Holiday Cheer

 School is out and the Casillas family is doing just about everything possible to get into the holiday spirit. I still can't believe how fast Christmas came this year. Before school go out, the kids both marched in a winter parade through Litchfield Park. Gianni marched with pack 990 for Cub Scouts and Carmen marched with her Daisy troop.

In addition to marching in a holiday parade, the kids were also in a school performance. Gianni was part of a singing group and Carmen had a speaking part as the wolf. If you click on this video link you will hear the end of their song and one of her lines. Just watch her facial expressions. She loves the microphone. Take a look at the awesome wolf costume that daddy made.
A wolf costume is hard work!
 http://youtu.be/DJWG8dxVBWA

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Next it is on to the winter dance recital. The girls did great! Here is Carm with her BFF Sophia. Both girls will be switching dance studios in January. Time to move on to a new studio and learn some new skills. I am so proud of her effort on stage.

If you click on this link you can see Carmen's dance on stage. She is the third to come on stage and once they leave the circle she is the third girl in from the end on the left side. She was not happy about having to be in the back row. They told her she is too tall to be in the front : ( 
 http://youtu.be/LJqP75ahmOk

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On Saturday night we went with my parents to the Desert Botanical Garden to see the luminaries and the Chihuly Glass Exhibit. We walked the grounds in our jackets and hats, ya know, because it's cold here at 48 degrees, and took in the beautiful colors.

My mom gave the kids these awesome hats. Everyone walked by Carmen and said, "look, it's a Chihuly hat!" She really did blend in well with the exhibit.

On Sunday we had chips and dip and watched the Cardinals game. We celebrated our win with gingerbread house making! Carmen thanked me 4 times. "Mom I know I already said it but thank you soooooooooo much!" She really loved adding candy and sprinkles to the house. Gianni had such a huge smile on his face and really got into the activity.  His goal was to make it 

look like the one in the picture.

Today was our first official day with no school so we went all out. First we hit the McCormick Stillman Railroad Park for two hours, then lunch, and then 3 hours at Crackerjaxs for some bumper boats, go carts, and mini golf.

Tonight it was the final finish to our holiday baking. One more batch of Pizzelles to take to Christmas Eve dinner and some fun cut out cookies for the kids.

One more gift to buy tomorrow, two casseroles to make for Christmas morning, and then I am officially done. I know, I waited to the last minute, but I had two beautiful reasons to put things off!