Didn't you know? Zebra is the new plaid!

I feel like next Sunday is actually Christmas Sunday since it falls during the Christmas weekend, but since the kids were singing in Sacrament meeting today, I felt like I had to dress them in their Christmas clothes.

I searched everywhere for Christmas clothes and I couldn't find anything I liked. I have done the red and green, or red and black plaid many times and I always find myself annoyed that come March I can no longer send the kids to church in their Christmas duds because they look too season specific. I was looking for something that said Christmas but didn't scream it with jingle bells.

I finally went to Gymboree outlet but they already had their Spring line in so I was about to move on when I saw the cutest stuff on clearance. I told Seth I had found what I wanted the girls to wear. I told him it was wintery without being strictly for Christmas. I took him back to Gymboree and he thought I was kidding when I showed him what I'd picked. He said, "you really want to put the girls in animal print for Christmas?" Uh, I did a minute ago. Isn't Christmas the first image that comes to your mind when you think of animal print clothing? I almost changed my mind. I thought, is this irreverent? Then I thought, I don't care. Who decided that red and green plaid was the only appropriate Christmas attire?

So I went for it and I love the girls' outfits.

Then there was Mr. Alex. I wanted to keep him in black and white too but he refused a new tie unless it was green. So we got him an argyle sweater to go over it, which he hates. He was scratching it and shoving it at the store to try to get it away from him. He hates to wear dressy clothes. Every time we told him he looked handsome he would wrinkle up his nose and squint his eyes and make what I can only refer to as the "Grandma King" face. If you know my grandma you know that she wears her opinion on her face, and Alex inherited that very honest face. We cracked up all the way to church every time we happened a glance at Alex in the rear view mirror. He was so miserable! But notice that he is wearing his Converse so there is still a hint of the real Alex there.

Enough of the yacking, I know you just want to see the pictures. Seth only gave me 2 minutes to snap these because it was 8:10 and it takes 20 minutes to get to church which starts at 8:30. Here's what I got.

My little zebra girls!

Standing up so you can see their outfits. If you happen to be looking at the reindeer on the table and thinking it is uncharacteristic, you are right. It is. You know I prefer naked tables and counter tops, and a knick-knack free living environment. But, the realtor we worked with when we moved here brings us a new Christmas decoration every year, and I think it is so thoughtful that I display it on that table for a couple of weeks.

I think Alex looks like a model in this one. Don't tell him, he will crumple his face.

And now he looks like a wild eyed maniac, but I love this one of Chloe

Chloe kept putting her hands over her face so we told her to put her hands down and she did this. Chloe is the class clown and she will do anything to be silly and get a laugh. Alex was amused.

She finally put her hands down and threw us a mean face, but now Alyssa is right on the money.

Almost there, but is it even possible to get a good picture of all three?

It is, indeed! This last one is my favorite because they all look happy. Not in a forced smile, perfect kind of way either. They just look happy to me. That's all I wanted.

P.S. Seth's grandparents sent us the Christmas money that bought the Christmas clothes. I know we were supposed to wrap something and put it under the tree. We cheated, but thank you Grandma Grandma and Grandpa Grandpa for the adorable clothes. We made sure the kids knew where they came from and I will remember every time I look at these cute pictures.