I'm not feeling super wordy today. Jared and I talked ourselves silly trying to keep our 7/8-year-old primary class from rioting in church yesterday, and I'm honestly still in a daze. When there are less than 5 kids in our class it's lovely, but there were nearly 10 this week and it felt more like a dicey daycare than a church classroom. For an extra layer of difficulty, Alice doesn't get a nap on Sunday mornings and she is at the wiggliest age. Dear Santa, could you bring me and Jared classroom management textbooks in our stocking this year, plz and thank u. Alice starts nursery in a few months and our class will get a tiny bit smaller in the new year, so hopefully that will help.
And now, here are some pictures from our lovely week!
^^One of my favorite parts of living in a small town is the Christmas Parade. The local fire department and police department drive up and down every street in our town over the course of a few nights. The vehicles are decked out in Christmas lights, and Santa and Mrs. Claus ride on top of the fire truck. Police officers pass out stickers and the Grinch passes out candy canes. Our small town in Wyoming did this too. One of my favorite parts of the Christmas season.
^^I got this cheap little hip baby carrier to give my back a bit of a break. Alice wants me to hold her much of the day, but it can be a pain to get her in and out of the front pack multiple times. I like that I can just pop her on and off this little "hip bench." Makes it easier to dance around the kitchen together, which is her favorite activity. Even Jack loves to carry her on it!
^^It was pretty warm on Jack's last day of school, and it was a half day. We invited a neighbor friend to our backyard for the afternoon and Alice was in heaven playing in the playhouse. I have a feeling this next summer is going to be the summer of the playhouse. Oh, and here is a PSA not to buy a wooden playhouse if you live somewhere rainy. Ours is covered in grime and probably mold and it's less than two years old. I'm hoping a quick power wash in the summer will help.
^^I just love this view. Christmas tree bare on the bottom from Alice pulling off all the ornaments. Bows likewise pulled off all the presents. Paper Christmas chains wrapped around the tree and gift bags full of odds and ends that Jack wrapped up as gifts--hung up high because Alice kept dumping them out. Legos on the coffee table and Alice playing a new game where she tugs Jared's shirt and he nuzzles into her while she laughs and laughs. Home Alone soundtrack on repeat in the background. Happy holidays everybody!
