Christmas Cookie Contest

Raterink Christmas 2015

Walcott Christmas 2015

Our Christmas

Merry Christmas 2015

Nykamp Cousins Christmas Play

"And there were shepherds..."

 

Senior Survivor 2015

I put in about 66 hours at school this past week working with students and staff on West Ottawa High School's Senior Survivor. 

 

It's a knockoff of the show "Survivor," but the contestants are high school students stranded at West Ottawa High School for up to a week. 

 

The twist though is it is actually a FUNdraiser. 

 

We raised over $16,000 for our charity WinWO (When in Need West Ottawa). 

 

The Holland Sentinel even put us on the front page! 

 

 

I'm very proud to be a part of the team of staff and students that pulled this off. Go WO!

 

You can watch our six special WOHS Senior Survivor programs here.

 

 

The Reason

In catching up with all our Christmas happenings on here, I unfortunately missed the "Reason for the Season" according to my five year old.  A serious error on my part.  I thought it was worth revisiting; besides, it kinda feels like Christmas outside doesn't it?

Brighton reciting Luke 2, Christmas 2013 from Lindsay Walcott on Vimeo.

Jingle Bells

 Tily is a bit behind with the holidays tunes, and now she's a bit obsessed with Jingle Bells.  No other song will do.  It's gotta be Jingle Bells.

Jingle Bells by Tily from Lindsay Walcott on Vimeo.

Our Own Christmas Morning

Christmas with the Fam...Again

The Walcotts gather on Christmas Eve for a celebrating frenzy. It must also be noted that we had our own nativity again this year.  What a fun way to remember the reason for the season!  Brighton didn't want anything to do with it.  My assigned role was the donkey [insert your jokes, chuckles, and snickers here]. Loved it.  It's amazing what a great costume a scrap piece of fabric can create.

New earmuffs for this mama, and Brighton even took this picture of me.

Ho...Ho...Nope

We have really screwed up with the whole Santa thing.  We haven't put much emphasis on him over the years.  I'm not even talking about believing in him or not believing in him.  Our son just doesn't care about him much.  He knows he gets presents from other people, and the thought of sitting on a stranger's lap freaks him out.  It's not even worth a present.  Tily on the other hand has been talking about Santa a lot.  I selfishly wanted a picture of my kids with Santa, but I finally decided that freaking out at a local store or restaurant wasn't worth it.  

Then I remembered that we own a Santa Suit.  So I talked to Brighton about it, and we decided on a Daddy...I mean Santa visit Saturday night.  Great compromise, right?  Not so much.  Brighton thought it was great, but I think we may have scarred Tilden for life.  Go figure.  We screwed up with Santa again.  Tily was still scared the next morning.  I thought it was a great idea, but I think it turned into darn near parenting cruelty.

You can't see Tilden freak out, but you can hear her, and you can see the camera jolt after she clings on to me for dear life.  Ho...ho...nope.

Christmas Party #1

First celebration of the season goes to the extended Genzink clan.
Plus, they do it up right: lots of fun people, catered dinner, gym to play in, many yummy desserts, and there are gifts.

Life is good.  Bring on the holidays!

Christmas According to the Walcotts

 

 

 

 

Walcott Christmas Eve Devotions 2012 from Lindsay Walcott on Vimeo.