Christmas Morning 2014

Christmas Eve 2014

Christmas Recital

delicious white chocolate raspberry cake from my studio families

New Beds

before

before

a surprisingly large room with no furniture

after

2014 Sunday School Program

Cookies

It's nice to be able to pawn off delegate some of the holiday baking to my girls. The cookies looked interesting, and were well-sprinkled and adorned this year.

Rudolph?

Annie wanted very little from Santa this year. I think her exact list was:

1. pink
2. purple
3. necklace
4. candy cane
5. bracelet
6. reindeer

Santa was able to deliver five of the six. Annie took matters into her own hands to complete the list when she found some red food coloring.

The Happy Elf

In her "workshop"

A Pre-Christmas Surprise

Steven Curtis Chapman was coming to town! I had a chance to be in the backup choir, which would have been a great surprise for Dayna - but I ended up with laryngitis when rehearsals started.

Then I had a chance to volunteer at the concert with Dayna - but we didn't hear back in time.

Then my dear friend Tina, who attends the host church, not only managed to score three tickets at the last minute for us - she also managed to get us some free CDs.

Imagine Dayna's surprise when we got dressed up and went out with one of her friends to see Steven Curtis Chapman live. Not only that, her other Christian musical hero, Brandon Heath, was one of the guest artists.

Christmas Music

Dan, Dayna and I had the privilege to provide music before and between services one week during the Advent season. Enjoy a duet with Dayna, playing "O Come, All Ye Faithful."

Oh Christmas Tree - Part 3

And the winner is...a not so perfect, not quite six foot tree.

It was so much fun watching them help each other tonight.

Annie, admiring her candy cane hanging skills - all at her eye level.

The not-so-perfect, tiny tree turned out pretty well. Once again, it's completely adorned with non-breakable decorations for the tiny hands that might be overly curious. And the big kid is happy to have a train around his tree again.

Oh Christmas Tree - Part 2

I've been in Nebraska 18 years now. When it comes to choosing a Christmas tree, I don't think it will ever feel like home.

First, we found the PERFECT tree! Six feet tall - a bit on the small side, but it looked healthy and really wanted to come live with us for a month.

 

Until we saw that it would be $96. Yikes!

 

 This tree was a little more Annie's size. She was super excited about the "tiny tree." And while we could have afforded it, I don't think it would have taken very long to decorate.

Not to be outdone, Dayna found one her size. Looking better, but still not quite right.

Stay tuned for the winner.