Christmas Countdown Continued

11. Shortbread - Yep. We did it again. It is officially a family tradition now. I scheduled a day on the calendar dedicated completely to making shortbread. We started the first batch at 10am on a Saturday and turned off the oven at 10:30pm that night. We shaped shortbread dough and baked all day long. We then stayed up a couple more hours to wrap each of the plates up so that we were all ready to deliver our 65 plates on Sunday. Whew!

This is how things look while I am cooking. Poor baby Kate had to wait for me to form one more before I could pick her up because my hands were all doughy. She would climb up my legs, then slide down onto the floor in a crying sobbing heap. So sad.

All ready to be delivered. 

I was the driver. Zachary got the plates and card and the girls and Scott ran up to each door. Very efficient. 

We drove around delivering for about 2 hours. That's right. By the end I let Kate just sit in my lap (she was done with her car seat and we were right in our neighborhood). She started coughing and as we pulled into the driveway I said, "She's going to puke." And yes, that is exactly what she did. Right into my lap. We both went directly to take a bath/shower. Disgusting . . . and warm.

12. Christmas Carole Sing Along - This is for sure one of my favorite things to do at Christmas. We went downtown to the Energy Solutions Arena. The lower bowl was full. They had a full orchestra and a conductor who lead us all in singing Christmas carols together. So fun. Lavell Edwards read "The Night Before Christmas", Santa came, they passed out treats and envelopes for tickets to movies and Bees games. And it's all free for Salt Lake City. We had a great time.

We were already out late and decided to visit the brand new Trader Joe's on the way home. 

13. Ava's Christmas Preschool Program - Ava has been anxiously awaiting her "big performance". She would not tell the secret of songs they would be singing. This was seriously a big deal.

Remember how Brielle always shimmied and shaked and danced her way out front during each performance. Ava stood right in her spot in the middle. She did not look at the audience. She did not crack a smile. She stayed focused on exactly what she was supposed to be doing. She watched her teacher, did every hand motion perfectly and sang every word. No distractions. She was great!

14. Christmas Soap - I used the candy cane soap that Steve made and Teresa sent to us to really get in the holiday spirit. It smelled to good. I felt like a walking candy cane by the end. Thank you.

15. Gingerbread House - We spent a snowy afternoon decorating the gingerbread house we got at Trader Joe's.

16. Meeting Santa - The Friday before Christmas, we took the kids on the new Front Runner train downtown to City Creek to meet Santa. We weren't allowed to take pictures of Santa and I think that is because he was really THE actual Santa Claus. He was so real. He was big and tall and had a real, long beard. He talked to each of the kids and was so nice with them. It was our best visit with Santa ever! (No line!)

Inside for ice cream sundaes.

Walking through City Creek.

17. Temple Square Lights - We went across the street to Temple Square just as they were lighting the place up. We watched the nativity, walked through the lights and snapped some pictures. It was lovely as always.

18. Candy Windows - And then from Temple Square, we peered into the candy windows on the ZCMI building. They used all candy to make a Santa Claus face, etc.

Everyone back on the train headed home.

19. Polar Express Party - Our ward Christmas party was December 22. It was a Polar Express party so the kids were very happy to get to wear pajamas. We were met by the conductor to stamp our tickets upon arrival.

We formed a kid's table and an adult table with our friends. Smart thinking, huh?

Santa! Kate is not so pleased with him.

Ava telling Santa (2 days before Christmas) that she doesn't really want the things she had been asking for and now doesn't know what she wants. Oh.

20. Christmas Clothes - Sunday for church all the kids got to wear matching tartan dresses and shirt. This was my own Christmas Miracle. I walked into Crazy 8s just days before and the only Christmas dresses left in the store were on a 60 percent off clearance rack and were our kids sizes!!! Can you believe it? They looked adorable.