December 2010

Elise has been enjoying her Tinkerbelle dance class this year, and they had their first recital in December. We arrived early to get the dancers ready, and I realized I had forgotten her tutu for the performance...augh! So, in a dash, I left Elise with my mom at school, and drove home to get the tutu, then back with only seconds to spare before they started. Oh, the things we do.

Elise in the front center doing the "Peppermint Twist"

Pretty ballerina

We finally made our first Christmas visit to the Billy Graham Library in the evening for the live nativity, carriage ride & hot cocoa. After our carriage drove us around the beautiful lighted campus, we went to the Library to have dinner & warm up before heading home for the evening. I remember well the events of this night, because it was the night of my little Canon camera's demise. Elise loves chocolate milk, and so I put the little bottle with cap in my large purse. When we arrived home later that night, Elise pulled out an empty milk jug from my purse...I screamed & screamed, for there floating in chocolate milk were the contents of my purse, including my great little point and shoot camera with video, etc. It was one of those hard lessons in life to learn - next time, I will just throw away the milk & not attempt to conserve & bring the left overs home.

Cold December Evening - taking a Carriage Ride at the Billy Graham Library

Mommy & Elise at her Christmas preschool party. She was thrilled to have both John and I there in her class.

Former President George W. & Laura Bush scheduled a last minute trip to Charlotte to do a book signing at the Billy Graham Library. It was free to the public to attend, however, you needed to come and get a wristband. There were only 1,000 wristbands being given out. We arrived on a Saturday morning around 7 am and at 12:45pm we were happy recipients of the bands. We stood in line again the following Monday to actually attend the booksigning. I got to shake GW's hand & thank him for his years of service. Both he and Laura were very intentional about making eye contact and smiling...it was worth all the hours in line for the experience & the signed copies of each of their books!

Mission nearly complete to get a wristband: 5+ hours in line, 20 weeks pregnant

In line a second time to greet the Bush's

Herding the sheep at the Christmas Eve Service

Candlelight at the Christmas Eve Service

Elise was so excited to be part of the program & wanted to go up front!

Sweet friends - Elise & Kaylie at the Christmas Eve Service

Ali & Elise directing the story of the birth of baby Jesus

After the Christmas Eve service we had my family & our good friends, the Slack's come over for heavy hors dourves and fun time together for Christmas. On Christmas morning, John, Elise & I opened stockings, then had yummy cinnamon rolls for breakfast & had such a sweet time of opening a few gifts with each other. We had a fun time of webcaming with Paul & Jodi, then went to mom & dad's for the rest of the day.

Christmas morning 2010 - cinnamon roll breakfast following stockings (notice the chocolate from Elise's stocking on her plate..)

Three of us opening gifts Christmas morning

Webcam with Paul & Jodi Christmas morning

Christmas Prime Rib dinner at Mom & Dad's with Curt & Robbe, too

Holidays are a lot about the food, and our usual fare of Mennonite verenike was trumped with Prime Rib this year. It turned out well, and this may well become a new favorite tradition.

A baby doll! Christmas Day 2010

Yes, I am a Christmas baby - so we had yummy vanilla custard filled birthday cake from Costco.

Celebrating my 34th Birthday

We were able to talk with the Brandenburg's via webcam, too & it was fun to pop in on their Christmas celebration.

Screen shot of webcam with Brandenburg's

We went to bed on Christmas night as the snow was just starting to fall in Charlotte. On the 26th, we woke to a beautiful, white, snow-covered ground & church was canceled for the day, so we enjoyed a slow, leisurely day together as a family. It was such a wonderful time to just spend with family & our holidays were very relaxing this year!

December Snowman built by Daddy & Elise