. I shook his hand, and thanked him for his service. I told him I like to take pictures with famous people that I see at work and wanted to take a picture with a soldier who should be treated like he's famous. We chatted and I learned that he was going to be sleeping in that corner until his flight in the morning. He is going home to Idaho to see his family for the first time in a year.

Well I wasn't going to have any of that. I told him to come on, I'm getting you a hotel room. I couldn't sleep tonight knowing that he was sleeping in a corner on the hard floor.

So we get on the train and go to the Marriott in the airport. I tell the front desk lady I was paying for his room and why. The other lady behind the desk hears us and comes over and puts in some codes and the room was given to him for free. Or given to me for free. Oh how good is our God!!! I'm crying in my car at the airport over His love and sweetness!! God bless our soldiers and I encourage everyone to bless them somehow when you see them!!!"


How awesome to know there are people like this in the world. How thankful I am. This inspires me to be a better person!

Later she said, "To my newest forever friend, Russell Collins, I hope your time with your family gives you great laughter and memories! I hope y'all laugh till you cry and y'alls bellies hurt and cheeks ache from all of it! Make sure your Momma knows that another Momma made sure her baby boy had a soft place to lay his head down. I would hope someone would do the same for one of my boys if the need was ever there. I will cover you in prayer along with your brothers in arms to come home safely after your time in Afghanistan next year. ♥♥♥" 

His response to her: 
Dearest Barbara aka hottie with blue hair, 

What you did for me was in every sense Christ-like. You will probably never understand how much your simple gesture of kindness meant to me. 

Always your friend, 

Russ

Brooke's Class Play

Last night Brooke was in her class production of "The Gingerbread Baby." It was so cute! 

                     

She didn't have any lines, but she did have part where she had to wink and she also walked around the stage. She was amazing! 

Afterwards, the families made Gingerbread houses!