December's festivities started off with a bang around here! we've already had two Christmas concerts, mailed off most the Christmas cards, started delivering our traditional bottles of bubbly to neighbors and friends, visited Santa, and decorated... whew!
every grade through 6th grade puts on a Christmas concert every December. the third grade classes made up their own performance for the concert, which spiced things up! some wrote new lyrics to songs, other classes made up a dance to go along with a Christmas carol, and some wrote their own songs on xylophones. Charlie's class did a performance on bucket drums and although leading up to it he acted like it was dumb, he was really excited the night of the concert. it was fun to watch him perform!
owen's preschool put on the same concert they did last year, but this time his class was the nativity. while we were watching all the kids come up to the stage, we couldn't see Owen anywhere! thinking maybe he was in the bathroom or something, we didn't think too much of it. when the concert started and he still wasn't on stage, we decided to look around for him. turns out, he was playing the part of Joseph and was awaiting a special entrance during the performance! little stinker never told us!
and a great Jospeh he was!
Owen is in the front row to the right in this video performing We Three Kings. his ending dab was an awesome surprise!
the big kids did NOT want to go see Santa this year... bah humbug! so Owen and I spent a morning at the mall, hanging out with Rudolph, making crafts, and then going on a hunt around the entire mall to find Santa (who happened to be "sleeping"in the new trampoline park)! when Owen told Santa that he wants a very soft blue robe for Christmas this year, Santa said with a chuckle "I think you're the first child that's ever asked me for a soft robe!"
each of the elementary kids gets to make a ceramic ornament in art class and then their class walks from the school to their tree downtown that lines the sidewalks in the village and they hang their ornaments on their class tree. Charlie's class tree is right in from of Whit's Frozen Custard shop this year and I was able to be there for the tree decorating!
two days after they decorated their trees, a big wind storm swept through the village and many ornaments were shattered. somehow Charlie's snowman came out triumphant and is still hanging!
last Saturday we headed out to Homestead Farms to find the fattest, fullest, most perfect Christmas tree!
we picked a Canaan Fir, which apparently are quite popular around here. it smells divine!
after hot cocoa, we took a hayride around the farm, which was very fun. at one point on the ride we passed a shed with a few of the farm workers inside and Owen stood up and yelled "HO HO HO! MEEEEEERY CHRISTMAAAAAS!", which gave them a good laugh. he keeps us on our toes, that Owen!
Saturday evening, we went to the Granville Candlelight Walking Tour with DeLauna. it is magical! luminaries and Christmas trees line and light up the sidewalks in our village. a horse drawn carriage goes up and down the Main Street and every shop is open with bands playing, cider and hot cocoa, and lots and lots of cookies. vendors set up shop all over and the library displays multiple train sets and games throughout each level of the historic building. its so beautiful and picturesque!
we played our annual Root Beer Guessing Game with 6 new root beers. they were:
Dang!
Oak Barrel
Bulldog
Moneybags (Gene Simmon's new soda)
Faygo
Brownie
Brownie and Faygo were our favorites and Ellie was the winner of the game, guessing 3 out of 6.
on Monday before preschool, Owen and I went to Groveport to serve at the Bishop's Storehouse. it was fun! truthfully, many of the missionary couples were obviously perturbed that Owen was there. but part way through they stopped everyone for a quick spiritual thought, prayer, and a few instructions, and when they asked, Owen was able to shout out the 3 items that were not supposed to be bagged when no one else did, and I think he won them over :)
plus, he loved the cleaning at the end
Ellie being silly with chris in the kitchen, making crazy faces in the steam from our refried beans haha
last night I took jack to the local range to practice archery because its just too cold right now to do it in the backyard. he's got a fun shoot tournament this weekend, so he's trying to get as much practice time in as possible.
when we go to the range, we know we will see Matiga...
Matiga is the owner's Great Dane/mastiff dog. and he is very good. but he's huge. and he drools. he stood there with his head in my chest/lap area for the hour we were there. I was ready to leave and wash my coat after 5 min haha. but he's a good dog and all our kids like going to the shop to say hi to him and Sue (the owner) when jack needs to make a stop at Broken Arrow Archery.
this week our Christmas celebrations continue with Ellie's concert, caroling with the youth at church this evening, a date night Dominoes party, our ward christmas party, gingerbread houses, and i'm sure much more!
