Pre-Christmas Fun

The holiday season began with a couple of concerts at the girls' school.  First, there was the 5th grade music concerts. Carolyn chose to be in orchestra, and is learning how to play the cello. Second, there was the all-school holiday concert.  Lizzie's class sang a song in hebrew.  Carolyn's class sang a song from Home Alone.  Steve was in the parent orchestra.  (I had to do admissions decisions at work and missed it this year.  No photos or videos of the second concert.)

   

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Each girl hosted a party at our house for their friends.  Lizzie is at a new school this year, and has made new friends that I wanted to get to know. Carolyn has also made a new set of friends that she has been talking about. For Lizzie's party, five little girls came over after school on the last day before break.  We did crafts (puppets and ornaments), a puppet show, decorated cupcakes, watched a movie, and played the saran-wrap-ball game.

For Carolyn's party, the girls requested a fancy dinner party.  They did a gift exchange, as well as the saran wrap ball.  They also made a craft (ice skaters in an altoid tin moved by a magnet) and watched the movie Elf. 

How wonderful it was to see the girls so happy and with such nice friends!

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These parties were followed by a party at a friends' house, where Father Christmas showed up.  He was awesome - called up each kid by name and knew something 'nice' and 'naughty' that each kid had done recently.  Who doesn't believe in the magic of the season!?

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We also got to see Nutcracker.  A friend of ours gave us tickets unexpectedly.  

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There was the annual faculty club christmas party, where Santa and Mrs. Claus show up.  

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We also took RJ out to see 'Pink Martini' playing with the Utah Symphony.  On our way, we stopped to see the windows and gingerbread houses at Grand America, as well as the Macy's windows and the lights on Temple Square.  Our favorite part of the evening was when we formed a conga line at the end of the concert, and also to see how much RJ enjoyed being out.