Twas' the Weekend Before Christmas...

...and we filled it with some Christmastime fun!

Friday was Owen's last day of school until the new year.  He had a lot of fun at school that day!  In the morning they had a Good Behavior Bash, for all the students that got less than 10 bad behavior points against them.  Later on, they had their class Christmas party.  Instead of buying toys for the class gift exchange, each student purchased a book for $3-$5.  Then the boys exchanged with boys and the girls exchanged with girls.  Owen came home with a book called Extreme Animals that he got from Gabe Steckler.  He took in the book, Hot Wheels: Extreme Stunts, but I don't remember who got it.  After the gift exchange, Santa made a visit.  All three kindergarten classes went to visit him at the same time.  They sang songs with him, and then Santa gave each student a Corduroy book and a blue candy cane (for being named a Blue Ribbon school).  When they had all met with Santa, they went back to their rooms to continue with their Christmas party.  The first thing Owen said, when he got home, was that he had the best day ever at school! : )
Emily helped out at the Christmas party, so I watched Kenley.  After Emily, Owen, and Adi got back, they helped Avari, Kenley, Easton, and me make puppy chow.  That evening, the kids and I went down to my parents' house.

Owen was laying on the floor, so Easton decided to sit on him.

He is always picking on his big brother and sister.

Avari decided that she needed to join in.

Saturday morning, Emily and I took the kids to a Christmas magic show at the Ferdinand Library.  It was really cute, and the kids really enjoyed it.  Afterwards, Alvin met us at McDonald's for lunch.  Then we went to the Santa Claus Candy Castle with the Schipps.  We had been wanting to check it out for awhile.  It is a cute place, but  thought there would be more to do there.  The kids did find out if they were on Santa Nice List, and we enjoyed some Frozen Hot Chocolate, which is AWESOME!!  I will definitely be making another trip there to get more sometime....good thing it's only 10-15 minutes away. : )

Alvin helping Owen find out if he is on the "Nice List".

I'm helping Avari find out if she is on the "Nice List."

I also tried to help Easton, but he didn't have any interest in it at all!

They all made the "Nice List"!!

Adi, Owen, Kenley, Avari, and Easton in posing with Santa in front of the Candy Castle.

After the Candy Castle, Alvin stayed home with the kids, so Easton could take a nap, while Emily and I went to the hospital to visit two of our friends, who just had babies.  Congratulations to Luke, Andrea, and Kayden Fleck on their new baby girl (and little sister) Isabel Marie, who was born Friday night.  Another Congratulations to Kristin and Adam (Mobe) Christmas on their baby boy, Michael Ray, who was born on Saturday morning.  Both babies are adorable, and doing great!  They will make a very cute couple when they get older...if their parents have anything to do about it!  Haha

The evening, we went to Rudolph's Land of Lights with my parents, and the Boeglins.  It is a neat lights display.  The kids really enjoyed it, especially the lights tunnels that you drive through.

Sunday, we went to church and then headed to Walmart.  When we got home, Alvin went out to the farm to finish working on his parents' barn.  After Easton woke up from his nap, the kids decorated the sugar cookies that I made a few days earlier.  They had fun doing it, and the cookies definitely weren't lacking in sprinkles. : )