Lights, Glitter, Christmas!

Another week has come and gone and the Nutt House is officially in full Christmas mode!   Monday we wrapped up 25 books for one of our favorite Christmas traditions – our Christmas book a day advent calendar, where every day leading up to Christmas we unwrap one book and enjoy a new Christmas book/story every day.  Additionally, Monday evening we wrapped up the Christmas decorating as we put up our outdoor Christmas lights and décor.  It officially feels like Christmas now at the Nutt House!

Enjoying one of our countdown to Christmas books

We completely love this tradition, thanks to Aunt Alicia
who gave this to us as our Christmas present a couple years ago!

Our decorated home

To top off our FHE Monday evening we headed over to a local Christmas light display dubbed the “train house” where the little Nutts quickly remembered why they enjoy going to this particular house so much as the train that goes around the yard has a car filled with little candy canes for passersby to enjoy!

Happy little Nutts with candy canes from the "Train house"

Listening to a reading of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" from the Christmas animals, followed by
songs from the dancing Santa

Tuesday night we took a break from Christmas festivities to support Brent at Pack Meeting.  He enjoys this calling so much and is so good at it that it is easy to make the decision to go, help, support however our Nutt-y family can.  This month, Brent had a “Winter Wonderland” theme and for the awards threw a paper snowball at the boys.  In turn, after all the awards were presented all the cub scouts got to throw real snowballs back at Brent.  Needless to say, this was the highlight of the evening for ohhh so many!

Can you tell the boys had fun

Their cubmaster did as well

Wednesday afternoon the little Nutts and myself met up with some friends from my mom’s group for an afternoon of painting at a local paint studio called “Be… An Artist”.  Oh my goodness!  It was so much fun!  The artist was wonderful and the kiddos had a great time.  The artist had little paint pallets set up with complementary colors that made it so the art work would not turn into greyish-brown pieces.  The kiddos had so much fun just painting, then after their piece was finished they got to take it back to the sparkle factory where the fairies added a little glitter to finalize their pieces. I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I was very pleasantly surprised at how well both the little Nutts (though particularly Kaden did!)  just wow!!  As we were walking out Kaden was already asking when we could go back with Kara quick to echo his sentiment.  Needless to say, this is now a place we need to visit again!

Excited to get started

All ready to go

She was so careful the entire time

Kaden focused in on the task at hand and took
his painting very seriously

After his first layer was done, he let it dry
then was ready for the top layer/finishing touches

Kara telling the Sparkle Factory fairies where she'd like
her sparkles placed at on her painting

Kaden's turn

Masterpieces!

That evening we met up with Brent for a night of Christmas lights at the zoo!  One of the many traditions we enjoy this time of year.  The little Nutts were excited to once again see and converse with the talking giraffe who once again spoke directly to Kara, which made her night.  Due to the cold and a long day we only saw about half of the zoo lights but we are primed to head back another day to finish enjoying the magical lights another night. 

Their favorite, the talking giraffe!  

They really were more excited than the picture lets on

Hot Chocolate warmed them right up!
In front of the new tiger exhibit they were so excited
to show to daddy

After a quieter evening at home Thursday Friday found us once again out and about as we attended a play at the Valley Youth Theatre where we enjoyed “A Winnie the Pooh Christmas Tail”.  The kiddos were able to sit up on the floor next to the stage for prime viewage and a little to my surprise thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the play.  I need to remind myself that plays are an entertainment option more often! 

Because I was not on my picture taking game
we did not get a picture next to the Winnie the Pooh poster,
so we paused for one with the Valley Youth Theatre at the
back of the theatre on the way to the car  :/

They were literally able to touch the stage
*That's Kara with the bun and Kaden is the head touching Kara's

After heading home our little Nutts enjoyed breaking the wishbone from Thanksgiving.  Much to Kaden’s disappointment, Kara broke off the larger piece, granting her wish to come true.  Bless her tender giving heart, Kara opted for her wish to be to let her brother have more trains though she admitted her wish was to get more dance “stuff”.  I am often amazed at the level of compassion and selflessness that these young children can exhibit!

Wishbone excitement

Saturday morning brought our annual Christmas brunch and gift exchange party.  I enjoy how hosting these parties allow for us to interact with friends – opening and sharing our home and love with them as well as some good food and a fun time at the gift exchange.  Each gift exchange I try to do something a little clever – the first year I did a box that contained a package of batteries and a note that said “gift not included”, another year I gave money frozen in a glass jar with a note that said “cold hard cash”.  Keeping with that theme, my gift this year was a box of Life cereal filled with lemons that said “When Life gives you lemons go buy lemonade” and again I gave cash with my present.  I have fun coming up with the unique gifts, but my goodness, it is a challenge! 

Gift exchange fun!

Our Saturday excitement didn’t stop there, in fact it was only beginning.  After the party we headed out for the remainder of the day.  First stop, to see the fabulous Rachel for haircuts (and for one of us a much needed coloring job!).  After haircuts were finished we headed across the valley to Glendale where Kara and her dance group participated in Glendale Glitters.  We had never been to Glendale Glitters so we weren’t quite sure what to expect.   The event was busy, lots of vendors of all sorts and lots of gorgeous lights.  For our Nutt-y family, though, we can see lights as spectacular or more so in the calming environment of the Mesa Temple or surrounded by the excitement of Zoolights.  So, if we have reason to be back out there, we’ll happily attend Glendale Glitters again, but without the added motivation/incentive, it isn’t an event that will make our Christmas time “to do” list.   When we arrived we were over an hour early, which was good, seeing as I still had to finish Kara’s hair and makeup.  Let me tell you, doing performance worthy hair and makeup in the backseat of the car is not fun, but it can be done!

I would not have thought getting performance gorgeous was as doable
in the car as it turned out to be!

Kara and her group went and performed in front of easily a couple hundred people, if not more.  I was so proud of her!  The girls were dancing to a song they’d only heard this past week and they had not focused too much on this dance as they are working on their competition piece for a competition coming up in January.  So, overall, the girls did amazing! 

Center stage prior to the show starting

Backstage with the other Sunbeam dancers

Hanging out with friends waiting their turn

Watching and waiting in the wings

Kara is the one laying down on the end, waiting for her turn
to be woken up

Post show praises from Ms. Carolyn

Brent’s cousin Shiloh, her husband, and one of their boys who live on that side of town came to watch the performance.  It was so good to see them and to enjoy walking around the lights at Glendale Glitters with them for a few minutes!  We love spending time with their family, and too often, we let the distance (roughly a 45-minute drive) prevent us from seeing them more often.  Anyway, after we were done looking at lights we went over to Shiloh’s home for cookies, hot chocolate and some game time.  The perfect ending to a great night!

With that, this week is a wrap!  This next week offers a new bundle of adventures and excitement for the Nutt House and we eagerly anticipate each adventure!

This little goofy Nutt is ready always ready for his next adventure!