Sunday, December 28, 2008

Christmas Day

We have a tradition in our home that we leave one present on each child's bed for Christmas morning. It is always a book and can be opened up right away. So when someone wakes up early, they have something to do and they don't have to wake up everyone else. It has worked well these last few years and everyone is excited for a new book. So we don't have to start opening presents until after 7am. Yea!

Here are the kids opening stockings:
Some highlights of the morning:
That afternoon, we went for dinner at Grunyon Run (thanks Garns and Dunyons) with all our holiday food favorites. After dinner, Danica got a sweet new hair do by her darling and talented cousin, Kinsey. She wants to do hair when she gets older, and it looks like she shouldn't have any trouble.
Here we are after dinner, Rebecca is trying our camera. No, it isn't new. We wish it was.
It was a great Christmas Day!

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Cupcakes

Did you know that cupcakes are becoming popular now? We've always liked them but now everyone else does too, talk about trend setting. This is great for us because now there are so many new ideas and resources for decorating cupcakes. Here are some that Hanna made for Christmas dinner just for fun. Here is our white chocolate coconut cupcake. The snowflakes are made from white chocolate. This cupcake is delicious but not perfect, we'll work on it.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve we went to see the temple lights. We like to do this every year so we can also see the nativity display that is in the visitors center at the Temple. This year we decided to go on Christmas Eve because Jordan Bluth was singing there that night.

Here are Andria, Sam and Zan modeling their warm clothes. Hanna even gave me my Christmas present early so my feet could be warm. She is so thoughtful. The added bonus is that now I won't be stealing hers all the time. Temple lights. . .
(Note: Danica was horrified that we were letting Samantha leave the house wearing sweatpants under her skirt. Ha ha. Well she refused to take off her skirt so that was the only way to keep her legs warm. It's fun being the Mom.
Samantha loved the outdoor Nativity, we had to drag her away.
Here is the outdoor nativity. If you go to see it, make sure you go inside the visitors center and see the Nativity displays from all over the world.

Afterwards, we came home and opened our Christmas pajamas. I am so lucky that all my children are happy to wear matching pajamas at Christmas time.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Gingerbread People and the Nativity

Today Hanna and I decided to make gingerbread people. We did this because we are not going to make gingerbread houses which the kids love to do every year but which I did not want to do this year. I told Hanna that when I was a child, my Mom would make gingerbread cookies with a hole in the head so that we could thread a ribbon in them and hang them on the tree. I always loved decorating the gingerbread men then and we also got to eat them after Christmas. This year we decorated boys and girls (we almost did all girls but decided not to discriminate after all). I made one called "going to church boy" and told Chandler it was him. Can you find it? Also, we figured out how to turn stars into snowflakes. Most of my girls like to help with things like this but Hanna is my most faithful partner. She is very clever and creative as well as helpful and capable. Tonight we decided to do our nativity play because we have other plans for Christmas Eve. Chandler has to be Joseph every year but he is mostly a good sport, even though the costume doesn't fit very well. Andria won for the part of Mary and Danica consoled Samantha by telling her it was only 368 days until next Christmas.

Here we have a shepherd and a couple of wise men.
A sheep and Mary
A shining angel with braces removed just today! You don't get happier than that.
I used to get annoyed when everyone goofed around during the nativity play but I have mellowed in my old age. So if our sheep has to baaa during the angel's announcement it's ok.
And if Joseph wants to look like a gangster, oh well. See how I have matured? After the pageant, Zan thought it should be time to open presents. Luckily, there were some for her and Sam that were from Maranda and Andria that were regifted. We let them open those presents (ponies) and they were happy. Dan mocked me by announcing our new tradition of letting the youngest children open presents any time they want. Ha ha ha.
Note: As I type this, I can hear Chandler reading stories to Zanya and doing all the voices. Imagine a huge smile on my face :)

Chandler is Seventeen!

Amongst all the Christmas happenings Chandler managed to turn one year older. He requested Mississippi mud pie for dessert which we enjoyed sharing with him. Danica is missing from this picture because she is the photographer.Also, Chandler was invited to winter formal a few weeks ago. He received a pie while he was at his choir concert. When we got home, everyone was happy to help him find the girls name. It was fun.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Christmas Concerts

Here is a smattering of all the Christmas concerts we have attended this month.

Danica's Junior High Choir concert: Danica does have a beautiful voice but we could hardly believe this was Junior High. The entire concert was excellent. Danica is second row from the bottom and second in from the right. (sorry our camera works great outside but not so great from far away and in the dark.) Hanna's ballet recital. She took ballet lessons for a few years when she was young but has only recently started up again. She was in a duet this year.

Jon Schmidt concert. This year we brought Maranda with us because she has started piano lessons this year. It was an awesome concert.

Hanna's Junior High orchestra concert. The other orchestras that night were not great but Hanna's was really great. Here she is on the back row, you can almost see her.

