Elves

Not to be outdone by the musical prowess of his siblings, here is Elf Dylan at his school Christmas program. He sang his heart out and I think everyone will agree that he was looking especially elfy! He is to left of his teacher here.

Post for Grandma

Here they are, pleading their cases with Santa. At our house, the saying is "You don't believe, you don't receive!"

Church Christmas Party

We had fun at our ward Christmas party. It was a good dinner with friends and family. Maddy and Nick and some friends sang "o little town of bethlehem" with the traditional english melody. It was FANTASTIC!!

Concert Choir

Maddy and Nicholas have been going to school at 7:30am 2 days a week to sing with the Concert Choir at their elementary school. They have amazing directors, they sang works beautifully in german, latin, and english. My favorite was In Dulci Jubilo, which was spectacular.

First time...

Obviously this is not the first time that I've taken a picture of Maddy and she's closed her eyes...It is, however, the first time I have done so as she sat on stage for her very first BAND CONCERT!

The smell of the stage, the warmth of the glaring lights, the squeaks and buzzings of instruments being readied for MUSIC MAKING recalled me to my own first band concert in an INSTANT! The band director was making the same RIDICULOUSLY accentuated expressions in an attempt to convey his meaning...hands flailing wildly in huge circles meant LOUDER!!! LOUDER!!! Hands outspread pushing down, down with shoulders drawn up meant SOFTLY! and my favorite, the plea for STATELY MAJESTY in music (hard to achieve in "Up on the Housetops"), the one-handed deep cross-over downbeat.

And the mark of a true professional, the happy, contented smile at the end ("you did GREAT!"), followed by the two-handed "everybody stand up and bow" gesture.

Carolers

Some carolers came by this weekend singing christmas songs--they were dressed in nativity costumes and even had a REAL llama with them named Balthazar (you can see him in the middle of the photo).
They were collecting food for the foodbank. The kids really got a kick out of the llama. I thought the shopping cart was hilarious!