Happy Valentine's Day from my little sweetie!

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Black Squirrel Night 2013

Third place winner in the 9-year old category! woot woot!

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Sunday School Christmas Program 2012

 

My pretty girl is definitely growing up, huh?

Tonight we had our church's Sunday School Christmas Program.  For a small group, they did a really nice job, and really did a good job of projecting their songs to the congregation.  Very good job! :)

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Allison's Valentines I Made for Her for School

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Post-Merry Christmas Greetings!

It's always so hard when Christmas is over....    We spend at least the month of December, perhaps even earlier, around Thanksgiving, beginning the preparations and talk about Christmas; shows are on TV; decorations are put up; plans are being made; gifts being purchased or made, etc etc etc.  The colors, the sights, the sounds...they are all so happy...so festive.  It's hard now to not be a little sad or melancholy that the festivities are technically...over....

We've had a good time, however.  At least since we've pushed the sickies out of our house, however.  I was sick with the stomach bug last weekend, and then poor Allison came down with it Tuesday. Thankfully Bruce did not come down with it (crossing fingers that it still doesn't catch up with him at this later date).

We spent Christmas Eve Day here at home, just Allison and myself.  Bruce had to run out west to one of the other radio stations for some emergency maintenance.  Then Sunday we were able to travel down to my sister Amy's house with all the other fam members.  That was really nice.   Then today we drove a total of just a couple of blocks to Bruce's folks' house for festivities with his side of the family.  We had very nice times all around. So very thankful for family close or fairly close by to gather with.


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Easter

Easter weekend this year...we had a good weekend.  I tutored on Saturday morning, but Bruce took Allison to the Easter egg hunt that Thrivent sponsored at Allison's school.  She came home with a lot of loot from that one. :)  He then took her to the egg hunt at the Country Club, so she was a happy girl.

Sunday, we went to Aunt Marilyn's house for a nice dinner with the family...everyone was there, and it is always a nice time.  Got to see my niece, baby Shelby again, but unfortunately did not get any pictures taken this time. It was a pretty nice time weatherwise too.

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Advent Calendar...in a box

I bought this box a couple of years ago on a clearance sale after Christmas while Bruce and I were on one of our travels.  I don't even remember where...    This was the first year that I had gotten it out.  There are 24 little drawers in which you can put little presents, one for each day of December until you get to Christmas morning.   And when I say little, I mean little...I hadn't really thought about it ahead of time too much, but when I was trying to think of things and buy things to put in each drawer, it's not easy to find something that small.  There are small chocolate Santas, gummi Xmas Tree Crabby Patties, little lip glosses, Christmas stampers, etc.  

Being the first year that we've done this, I wasn't sure how exactly to handle it.  Allison is 6 years old...and still learning patience and waiting etc.    I didn't want to put the day's present in the drawer that day, as it would be very easy to forget, etc.   So, I loaded all 24 days' worth of presents, and hoped for the best.   I wasn't sure if Allison would peek ahead of time, etc.

So, the first day that I showed her the box, we talked about the fact that there were presents in all of the drawers and she could open one  drawer a day and when she got to the 24th drawer then it would be Christmas.  I encouraged her NOT to peek ahead of time, because surprises are fun, and if she looked ahead of time, she would know what they were ahead of time, and the surprise would be gone.  

By, golly, she GOT IT!  It is day13 today and she has been faithful of opening her daily drawer first thing in the morning, and has not looked or peeked ahead!  I'm really proud of her.  She isn't even acting like she is tempted.  Not really planned, this is an excellent addition to the lesson in waiting and patience...:)

HO HO HO!!

I was worried we wouldn't get a visit in with Santa this year, and THAT would be a bad, bad thing....I had to go up to church this afternoon for Sunday School stuff, and that was the same time as when Santa was in his house today.  I suggested to Daddy that maybe he could take her to visit Santa...and he did! :)  He even took these pictures when I left the camera for him (after saying that he wasn't "qualified" for that...bum! :)

Good Shepherd Lutheran School Christmas Program

Let's see, what are the words to that one Christmas song?...."It's the most wonderful time of the year....."  How very, very true...especially when you get to watch a beautiful little girl participate in her school program.  

It is harder than heck to get a good picture in the high school auditorium with the lighting there...I don't have a good enough camera, I suppose, not to mention that I am sitting in the audience... Regardless, I like this picture...Allison looks so pretty.  She looked really pretty in her dress.  

 This is the kindergarten class this year.  This is going to be her classmates for the next 12 years I suppose.  I am going out on a limb and saying that this is the largest class that Good Shepherd has ever had.  Add to that fact that 12 of them are boys and only 3 girls.  It's a high energy group of kids...but oh, so cute!

Opening Weekend to Seasonal Events

Ever since Bruce and I have lived in our current home, we have gone to Pinecrest Tree Farm and purchased a lovely tall tree...usually around 8' tall or so.  The first year we lived here, we did not have the wood stove on the tiled platform, so that provided a perfect "stage" for the tree (I think it might've been taller than 8' even).  When we got the wood stove, the tree had to move.  It's in the corner of the living room in front of one of the windows, and next to the TV.  It fits there, and it is fine.  I would not mind at all being able to move the furniture around here, however.  We moved in 8 years ago, now that I think about it; it was December 2002.  We still have the furniture in the SAME place.  Bruce is NOT one for change, obviously, and he won't let me move stuff around, change things up a bit.  I'm kinda getting off the initial subject here, but I suppose that's okay, too. :)


Anyhoo....We got the real tree on Saturday afternoon, got it up, decorated, etc.  We also put an artificial tree up on the second floor, by Allison's bedroom.  It's an "old" artificial tree with a lot of sentimental ornaments on it.  I have a Garfield ornament dated 1983, which is the oldest one that I can verify.  There is flat wooden painted cat that I have to almost wonder if it is even older than that...the kind that I remember having that was kind of like a paint by number thing.  Pretty much all of the ornaments have some type of story or memory or sentiment to it...whether it be something a student gave me while I was teaching, a gift from someone, a reflection of an important time in my/our lives, a representation of something, etc.   I have become more and more fond of Christmas ornaments as I get older.  While not a fanatic by any means, I have really started to enjoy the Hallmark ornaments. I wish I could afford more of them or justify paying that much for more of them.  I get a couple each year, and maybe one from the previous year now that it is on clearance, but I can't justify much more than that.    Of course, we have lots that represent Allison's place in our lives....:)