Merry Christmas!!

Oh my goodness...I cannot believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve!! Amazing! Where did the last month go!?

We started the month with a treat. For Emma's and my birthdays, my mother-in-law and Lynne took us (all four of us) to see Donny and Marie Osmond's Christmas Show in Detroit. It was Emma's first concert and she had a blast! :) The best part was when she recognized the songs they were singing...especially when Donny sang "Close Every Door" from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

That same weekend, I had 3 concerts in 3 days...the first one was at Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc. It's quite the fancy hospital and they have a huge lobby area that is not quite perfect for performing groups (I was in the Flint Youth Symphony when the hospital opened and we performed for the grand opening!), but we enjoy playing there for the staff and patients. Plus, we look pretty good next to that poinsettia tree, don't you think?! :)

Emma and I went (for the third year in a row) to a cookie exchange at my friend, Courtney's, house. Courtney and I met at Interlochen in 1995 and have remained friends ever since! Although we only see each other about once a year, we've been able to stay in touch and friends. She lives south of here, in Macomb Township, so it's not that far of a drive, either! Anyway, Emma wanted to get her "own" tub of cookies, so I told her she had to take some to share. We got some break-and-bake cookies from the store and she put them on the cookie sheet and took them off when I brought them out of the oven. She did great! Maybe it was the Christmas apron she wore from HER great-great-grandmother! :)

Tony and the kids have been on Winter Break since Monday, and Monday and Tuesday was a little rough for the kids...they were typical brother/sister, but just not listening to directions, either...so, "magically", our own Elf appeared! He brought his own book to explain what he's all about. He is how Santa know whether the kids are being good or not...he watches all day, and then at night when the kids are in bed, he goes back to the North Pole and makes his report to Santa. The catch is that if he is touched by a human, he may lose his magical powers! Plus, Angel (that's his name, Bradlee's idea!) likes to watch from different locations each day...he's been on the bookshelf, hanging out of the cupboard and even from the chandelier!

The attitudes and behavior have slightly improved...Usually just when they remember he's there!!

I found out early this week that I received a promotion / new job I applied for within the bank! I am moving to a full-time position in the accounting department, basically doing the same thing, plus some new things, that I am currently doing. We are re-vamping our department, and this just seemed like a logical "next step" for me! I am really excited for this, and along with the pay raise and "Senior Accounting Specialist" title, I got to move to a bigger (and more private) desk! I start my new hours on Tuesday!

On Wednesday, our friends, Sara and Justin, came over to give the kids their Christmas gifts....Emma got some craft books, and Bradlee got the "bestest spaceship E-VER!" :) Thanks, Uncle Justin and Aunt Sara!!

Bradlee has also been very proud of his Rudolph picture he made in school. We even had to pull out the paint at home so he could show me how to do it!! This is one of those art projects I will treasure...and Emma made one in preschool, too! Thankfully, the school laminated them before sending them home, so I can have them forever! :)

We also went to see Santa this week....thankfully there were no surprises: Bradlee wants a drum and Emma wants a microphone! We'll see what Santa brings!

I hope you have a very wonderful Christmas and are able to spend it with those you love.