Christmas 2011

Hi everyone! As this December comes to a close, let's look back at all the FUN the Mitchens had in December... Here are some of the highlights!

Dec 3: Xmas Party at the Wollenburgs. My amazing group of friends got together over $800 and purchased presents for a family at the Julian Center (women escaping domestic abuse situations). We went shopping and came back to their house to wrap--all while celebrating w/ a few adult beverages of course!

Dec 8: My 35th B-day! I'm old! I had a great day... My friend Matt took me to lunch at Seasons 52 and we went to dinner w/ my family that evening! (Craig and I decided not to get each other b-day presents this year since we got a new HOUSE!)

Dec 10: Our friend Matt hosted a "Haunted Holiday Party". He lives in a restored 1880's home downtown Indy. The home itself is gorgeous and a good excuse to party, but he hired a medium to "read" the ghosts of the house. It was a blast.

Dec 15: Went downtown to look at Christmas lights & have hot chocolate on the circle.

Dec 17: Patterson (my mom's side) Christmas party! We spent the whole day in Madison at my Aunt Sue's house and of course, had a blast. Ellie is really getting into playing w/ her cousins and I didn't have to hold Evelyn all day :)

Dec 18: Aimee's Christmas Concert! We went to watch Aimee sing in a concert at the Rathskeller. We weren't sure what to expect, but it was seriously the BEST Christmas show ever! The event included singers from a bunch of local bands (everything from pop, blues, gospel, rock, etc) who were all so talented. Aimee was the only teenager asked to perform in the concert and she was amazing as always.

Dec 22: Matt took Jiffy to the IU game in Bloomington!!!! 12-0 baby!

Dec 23: The Hutchersons came over to visit & the kids had a blast making cookies and destroying my house!

Dec 24: Dinner w/ Grandpa, church w/ my family & home to feed Santa and the Reindeer!

Dec 25: Ellie & Evelyn must have been really good because they made out like bandits from Santa! Including a "Jumpy House", dolls, books, makeup, etc.... Grandma, Grandpa, JuJu & Bob came over later to give them MORE presents (including a play house!), then Doug, Janine, David & Pam came by to celebrate! Little did Pam know she would spend her evening playing Little People Zoo :) We had a wonderful day.

So far this week, it has been so nice out... we have played outside, had a visit from Aunt Sue, played in the snow (it snowed, but it's not too cold), visited friends... and now we are looking forward to the Skinner Christmas at Aunt Patty's on Friday!

Here are some pictures:

http://www1.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=5145861015/a=5766466_5766466/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Ellie and Ethan's Christmas Play

Ellie is in a one day a week pre-school class at Old Bethel, with her BFF "Effie"-- Ethan is Emily's youngest. For those that don't know, Emily is my BFF who lived across the street from us growing up. We are still close friends today, as are our kiddos!

Anyway, their class put on a "Christmas Play"... and when I say "Christmas Play" I mean 2 year olds half way paying attention to their teacher while the teacher reads a very condensed version of the first christmas. Then they sing two songs. And then I say "sing songs" I mean, the teachers sing the songs and a couple of the kids do a few of the motions!

And it's your lucky day! We got it on video! If you are wondering where Ethan is for most of the presentation, he is off playing in the corner :).

Ellie and Ethan Xmas from Jennifer Skinner on Vimeo.