Bailey and Gabriella's Christmas Program - December 11th

I'm so glad that we still have Christmas programs at our school. I remember singing my heart out in them when I was a child. Sometimes our society makes me sad because of so many decisions to get rid of that which can be priceless. Anyways, bravo to the Renton school district for continuing the beloved Christmas program! I really enjoyed hearing my kids sing "Frosty the Snowman" and "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer!"

Bailey's in the very back. (Part of being one of the tallest kids!)

At home, after the program - had to get a picture - so cute! (The white stuff on Ella's dress is frosting from doing Gingerbread houses in class. She really piled on the candy! I had a blast helping the Kinders with this project - most don't know when to say when! )

SnowFlake Lane - December 9th (After Santa Pics)

This is SnowFlake Lane - if you've been, you know it's a blast; if you haven't and plan on visiting around Christmas, this is definitely something you need to see! We've been every year they've been drumming and my kids really have a ball dancing around, laughing and oooing and awwwing over the drummers! The music is so loud that you can feel it and they broadcast it through downtown Bellevue. At the end, comes the snow (made out of dish soap that spews from the roof tops of the businesses) much to the children't delight! It's quite the production! The Snow Princess - new this year! (I think she looks like she should be in the game Candyland!)
Gabriella and Lydia gettin' down with Penguin!

Bailey (after eating a candy cane) standing where the drummers stand!

Let it snow!

Hugs from the penguin (also new this year)!

It's Tradition and We Love it!!! December 9th

Pictures with Santa
Rigtrup Clan
August (in front), Toby and Avery on Santa's lap
Lydia standing in red dress, my kids and Caleb
(Becky's 3 boys were sick and couldn't make it)
Bailey actually wrote Santa this letter 2 years ago and it was on the the big guy's desk!

Cheese! Standing in line to see Mr. C

Avery (Cory & Brea's), my Ella, Lydia (Jake & Cindy's)

Every December we take a trip to Bell Square in Bellevue to see Santa (he's the best around) and have pictures taken. We've done this ever since Bailey's first Christmas. We now have 8 (years) pictures decorating the house at Christmas time. It's fun to see the kids grow and they look so precious in their Christmas outfits. I also appreciate hearing what the kids tell Santa they want - it keeps me on my toes!

At the same time my kids have their individual pictures we also do one for the Grandparents. (It didn't work out this year for my side of the family.) I love to see the kids interact with each other and both Grandmas really appreciate the picture each year! Then we head down to watch the drumming soldiers on SnowFlake Lane.

Smith Tower Christmas Party - December 6th

Last year we were new to Hyrum's company (Compass) and we went to his work Christmas party 2 weeks after he started. It was at a tiny little resturant and soooo BORING! So you can imagine my excitement when we got the invitation in September that his party this year would be at the Smith Tower downtown in the ever famous Chinese Room.

We had a blast! We ate, we danced, we socialized and walked around the top of the tower for a panoramic view of Seattle at night. So fun!

I'd love to show pictures but unfortunately we forgot our camera! So I'm posting a picture of the Smith Tower in daylight. We also walked out of the house without taking pictures of us all dressed up. Oh well - next year....

"Mommy let's have a tea party!" November

This is a phrase I hear all the time - and I love it! Gabriella was born all girl and really enjoys imagining whether it's with us, her friends or her dolls. I had to share this experience as it was a little more elaborate then usual!

When she asked me to come to the party she had laying out on her bed a full princess outfit (in her size 6 mind you), jewels, gloves, shoes (the plastic dress up type) and a crown. I did what I could by wrapping a feather boa around and putting on the jewels and crown. (There was no way I was going to fit "Princess Aurora" costume and I looked like one of the ridiculous "Step Sisters" trying to get those shoes on!) After we were formally ready for the party she introduced me to her guests - Madison "the doll," Anacordes Bubblegum" another doll," Sofia "the cat" and ? "the poodle" (Gabriella knows each and every one of her animals and dolls - I just need to catch up.) as "GRANDMA!" What?! I had to bite my lip as she was dead serious. We dined on plastic jewels (apparently cookies) and drank pretend tea because she "really doesn't like real tea."

Well, this was one memory that will live forever in the "Grandma's" mind! I love you "My Sweet Ellabee!"

Soccer Season Ends for Bailey and Gabriella (mid November)

This year was Bailey's 3rd year in Soccer and Gabriella's 1st. It was great to watch both of them at different levels. We really enjoyed soccer this year!

Bailey had fun and scored a lot. He also got to be goal-keeper this year in a few different games. He is so natural at sports and so team-oriented!

We kept asking Gabriella if she wanted to play soccer and she kept responding "I want to dance and do cheer." Hyrum really wanted her to try soccer this year so we told her she could do dance, cheer and soccer (I know, I know, we were insane with the schedule we kept this fall!). To cinch the deal we also had to buy her "pink" soccer shoes! She did awesome though even if she didn't score a goal this season - I know she's only going to get better!

Bailey about to score a goal!
Fancy footwork!

(Gabriella in the pig-tails next to the girl in the green.)

Bailey just before soccer season started!

Gabriella in her "pink" soccer shoes starting the season!

It's a TWILIGHT kind of a night! November 21st

Marcie, Me and Toni at the Pre-party! (I made these sparkle Twilight shirts!)
At the theater before the movie. Everyone in the picture is part of our group!

So excited for TWILIGHT!

Wheren't the Twilight books so good?! I loved them so natually I was really excited for the Twilight movie to come out! I watched the trailers over and over and followed Stephenie Meyer's website for scoop. Unfortunately, I was really dissappointed in the movie. I thought that it could have been cast better and the special effects were anything but special (to me they sucked). And I hated the bluish tint to the whole movie. I tried to find something nice to say about it and the only thing I can come up with is that I had a whole lotta fun with my friends that night seeing the midnight show! We were a group of over 50 so AMC gave us our own theater to be in. We got there early, just after the pre-party at a friends house, so we had a lot of time to talk and laugh. That was so fun! Hopefully New Moon will be better!

Maybe I should see Twilight again - probably not!