Merry Christmas

 We've had a busy month.  The black car died just before Thanksgiving.  We were able to borrow Grandma L's car to be a back up car.  Then on Tuesday the van died.  Fortunately it was a broken temperature causing the radiator problem, not a broken radiator.

We had dance concerts, band concerts, choir concerts, ward choir, homeschool group, ward and branch parties, neighborhood caroling and bike parade, band party, tuba Christmas, light house, friends for dinner, 3 funerals and a trip to Gtowne.  It was an exceptionally busy month.

Santa

 We have never encouraged the children to believe in Santa.  We treat it like Micky Mouse, a character that you may occasionally see someone dressed in costume of that character but you don't believe in them.  I empathize with this letter writer.  With our youngest 7 I think we are close to done with the drama.  At a dentist visit recently the boys were asked what they wanted Santa to bring them and they just stared, perhaps confused, at the hygienist that asked.

This year P had a chance to dress up as Santa and go surprise the band kids.  M didn't realize it was her dad until KS told her.  It was funnnnnnny!

 

Tuba Christmas and Choir Concert Day

 A few weeks ago we had M's friend and her family over for dinner.  The moms of each family grew up in the same town but attended different schools.  P was in the tuba studio with the mom.  Both dads were band directors.  Both older daughters played horn.  So much in common.

Mom A invited us to go to Tuba Christmas with her which was the motivation we needed to do something we'd wanted to do but hadn't prioritized.  I haven't played in a tuba christmas since Utah!

There were 189 tuba/baritones there.  There was also a drummer on a full kit in the center which made everything move together and kept tempo from dragging.  

We went to lunch and had a nice audience for the concert.  I'm so glad we got to go and get to know the B family better.  Great people.

We came home for a few hours then I took B and lP to their concert downtown.  Traffic was the worst I'd ever seen.  We wound up parking on Old Mission Rd.  0.7 miles from the venue.  I'm always boggled by so many people choosing to come into crowded situations like that.  No thank you.  I wish this concert could happen some other night of the year, but I have enjoyed having the children involved in it.  The acoustics are beautiful.  The children sound great.  The traffic and parking and crowds are the price you pay for them to sing this concert.

Night of the Luminary

 

We went to the lighthouse for the luminary tonight.  This is an annual event with music, booths, and free admission to the light house.  Our first time 11 years ago was right after we bought our home (halloween 2011).  G was 6, M 4 and lP 1.  It was crowded and I remember trying to nurse lP in some corner.  We had gotten into the car in the garage and didn't realize it would be colder on the island.  I can't think why we would have even gone that night, but we did. 

 

 

M, lP and B have sung in the children's choir there for the last 7 years.  Last year was the first time I climbed the lighthouse.  L was tall enough to climb this year.  At 219 steps, it is surprisingly easy to climb.  You get exhilarated and loose track of the effort as the spirals get closer and the top comes into view.  The view from the top is beautiful.

We always get a spot at the Rex Cox parking lot.  The kids enjoy playing at the park in the dark.  It has been a beautiful tradition for us and I'm glad we made it one last time.

Buying a Goat!

 

Tonight for FHE we went downtown and bought a goat from the giving machine.  It was a great night.  G rode directly from school and met us at the parking garage.  We brought dub dubs and swiss cake rolls (thanks B!).  After buying a goat we went to the swing park which is recently opened.

Busy Week!

 Our small car died last week so things got busy!

G didn't have regular classes but he did have Aerospace.  Monday and Tuesday looked like:
Drop off lP
Drop off M
Pick up lP
Drop off G
Pick up G
Pick up M

Additionally G had a blood draw and we went to the Alligator farm somewhere in there.

Wednesday G got his wisdom teeth out.
Thursday we went to Gtowne for Thanksgiving.

L made this rainbow jello with me.

Friday I took lP, M and G to the temple then on to Ladies' camp-out at Rock Springs.
Saturday we came come from the camp-out and P and I went on a grocery store date.
Sunday G signed the national anthem for the Jaguars game and received a calling to serve on the seminary council for deaf, North America.

It has been a busy week!

Scheduling miracle

 G needed a CBS prior to getting his wisdom teeth pulled on Wednesday.  It takes 7-10 days to get an appointment at the local Quest so I scheduled an appointment at the next town over.   Last night as we discussed scheduling at family council we found a tangle.  It turns out that appointment would conflict with his school (1 school still meeting the week of Thanksgiving) and P's foot appointment.  But we needed the appointment and so we were having G miss school and hoping we could still get P to his appointment.  

This morning the spirit prompted me to look and see if there was another appointment at some location that would not have the conflict.  The local location popped up with a 7:40am appointment (at 6:55am when I was checking).  I quickly grabbed the new appointment. 

I'm trying to get better at recognizing the spirit in my life.  This was definitely a prompting to look for a new appointment and I'm grateful for the spirit.