CHRISTMAS IS IN THE AIR

It's starting to feel like Christmas... at least that's what my daughters declared as we turned on the TSO (Trans Siberian Orchestra) Christmas album.  It was wonderful to see them dancing together like Christmases long ago... and passing on the tradition to the younger generation.

My beautiful, silly girls!

What you can't see in this picture is the crazy spinning and laughter!

Licorice, Lemonbalm and Apple Jacks joining in the TSO dancing!

Isn't my tree beautiful?!

I love the tradition of crafting at a warehouse.  A few years Scott instituted a Christmas ornament crafting tradition... and it continues.  All these great people making ornaments out of left over containers, bottles and lids.  It's a fun activity and this year Kotten Kandy also participated.  What fun!

The gang

Busy at work?!

Macho Men craft!

Traditions!

Todd made a pig... and he was proud of his glittery creation!

I thought the Caesar was super funny!

Scott mad the 3 wise men!

He's so creative!

I wish he were pictured in the picture....

My youngest is growing up WAY too fast!

While the warehouse was crafting, Kiara and I made delicious treats to celebrate the holidays with:

Jello Popcorn, Fudge and Peeta's Cinnamon Bakery Bread

Today Kotten Kandy and Key Lime Pie also washed dogs - just like the old days!

Washing Calley and Karmel...

Lots of fun times with my family!

KELEK

Meet the newest DeGooyer:

Merry Christmas to Scott!  He loves his new snake: Kelek!

THIS IS THE LIFE!

JOY!

That is what I have felt this week!  I feel blessed beyond measure!  I love my family!  I love my daughters!  I love having my entire family HOME in Kentucky!  I love having young children around me! (Thank you, Amy and Kristie for sharing!)  I love that my "adopted" kids take pictures for me!  I love celebrating Christmas with my ward family!  And I especially love celebrating Christmas when the focus in on my Savior!
There has been so much wonderful the past two weeks...  Here's a peek into our crazy busy lives:
Thursday we had all of the Bettenhausen children over with the Waltman kids!  It was so much fun to hang out with these adorable kid-os!  We crafted and watched Peter Pan.

Raisin

Lemonbalm

Raisin and Apple Jacks

Lemonbalm, Raisin, Apple Jacks and Jelly Bean

I thought this picture was priceless!

Friday Scott took me out on a date.  We saw Murder on the Orient Express.  It was so much fun!  Kenneth Branagh is definitely a fabulous actor.  He's one of my favorites!  And he portrayed Hercule Poirot perfectly!

So excited to see this movie... and it didn't disappoint!

The theater was AMAZING!

I loved the recliner seats and assigned seating!

Saturday was the ward Christmas party.  These cute kids showed us the true meaning of Christmas by performing a live nativity.  Check out the cutest wise man, shepherd and sheep.  I missed getting a picture of the cutest angel. 

Apple Pie is my favorite wise man!

Jelly Bean was my favorite sheep!

And Licorice was adorable as a shepherd holding his sheep

Erin is one of our new favorite friends!  We love her so much!

She and Kotten Kandy love hanging out together at church!

She hopes to be joining the church at the end of the month...

And after the party... KIARA LEA came home!  HAPPY DAY!

SHE'S HOME!!!!!!!!!

First hug went to her sister!

I love that they love each other!

BFFs!

The Waltmans surprised Kiara with a cute Welcome Home banner!

This adorable decoration was represented on the banner... Cute!

It looks just like them!

I love watching Scott with little girls... it reminds me of my daughters when they were young.  He is never more handsome than when he's being fatherly!  :-)

Admiring the tree...

And playing with a basket lid...

And I love that Kiara and Cody send me pictures of themselves!  And I especially love that Kiara's roommates also send me pictures of themselves wearing the headbands I sent them!  They are amazing young women!

Amber and Mary

LOVE them!

Grateful they are part of my daughter's life!

Date night to the Hickory

Lighting Chinese laterns

Meeting at the airport as they fly to Kentucky and Texas

Attending church together

I love watching my daughters play together...  It was a fierce game of Battle Ship:

Kiara and I dressed Karmel for the holidays... just for Kotten Kandy:

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

FA LA LA LA LA LA - CHRISTMAS MEMORIES AND TRADITIONS

This week was another hectic, yet wonderful, week!  Christmas is in full swing around this house...
Scott put up my nativity tree.  And I got new musical ribbon... which I love!

I love my tree!

And I love my sweet husband who takes his time to make it gorgeous!

(Close up of my ribbon....)

We also got to watch the Salt Lake Christmas Fireside broadcast with our friends/family!  And I watched it right where I wanted to: among the kids with lots of hugs and smiles!  Of course we watched with hot chocolate and candy-canes!  Yum!

Loving these sweet kids!

Raisin loves Banana Cream Pie (and Licorice - not pictured)

Raisin also loves Scott!

But that isn't all the fun traditions this week.  We also celebrated with my studio recital.  The kids were WONDERFUL!  They grow so much each recital!  And I'm super proud of them all!  I'm not kidding when I say I really love each of them!  They are amazing!  And my studio is growing.  I have 18 students now (and some take piano AND voice lessons)!

I'm truly blessed with these kids!

And the very next day was our homeschool show choir Christmas concert.  These kids rocked it!  The songs were super fun from all around the world!  (We got to perform twice - once Monday for a rest home and then Friday for friends and family.)  I really love these great kids!  I love what I get to do with them!

And I'm blessed with these kids too!

Guess what?!  Kiara has been having lots of fun with that cute boy again still!  I really like Cody! And so does she!  I can't wait to meet him in January.

Drinking bubbly and making apple-something-or-other

They love spending time together in the kitchen...

Not me!

They also get to deal with this beautiful weather....

 It may be pretty, but I don't envy them the cold!

They are really creative!

Paper mache masks!

How fun!

And my sister and her husband are amazing!  They took a leather class last weekend and made Christmas stockings.  I wanted to give a shout out to them:

GJ - learning and creating

Ken finishing

GJ's done - except inking the words

And look who I'm teaching some dulcimer stuff too:

Banana Cream Pie

Licorice

And then there was my work Christmas party.  It was a blast!  I LOVE the people I work with... but I didn't get any pictures...  The only two pictures I took was of the gourmet red velvet cheesecake and the table decore.  Kelly, one of my bosses, made an amazing meal!  And we had fun with an ornament exchange. 

Delish!

Beautiful!

Oh!  And I got to craft on Saturday with two of my dear friends....  Again... only a picture of the finished product:

Snowmen for some friends!

And then having lots of teens at our house in joyful!  I LOOOOOOVE it!

Playing Cards...

Games...

Love these kids...

Todd has silly games...

Funny!

Adults visiting...

Playing King Ooga Booga!

Super fun!

And this little munchkin is adorable!

Loving our Lemonbalm!