School Christmas Parties

Today were the school Christmas parties. I was able to get the day off so I could go in and help out. At Greenbrier Christian they couldn't have Santa Claus on the plates or napkins, last year at the public school they had a Holiday party, things are so different.

Kristina's class had a 'Colonial' type party, making different colonial item. One toy was called and 'Whirly gig', and one boy had to say, "I don't want to make a girly wig!' How do they think of these things. :-)

They also made candles by dipping them. In Kristina's group hers was the biggest.

Luba's class had a Christmas around the world theme. They had a Pinata for 'Mexico'. Luba was so strong she knocked it right off the ceiling so everyone then had to hit it on the floor.

They had a meal with foods from different countries,

and did a short Christmas skit, Luba was an Inn Keeper.

Michael's class had a Birthday cake for Jesus and played some games in the room.

All of this was during a three hour day. I spent the morning running from place to place depending on what each child was doing. They are had a great time and can't wait for Christmas to come.

Mom x3

Christmas Concert

Tonight was the Christmas Concert. The fifth grade choir sang along with the High School Choir. It was so good to hear the Chrismas songs or for that matter to hear people say 'Merry Christmas'. Last year the 'Winter Concert' at the public school was 'Chrismas around the World', with no mention of Jesus.

At the begining of the concert this was a blank posterboard and these two students were painting the whole time. It was amazing.

Mom x3

Christmas pictures

Today after church Allison came over to take our pictures for our Christmas card. The kids love having their picture taken and want to do many different poses. Looking back on our pictures the past two years I decided to have us color coordinated, instead of just whatever we were wearing at the time. That made these turn out much better.

Everyone wanted to stand under the mistletoe

Not sure how happy Hazel was. :-)

Michael loves the big Santa.

wanting to eat candy canes

Three litte elves.

Mom x3

Last UVA game and Williamsburg

Saturday we went to Charlottesville for the last game of the season. We were hopeful, but since we were playing Virginia Tech, we knew it wasn't going to be an easy game. It was cold and all the kids were wearing long johns and at least 4 shirts. They kept saying they had never worn that many shirts, but I know it got much colder in Ukraine. No one complained of being cold. I was glad we had so many layers on. The first half was close, but the team decided not to show up for the second half. We can look forward to next year since there will be a new head coach. Hey, things can only get better. On the way home we ate at Five Guy's, (burgers just as good as In-and-Out), in outside of Richmond. We spent the night in Williamsburg.

This morning we went to the Outlets just to look around. We hadn't been there since we got the kids and acutally didn't buy very much. The weather was beautiful, much warmer than yesterday. After the outlet we drove to Colonial Williamsburg. Next week will be the Grand Illumination, one day we will take the kids, when they are older and can stay up later.


We walked down Duke of Glouseter Street and saw a Colonial Santa.


They had to have their pictures taken in the stocks. They said they weren't that bad until they were told people had to stay there all day.


Not very comfortable sitting down!

We walked all the way to the end of the street to the Capitol. The kids were excited to see the buildings which I cross-stiched which are hanging in their bedrooms.

On a stump outside the Capitol.

The Palace, unfortunately it was getting too dark to take many more pictures. Years ago when I would go with my mom we would always sneak into the Palace Gardens. The gate on the left is always open and we would just walk in and no one ever stopped us. Although two adults is much different than five adults and three kids walking, (Allison, Brian, and Cliff were with us). Well we walked up to the gate, pushed and it opened. A few in the party were reluctant to proceed and had to have some coaxing, but finally everyone came in. Suprisingly enought there was a worker right inside the courtyard and he didn't say anything to us. We just walked as fast as we could down to the pond. Too bad we didn't have any bread for the fish. The fish in the pond are huge!, but we could hardly see them since it was so dark. We weren't able to spend much time back there due to the darkness and the kids being uneasy walking around gardens in the dark. Next time we sneak in it will be when it is lighter so they can enjoy what they are seeing.

A colonial fur.

Mom x3

Putting up Christmas decorations

This morning I was awakened by Michael telling me the Christmas tree was up. I told him no, we would be putting it up later. He insisted it was up. I had gone to bed at midnight and John had stayed up and put the tree up by himself, a 9-foot heavy one! Now it was my and the kids job to put the rest of the items around. I had to realx in the morning, I was so tired from yesterday. We started getting the bins out of the attic at 12:30 and by 4:30 everything was up. All the ornaments, stockings, stuffed animals, Precious Moments, and swags and candles in the windows. We worked like in a frenzy.

Then everyone came back over by 5:00 for leftovers. Some of the food was even better the second time around! After the kids went to bed we played Battle of the Sexes. The women won. Then we watched Taken, an excellent movie.

Exhausted Mom x3, will post pix later

Thanksgiving

We have so much to be thankful for this year! We had everyone over for dinner except my parents who were down in South Carolina. Amy and Greg had their first baby on Monday the 23rd so they will be down there until next week some time. Still we ended up having 16 people!

the youngest cousins in each family Kendall and Michael

Lil people Mayflower and Thanksgiving dinner.

Hazel watching over the turkeys on the steps and S'mores.

Kitchen table where 8 people sat, 8 more were in the Sun room.

The finished turkey, I did a good job if I do say so myself!

Everyone waiting for the food to get finished.

We really had too much food, we needed twice as many people or half as much food, but it was all so good.

There were a total of 6 pies. After the kids were in bed we watched I love you Man! The language was not good, but the story line was pretty funny.

By 11:00 everything was cleaned up and I had switched all the dishes out so the Christmas ones were ready to go. Tomorrow we will get all the Christmas decorations up and everyone will come over for leftovers.

Mom x3