For this year at least.  (Kevin is celebrating, as I am usually dragging him along to the parties, since it is me who really wants to be there.)  It all started with our ward party, the first weekend in December.  I, being the crazy person I am, volunteered the Primary to both sing and perform the Nativity – and so we were the only entertainment for the party. 

It actually went very well.  They sang great, and since Lily had learned the song at home with us, I let her join the kids for the singing.  She was so adorable up there!!  She stood up straight and tall, and just sang her heart out :).  But it gets better . . .

 The whole time I was planning the Nativity, in the back of my mind I kept hearing a little voice saying, "Lily will want to be in it.  There's no way you can keep her out of it.  You might as well get an angel costume together for her."  I completely pushed the voice aside, and when it came time for the program, there was Lily, standing with the little group of angels, draped in a scrap of white fabric someone had given her, ready to perform :).  She did a great job, but everyone's favorite parts were when she announced to everyone, "That's baby Jesus!" as all the other angels were silently filing on stage, and when she went  over to the manger and straightened baby Jesus's swaddling clothes.  That's my girl.

Party number two, was my Primary Board Party, and I already posted about it, but it sure was fun!  Oh, later on, I found one of the white elephant gifts I gave away – a silly bunny hot pad that I was so happy to get rid of – hanging from my shower head, with a note saying, "You can't get rid of me that easily."  (Sounds like war . . .)

  Party number three, was Kevin's Battalion Christmas Party.  It was a nice dinner, and we got to watch a slide show of the members of his unit who are in Iraq.  The highlight for Lily, was when Santa came.  He gave her a candy cane, and completely made her day. Derek even got to meet Santa.  After the party was over, Lily, being ever the entertainer, hopped up on the stage and sang "Jingle Bells," all while shaking her cute little hips.  It was made even better by the fact she was wearing her green polar bear pj's and her pink cowgirl boots.  I was so entranced by the performance, that I could even take a picture.  That silly and adorable girl!

The most fun part of the night, however, was getting to see Santa's mode of transportation – but you'll have to see it to believe it . . .