More Christmas Day

We are heading up to RW for a NY Eve visit with family, so this will be the last blog for a while as internet connections are slower than slow at the farm. Here are a few more photos in the Christmas file you might enjoy.

The kids got tablets from Mommy and Daddy and they were more than pleased with them.

Games, music, videos and email all at their fingertips.

The tree kept a close eye on all our activities.

Danica staged and took this picture.  I really lilke it.

Intently reading the instruction for her new toy...

A Hello Kitty karaoke machine.   She amazed me with her musical talent, and her ability to read the lyrics to each song flashed quickly on the screen, while the music played.  If you have ever tried Karaoke, you will know how difficult this is.

Somebody is being silly.  Can you guess who it is?

Christmas morning

Christmas morning arrived bright and early, and excitement ruled supreme.  JJ had been up sick in the night, but that didn't dampen his enthusiasm a bit.  This was the first present on the top of his stocking, and he was soooo eager to open it.  He had to wait for the adults to get their coffee though, and the wait seemed endless I am sure.  

I want to open it NOW!

Soon everyone had a drink and were settled comfortably in their seats...

...so let the opening of stocking presents begin.

After the all the stocking presents were opened, and we were in the middle of a tissue paper and ribbon mess, it was time to go upstairs for breakfast.  After a slice of Wifesaver egg stratta, it was time to brew another cup of coffee and head downstairs to see what was in the presents under the tree.

This present had been under the tree all week, and it was the first one Danica wanted to open as it had been calling her name all week, but she wasn't allowed to poke it to see what it was.    I think she was very pleased when she opened it.

JJ also thought his present was totally cool. 

Grandmama was thrilled with her new laptop too.

I loved my sparkly new top...

...and Buppa thought his new hockey jersey was just the ticket.

Brothers???????

Christmas Eve

After all the family fun, it was time to get ready for bed on Christmas Eve, and after PJ's the kids went through the last minute check-list

Stockings hung by the fireplace.....check

Other stockings place carefully around the room...check

Snack for Rudolph...check

Preparing snack for Santa...check

Last minute check on the computer to see Santa's progress across the globe...check.

Tucked into bed...JJ....check

Danica...check.

JJ gave us his bed for Grandmama, so he slept on a mattress on the floor in sister's room.   Both kids went to sleep easily, but JJ was up sick in the night, so he spent the early morning hours in Mommy's bed,  and Daddy slept on the couch.  You can see the faint outline of the puke-bowl on the floor beside JJ, and he hit it expertly every time during the night, so no bedclothes had to be changed.  

It was an unsettled night for Mommy and Daddy and JJ, but the rest of us slept soundly, and were in a deep sleep when a very excited Danica got us up at 7 Zero Zero!  Danica is usually up before then, but she knows that she must wait for the digital clock to read 7 00  before she rouses anyone else in the house. 

More pics from the dance open house

Because it was a special Christmas open house lots of treats were on hand for the students after class. 

The ballerina used up a lot of energy during class, so had to munch a bit before the next class began.

A moment of quiet repose between classes.

Concentration during stretch time.

I wonder what she is thinking here.

Developing good form.

Hands are good, but foot position is still being worked on

Great back position here.  I think the key is to put the foot back, but not to lean forward.  Danica has it!

Time for the class to begin

All the visitors settled back in their chairs, and the class began.

The teacher showed them the proper form, and they all walked around the room.  What beautiful ballerinas all.

Next came floor stretches.

It is so important to warm up those muscles.

Flexibility plus!

At the bar...beautiful toe point.

I love the hand positions

Total concentration

Ballerina in the making

This weekend we attended the Christmas Open House at Danica's dance class.  What fun to see how much she has learned in ballet and highland classes this year. 

Here she is warming up at the bar before the class begins.

As usual she was full of energy and excitement and ran across the room to give us all hugs.  She still tried to keep her hands and arms in the right ballerina position.  Hard to do when you are so excited though.

She stopped long enough for a  picture, then she was off and running again.

JJ ran around with all the dancers before class began, but did stop long enough for a hug or two from mommy. 

Once class began we all settled in for the show...stay tuned ....

The Baker and the Builder

The kids went to the Christmas party at Mommy's work, and they both came home with presents that involved some work/fun/help from Amma and Buppa.

Danica got a doughnut kit that was a tad messy to work with, but made three delicious doughnuts. 

JJ got a Lego set, and while I was helping Danica, Buppa helped JJ.

The almost finished product didn't look exactly like the ones on the box...

...but a few sprinkles helped add the finishing touch. Once the sprinkles were in place the tray was put into the fridge to keep the treat until after dinner.

One last treat from our party

D#3 is quite a talented artist and manages to work wonders on tiny surfaces.   She has decorated faces and heads, Christmakkah cookies 2011, and nails.  Pretty amazing.

Cookies from Christmakkah 2007

Christmakkah 2007

Christmakkah 2007

Christmakkah 2007

This was what she did to my nails on the weekend.  She didn't have special brushes or polish, just ordinary nail polish with thick brushes, and a few small stickers.  Don't know how she did it, but she did.   Pretty huh.