Last night was Clara’s chorus program at her school.  They did SUCH a good job.  She’s in third grade this year, so this is the first year she’s been in chorus.  That’s her second from the right, next to back row, with her eyes closed :-/

After the performance, with her biggest fan :-). Wonderful holiday evening…

When I got to their house Tuesday after school, Clara was so excited to show me the havoc their Elves on the Shelves had wreaked the night before 🙂

Sunday evening was the Christmas Pageant at church.  As always, you can’t imagine that it is ever going to come together, and then that evening it is pure perfection – no matter what has actually gone on up on stage.  This is just as the kids were finishing up practicing for the last time, before we went out to get them ready offstage.  It’s Meg Wilkes, who directed the program, Lee the curly horned sheep – wearing the horns his Aunt Meg made for Mason to wear last year 🙂 – and Ryland the shepherd praying before the program began. So sweet.

During the performance. That’s June in the Native American costume sort of to the left of the picture, and Mason is the king in gold to the right. “Come and worship, Worship Christ the newborn king.” I was so proud.

What a great weekend we had just past.  Sherri & I met Friday & spent the day at the Greenville Craft Show, and then went to Lavonia to spend the night.  Got up early Saturday morning & headed to Young Harris for the Smith Family Christmas with Poppie’s family.  I got virtually no pictures, but did snap this one of Aunt Nita and Cousin Joyce Buice Larrabee looking at picture albums.  Such a special time.

We were about the last ones to leave, then went back to Lavonia, where Sherri had left her car. She headed out to go see Amber and family, and I drove like crazy to get home, & get to Boo and Shea’s house for their Farewell Party. Again, no pix, but it was a great time. Here’s Boo with some of his buddies around the fire pit. It was just such a good day all the way around.

This afternoon June, Mason, and I got started on our first cookies of the season – jigsaw puzzles.  The icing definitely needed to be thinner – I’d never made royal icing before – but they were fun to make.  Here is Mase cutting out a snowman.

One of the finished products. Pretty cute.

Last night was the Christmas Concert for the Clover Middle School Chorus – Mal’s first as a CMS student.  They did such a good job!  In case you can’t pick her out, Mal is on the far left end, third row back 🙂

Afterwards, our star in front of the Christmas tree at the auditorium. We were so proud!

Monday I worked half a day, and then headed to Rock Hill to drop off the money and food we collected at our family Christmas at Pilgrim’s Inn.  Jennifer, who works there, was thrilled!

This past Sunday was the first in Advent, and the kids in the 1st – 3rd grade Sunday school class that I help teach helped change the colors in our classroom to purple. That’s Clara, who was visiting that Sunday, in the pink hoodie.