Tophams on Parade: I Go Back To December, All Of The Time

So, now that it's February...maybe I should finish catching up on some December events...
Lots of playing with Garrett and Sophie. Here are Rachel, Sophie and Katie, all dressed up and following the leader (Garrett) down to their house to play.

Lot's of playing outside! It has been a crazy warm winter! I have never before been faced with the question about whether I should work in the yard or work on Christmas/Brian's birthday. On this day, I actually did go work in the yard. On Brian's birthday, I was driving around with the car window down! Normally, on his birthday, there is a really bad storm and we aren't sure it's even safe to go out...

I finished Hayden's stocking in time for Christmas! Here's the line up:

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert had Sesame Street Characters as guests, this year. Because of the nature of this year's concert, they lowered the age limit and allowed kids 5 and up. I took Maliya and Rachel. It was a lot of fun! But...it was kinda late to have such young kids out.

Brian got confused about why my phone kept calling me Rachel. He asked what my name was. This was Siri's answer:

Rachel had gotten a hold of my phone, some time ago. She had a conversation in which Siri kept using my name, and Rachel giggled and said, "I'm RACHEL!" Siri asked her if she wanted to remember to call her Rachel and she said, "yes." I've been 'Rachel' ever since!

Maliya's best friend, Zoey, dropped out of Renaissance and started doing homeschool. Saddest day of Maliya's life. But we have gotten them together a few times for play dates. These two are sooo cute!

Hayden discovered Christmas trees...

Rachel had her Kindergarten Grinch play! I tried to give her Who-Hair. This was my first attempt. She vetoed this do right off the bat!

Here she is, on the front row, third from the left. She and Garrett had a part together, and they also took over someone else's part (who had gotten sick, or something).

Katie, "watching" the play.

My little Rachel-Lou-Who

Rachel was so excited to give Brian and me this Christmas gift she had made for us in school. It was an ornament with her hand print on it. So cute!

Christmas Eve, we ran over to Grandma Lisa's house so the girls could practice their dance, one last time. Katie and Owen rocked out, together.

Brian was at home putting the doll house together, so he wanted me to kill a little more time, before bringing the kids home. So, I took them to play on the Renaissance playground (something they begged to be able to do, over the break. Rachel is totally offended that Kindergarteners never get to play on the BIG play ground, and Maliya wanted to be able to play on the little one with Rachel) It was too cold for Katie and me, so we mostly stayed in the car and watched.