Haley's Debut

Programs, get your programs! Moms, Dads, Grandmas and Grandpas, get your ad-stuffed, five-dollar, useless-and-will-go-in-the-garbage-when-we-get-home-but-Haley-might-get-a-computer-in-her-classroom, an-extra-slide-on-the-playground, or-edible-lunchroom-food programs right here! Step up, step up! Come one, come all, to 'The Greatest Kindergarten Christmas show this side the Mississippi!' Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Stansbury Elementary School is proud to present the one, the only, the dazzling, the amazing, the magnificent and marvelous . . . Haley "Princess" Helms!

This was Haley's first performance and she was very excited about performing in front of a full house. She practiced and practiced at home. She was excited that Laura and I would be there too. Allie was excited for Haley, but also wanted to perform.

Haley played the part of an elf. The entire Kindergarten class participated. I suppose that this is the beginning of many more activities to come.

Haley was given a real hammer for this performance. She was an elf and she was in charge of building doll houses. She started out on the far left.

Then, she moved over to sit by a boy. The boy got nervous and quickly moved, or so we thought. Upon his return he said, "If you love somebody, let them go. If they return, they were always yours." Haley is still stunned at what true love feels like, hence the face!

Haley has been practicing using vibrato and she was so excited to use it at the performance. She calls it her "opera" way of singing.

Where's Haley? Oh, she's dancing. Told you she was magnificent.

First, Haley performs in kindergarten plays.

Then, she wins American Idol.

Next, she signs a record deal.

Lastly, my retirement is fully funded. So, supporting her in kindergarten performances pays off in the long run. I'm so glad she had fun. Little did you know that Allie was a prodigy, playing the piano at age three. Now, I can get the Ferrari I've always wanted, along with jet skis, a mansion on the lake, four-wheelers, and a few other humble items.

Gingerbread Houses

Every year the girls get together with all their cousins and decorate gingerbread houses. It's a fun tradition and one that the girls always look forward to. So, in the spirit of tradition and to remind the girls of Grandma and Papa, we decorated a gingerbread house. The only difference this year, Laura made the gingerbread house from scratch. She spent hours and hours in the kitchen lovingly preparing the gingerbread house for decoration. She did a great job and built a strong house. She had a lot of fun.

The windows are made out of melted candy-canes and give the appearance of stained glass. Laura spent a lot of time on them and they look great. The girls loved them.

She spent about five hours preparing the house for decoration.

Here'a a better look at the windows. A friend from Church gave a class on how to build your own gingerbread house from the ground up. Papa, we need a quote to insure this house.

Rather than take the girls to the dentist for teeth-whitening treatments, Laura let them eat marshmellows while they decorated the gingerbread house. They covered the roof. Laura used some type of sticky candy topping on the roof for the marshmellows. Some vandals knocked out the windows. Papa, we need to file a claim on our homeowners insurance now.

The reason for so few skittles around the house . . . Haley and Allie.

This is the finished product. The girls were proud of their creation. It looks great. Laura did a great job too.

Look at those smiles!

Spirit of Chrismas

This year we've tried to focus on the true meaning of Christmas with the girls. We've spoken of Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection. We've read Luke 2, the expriences of Samuel the Lamanite, and we've also read of Jesus' visit to the Americas in the Book of Mormon. Haley and Allie have really enjoyed this Christmas season and also have enjoyed giving service and doing things for others. Haley drew this picture in church on Sunday and she was so proud of it. We thought it was really cute. We thought y'all might enjoy it too.

Christmas Music

This is our favorite christmas song. We have yet to hear it on the radio here in Salt Lake City. Hope you enjoy it. We'll upload lots of Christmas pictures and videos tomorrow. Happy Christmas eve. Here are the lyrics so you can sing along. Hey! Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ee-oh-da) Santa's got a little friend, His name is Dominick. The cutest little donkey, You never see him kick. When Santa visits his paisons, With Dominick he'll be. Because the reindeer cannot, Climb the hills of Italy. Hey! Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ee-oh-da) Jingle bells around his feet, And presents on the sled. Hey! Look at the mayor's derby, On top of Dominick's head. A pair of shoes for Louie, And a dress for Josephine. The labels on the inside says, They're made in Brooklyn. Hey! Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ee-oh-da) Children sing, and clap their hands, And Dominick starts to dance. They talk Italian to him, And he even understands. Cumpare sing, Cumpare su, And dance 'sta tarantel. When jusamagora comes to town, And brings du ciuccianello. Hey! Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) It's Dominick the donkey. Chingedy ching, (hee-haw, hee-haw) The Italian Christmas donkey. (la la la-la la-la la la la la) (la la la-la la-la la-ee-oh-da) Hey! Dominick! Buon Natale! (hee-haw, hee-haw) (hee-haw, hee-haw) (hee-haw, hee-haw) (hee-haw, hee-haw) (hee-haw, hee-haw) (hee-haw, hee-haw)

Emily's Climbing

Emily has decided that rather than walk, she is going to climb. I took her to the golf course the other day to walk 18 holes with me. I thought we could spend some quality time together and I could teach her to walk. We were talking about climbing and what a horrible thing it is. I gave her one of her first lectures. I explained that in golf you go: whack, crap! But, in climbing you go: crap, whack! She still does not understand and she refuses to walk.

Random Pics

Laura decided to take up knitting. She is knitting each of the girls a scarf for Christmas.

It snowed the other morning and we just could not keep Allie from going outside and playing. She is definitely a "snow bunny". She loves the cold, wet snow and plays outside for hours.

I was trying to make a snowball, but the snow was too powdery.

Allie didn't care that the snow was too powdery, she just wanted someone to get hit with snow. So, I was a good sport and let her throw powder at me.

We've never seen snow like this. Allie is three. Hopefully she'll remember some of this snow when she's older.

Haley 3.5 Years Ago

We were all gathered around when Allie was born on April 20, 2006. She was born on my 26th birthday. What a present!

I cannot remember who, but someone bought Haley an "I'm the big sister" t-shirt.

Probably not eating a bugger! PopPop is in the background holding Allie. After holding Allie for only two minutes, PopPop couldn't resist. Haley was talking to Nana on the phone, explaining Allie's birth. At this age she loved shoes and the phone.

I don't know why there is no sound. Sorry.

This is Haley Helms' live telemarketing resume. Please consider her for an inbound or outbound customer service position. Her specialities lie in sales and customer retention. She boasts a polite and pleasant phone voice. She is able to make quick decisions independently and is always confident, reliable, and personable. She is tri-lingual (English, Spanish, and Japanese). She learned Japanese by watching Sesame Street in Japanese at age two. When they spoke they seemed to yell Japanese on Sesame Street. Therefore, Haley belives that yelling English or Spanish to the top of one's lungs is speaking Japanese. She only speaks Japanese to customers when customers speak Japanese to her first.