Samantha's preschool program: She was super animated and fun to watch. She was an angel in the nativity part of the program but really wants to be Mary in our family nativity. She'll have to fight Andria for the part. We videoed the whole program and Zan and Sam have watched it non stop ever since.
Danica's piano recital: Danica is so musically talented. Her piano playing is very rewarding as a parent, too bad she doesn't view it in the same way. Her friend Camille is turning pages for her here.
Maranda's piano recital: Her very first and she did a great job playing Jingle Bells.
Chandler's choir concert: Aaaah High School choir. If you don't know what I mean, your music program isn't as great as ours. I hate to brag, but this is some of the best music in town. Every choir is just excellent and the whole evening was awesome. Chandler is that handsome one in the middle.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Soccer- Andria

This year Dan was Andria's coach. The girls always love it when their dad is the Coach. One great thing when your dad is the coach is that your brother and sister get to be the referees.
Andria's team; The Pink Flamingos

Andria with her new trophy
Go Andria!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Soccer- Maranda

So soccer season is finally over, yea! Or, I mean darn. We only had two soccer players this year, Maranda and Andria. They have so much fun playing soccer and hanging with their friends. Here is Maranda with Anne Perkinson, good friends and good times. Maranda showing off her trophy.
Maranda's team, the Lemon Ligers (What's a Liger? Probably my favorite animal)


Posing for pictures.

Dedicated fans: Zanya and Andria
Future soccer star, Zanya.


Go Maranda!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Quirks, What Quirks? Tagged Again

When will people learn that I don't like to be tagged? Thanks Sherry.

Here are some of my quirks:

1- I talk with my hands. Doesn't everybody know that what is said is so much better with hand motions?

2- I am the slowest eater. Dan always finishes long before I do. When will he figure out that this is just a ruse to get him to do the dishes?

3- I have no memory. Everything important (or not so important) must be written down or it doesn't exist.

4- I have an expectation of perfection. Everything and everyone (including myself) should act perfectly all the time. I just wish my car, computer, cell phone, children and everything else would get it right!

Christmas Tag

This is from my sister, Callie. I was just going to ignore it but she reminded me so here it is:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both
2. Real tree or Artificial? artificial, it's easier.
3. When do you put up the tree? When the kids' begging is impossible to put off and we have a free night.
4. When do you take the tree down? ASAP
5. Do you like eggnog? Love it.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I can't remember that far back.
7. Hardest person to buy for? MamaG
8. Easiest person to buy for? Children under 5 years old (Sam and Zan this year).
9. Do you h have a nativity scene? Several, I love them.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? None
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Miracle on 34th Street, old and new versions.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? When I absolutely have to.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think so, but I would.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My mom's cheeseball and orange rolls.
16. Colored or Clear Lights? Both.
17. Favorite Christmas song? All of them, especially Handel's Messiah, the Nutcracker Suite, Mannheim Steamroller, The Forgotten Carols and Christmas hymns.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen, Rudolph.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas eve and the rest on Christmas morning.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Commercialism and the idea that we can buy Christmas.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I like ornaments that have to do with snow; snowmen, sleds, etc.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? All the Proffitt favorites.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I already have everything I ever wanted.
26. White or Warm Christmas? WARM.
27. Favorite thing about Christmas? Talking about baby Jesus with my children.
28. Favorite Christmas Tradition? The nativity play, Temple lights and matching Christmas PJ's.
29. Favorite Christmas Location? Home.
30. Who do you tag? I don't like tagging.

Happy Happy Birthday Hanna Dear!

Our Hanna turned the ripe old age of 15 this week. To celebrate, we had her favorite, triple layer chocolate cake. I don't mind making this cake from scratch because it is very delicious. At school her friends brought her some balloons and presents. Then that evening she had a dance recital for her hip hop dance class. She did a great job even though she has only been in this class for a few months. Hanna is a diligent student, and a willing helper. She plays the violin, and takes ballet in addition to hip hop. She likes good books and she loves movies both at the theater and on video. Hanna is a beautiful young woman, inside and out and we are proud of her and love her very much!





Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Thanksgiving Day

Because the Proffitt family has Thanksgiving dinner on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, we always have to find some way to occupy ourselves on Thanksgiving. This year we went to Bass Pro Shop for some free pictuers with Santa. It was great and Zan can't stop talking about Santa coming to her house on Christmas. Bass Pro Shop is a fun place. Here Zan and I are sitting by the river. Hanna
Andria, Sam and Maranda

I think Sam and Danica are afraid that bear will eat them.

Chandler's great catch. (In case you don't already know, taking pictures of teenagers is a chore!)

Dan and Maranda

After we came home for lunch, we put the little girls down for a nap and I took the big kids to see a movie, City of Ember. Hanna, Chandler and I have all read the book so we wanted to see the movie. The kids liked it. I would have liked it better if it had had some romance.