The Boys in Blue....Ties

Look what Santa brought the Bowers boys...matching ties!

The Christmas Story and Magic Pajamas

 Christmas Eve at Grandma B.'s
we performed the Nativity story. I found an article in the paper with a script that was part scripture and part summarizing. For our first time, it went pretty well.
Our cast:
Mary = Jess
Joseph = Andrew
Jesus = Grant
the Angel = Grandma B.
The Three Wise Men = Luke
                                     Dustin
                                     Nathan
Shepherds = Tyson
                     Sawyer
Narrator = Laura

The "angel" bearing good tidings

We used robes and receiving blankets as costumes and improvised the manger with a basket and the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh with a Coke bottle, a golden(yellow) mug and a red box full of gold nuggets(chocolates). Grant was Jesus because he's the only baby right now (and because he's almost perfect.).

A Wise Man (Dustin) giving the gift of Frankincense (or Coke)

It was a truly memorable evening. Beside having dinner with crackers (an English tradition), decorating sugar cookies and a scavenger hunt for gifts, we exchanged gifts. The cousins gave small gifts to each other and the adults did a gift exchange. Dustin and I received Cracker Jacks and a gift card to Target and sock monkey slippers. Luke and Grant received p.j.'s from Sawyer and a toy from Andrew and Tyson.
Grandma B. had some small gifts for all the kids. Dustin received the really cool gloves specifically for iPhones and some salsa. Laura got some bath salts that Grandma B. made herself.

 And of course Santa dropped off magic pajamas for the kids. These are pajamas to help them sleep while Santa delivers all the toys.

Luke's Christmas Program

Luke's preschool class had a Christmas program. All month they have been practicing some Christmas songs and they performed them at a retirement home called The Wellington and invited the parents to come watch.

The kids sang We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a song about Santa using zebras to pull the sleigh. They dance around and snapped their fingers to Jingle Bell Rock. They finished with a rousing Jingle Bells with each of the kids holding some bells. Luke's bells came loose and flew up in the air, it was pretty funny. We are so proud of our little Luke.

The kids all decorated their own shirts - they used their hand prints for the antlers, a red pom pom for the nose and some pieces of a pine tree branch for the top of the reindeer's head. Luke practices really hard all month, it was so cute.

Poppy holding Grant

Not only did mom and dad come to see Luke sing but Poppy, Grammy, Uncle Jay, Grandpa Pop Pop and Grandma Bear-Bear. Luke is loved by so many people.

Dinosaurs

 Luke has a really nice uncle. His Uncle Jay was home from school for Christmas break and he asked if he could take Luke out for the afternoon.

They went to lunch at JCW's - where Luke threw up all over the floor. I told Jay he was lucky he was in public so he didn't have to clean it up. Poor JCW employee. Then they went to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point.


There are some really cool features at the museum. They have an exhibit where you can put the dinosaur together. You can decide what kind of a neck it will have and the tail. If there is anything on its back or whatever. Luke had a blast.

 Luke also went on a dig to find dinosaur bones.

Luke also made an impression of a dinosaurs tooth with plaster.

I'm not really sure what this was. Luke says it spins and you can put stuff on it like sticks? He said it was cool though.

They also saw Dinosaur Passage to Pangaea, a 3D movie in the IMAX theater.

Fun and Exciting News!

The first counselor in the Bishopric called Sunday morning and wanted to visit WITH ME. I immediately thought of Primary because a bunch of people have moved in the last month.

I was right!! I am now the teacher of the CTR 7 class which I think is the class right before they turn 8?

Anyway, I am very excited about this calling because it will be a great Sunday calling, I get to go to Primary with Luke and I don't have to feel guilty about having to leave during the week. It's a win, win!
Now if we can get to church on time...

Gingerbread Houses

 We decided to try making our very own gingerbread houses this year with graham crackers. It turned out pretty well but we have some new ideas for next year.

Seth really got into putting a house together and he made a pretty awesome house. Luke and Dustin made a cool 2 story house, Tyson made a gingerbread car and Andrew made a cute little house. Even Grandma B. made a house.

We had so much fun.

Luke and Dustin won the prize for making the Nummiest gingerbread house.

Seth and Luke's gingerbread house

Andrew's house and Tyson's car

Seth, Sawyer and Jess Bowers

Jessica and Nathan with Tyson and Andrew White

Reindeer Fun

Someone sent me a picture of this and so I had to try it. It looks cute and easy to make.

It was a little harder that I had anticipated. It was just apicture and there weren't instructions so we totally guessed on how to make it. We did all right and Luke did great helping make the eyes. He loves helping in the kitchen and he's so good at it too (most of the time).