Actually, this week was the first one I’d been to – last week I had Keaton so wasn’t able to go. You have to take pictures before the matches begin, which is when I got this one of June and her teammates. Clover ended up winning by about 5 or 6 points. We were proud!

Lindee had told me how much cuter the shirts were this year than the ones they had last year, so I got this picture of Bug modeling hers after their victory 🙂

This was the program this week at the Performing Arts Series at the auditorium here in town. It was phenomenal. I thought about not going – we also had circle that night – but I am so glad I decided to go. Wow. This is one that for sure I am hoping will be back.

Jeff got me this puzzle for Christmas – perfect considering my recent trip. We had a stretch of bad days, and worked in this past week. So beautiful and surely does bring back some awesome memories.

Yesterday was the first time this year that Jeff & I were able to get to Charlie & Adam’s church league games in Rock Hill.  I got these pictures of our guys after their games.

When I picked Mason up from school on Wednesday we had about 45 minutes to kill until time to get in line at the middle school, as usual.  We often run errands or go to the church to get some work done, but I had Keaton that afternoon, so we just headed to Taco Bell to get a snack.  The boys thought that was a great idea.

Tuesday morning Jeff & I took the grand ones who weren’t on vacation bowling to close out the old year. While we were there Adam took my camera to record the event. I think that’s Clara he got in action. Looks like a gutter ball, but she scored the highest of any of the kids in the first game.

Group shot afterwards, before we headed to Waffle House for lunch 🙂

The Carl Sandburg Home Site was known as Connemara Farm, so named by the man who originally built the house in 1823. It was such a beautiful day that after we ate lunch we decided to take a quick stroll around the lake before we got in the car to head home. Absolutely gorgeous. Skipping rocks is a great way to spend time beside a mountain lake.

I could’ve looked at this view all day long. That reflection – wow.

Today Mallory, Charlie, Clara, Adam, & I were off on our second Christmas Break Adventure, to visit the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site.  I have been driving past the sign on the interstate for forty years and never been to see it, so today I roped the kids into going with me.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day to be outside in the mountains.  I got this picture of the house from the parking lot – and yes, we had to climb that hill to get to the house 🙂

Probably our favorite part of the visit – the kids’ especially – was the goat herd.  Carl’s wife Lillian was a champion goat breeder, one of the first to use truly scientific methods of breeding, and the goats are descendants of the herds she had when they lived there.  They were great.  You couldn’t feed them, so they were very used to being petted, but didn’t come running up jumping on you & begging for food. 

Yesterday Lesley and Connor were here for supper, and we had a crowd over for supper to spend time with them.  Everyone also got a chance to head to the basement to see Jeff and Mason’s Christmas village.

By the time I took this picture half of the people here had left, but it was still wild and crazy.  I loved it.