I'm not ready - are you?

It seems like no matter how organized or ahead of the game I am, it never fails - I end up running around like a crazy woman the week before Christmas! The best news of the week though is - the boys are home!

It was a week full of lots more holiday happenings!

Tuesday - Holiday brunch and gift exchange at my friend Jane's - made my cream cheese raspberry coffee cake, that evening was our Young Women's Christmas Activity - made two frozen peppermint ice cream desserts for refreshments and painted 25 heart shape boxes for gifts for the girls. Oh - yeah and had an orthodontist appointment

Wednesday - Holiday Choir Concert at the high school and a trip to the dermatologist for Cali (needs to have a mole removed off her back after the first of the year). La Boutique rehearsal for Tessa downtown, 3-8pm

Thursday - Candy making day here at the house with Mom and two of her friends - Lynda and Marlene. We went through lots of sugar, butter and cream!! La Boutique Rehearsal for Tessa downtown, 3-8. Jim picks up the boys at the airport!!!

Friday - Tessa has La Boutique from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Cali hosts a "Tacky Christmas Sweater Tea" at the house and Jim and I attend Tessa's ballet performance that evening

Saturday - Tessa has La Boutique from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. We host our neighborhood "Breakfast with Santa" for 18 people - breakfast, gingerbread house building and visit from Santa with gifts for all the kids at our house. Everyone came in their pajamas and we had a wonderful time - we are so grateful for our neighbors! Check out my www.yourhomebasedmom.com blog for the recipe for the yummy cinnamon syrup we served on the pancakes. Then the boys, Grandma and Grandpa attend Tessa's matinee performance so they can watch the BYU Bowl game that evening. Leigh Anne and Cali do last minute Christmas shopping. Jim and Leigh Anne usher at the evening performance, Cali , two of Tessa's friends and neighbor Olivia attend the performance - boys stay home to watch BYU game (it is recorded for Jim). Tessa is a darling can can dancer in the ballet. I wanted a family picture with Tessa after her performance so the boys drove downtown Saturday night just for the photo below - they want me to be sure and tell you they left to drive down to the theater with only two minutes left in the BYU bowl game What good brothers they are - thank goodness for Teevo.

Sunday -Tessa has La Boutique from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. - Yes she is one tired little girl with very sore feet!! At church Logan and Cali both sang solos and in the ward choir directed by Grandpa - both did awesome. Leigh Anne taught part of the Young Women's Christmas lesson and spent the morning putting together a last minute handout. Grandma and Grandpa came for Sunday dinner and yes Leigh Anne is one tired girl!!

Tomorrow morning (Christmas Eve Day) we will make our annual trip downtown to have our picture taken with Santa (23 years now!) - this was the first time all of us have been home together long enough to do it!

Boy Update: We love having them home. Clark arrived in Portland with two huge suitcases - both full of dirty laundry. So he spent his first day home doing laundry and camping out on my bed watching the second season of Lost and asking me "What's for dinner?". He managed to stay awake through half of Tessa's ballet. Logan is enjoying not doing homework and watching ball games

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas!