Holiday Happenings

The Christmas Season has been a busy one for Anna.   She kicked off the season by joining her Daisy Scout troop for a trip to the Warner Theater to see The Nutcracker for the first time on December 1.  One of her classmates was dancing in the show and got tickets for the girls.  Aunt Gayle joined in the festivities.  Joe also decided to go since he never saw The Nutcracker before....or so he claimed.  Theresa remembered taking him to the show, along with friends Wil and Pauletta, sometime before they were married.    According to Aunt Loren, Joe also went when he was a kid.  Clearly going to see the show was not a memorable event for Joe.  As for Anna, she had a great time watching it with her friends.After the show, we stopped at the U.S. Botanical Gardens to enjoy the fantastic train display and beautiful flowers and lights.
Anna & Dad at the Botanic Gardens


Breakfast with Santa
December 8 was breakfast with Santa at the neighborhood clubhouse.  Over 75 kids came to watch Santa arrive on a fire truck and hand out presents.  Anna was happy to get a new book and a beanie boo for her backpack.  Santa must like our neighborhood a lot because this past Wednesday night he drove around again on the fire truck to hand out candy cane with Christmas music playing.  Anna joined her friend Sarah and the new boys next door to greet him.



December 15 was Anna's second piano recital.  She started with a new teacher in the fall since her first teacher retired and is really enjoying it.  There were only 4 students that performed, but she was able to play on the big piano and did very well.  Theresa is enjoying playing an occasional duet with Anna at home.  Aunt Gayle came to cheer her on.

Practice with Mom before the recital
 
Anna decided to track her behavior on her calendar for the month of December (her idea) by writing a color on each day.  There seems to be a lot of "red" and "orange" over the past two weeks rather than "green" (which is good).  When Theresa asked her what happened, she replied "I had a rough week."  At least she is honest.  Santa may need to leave her a note this year about this.  She runs to the mailbox every day and is quite excited about the packages coming in the mail from her aunts and uncles.....all with notes that say "Do Not Open Until Christmas."  As Anna says, "it is really hard to wait!"  The packages from Grandma and Grandpa are hidden in plain site.  They have been sitting in garbage bags in the sun room since Thanksgiving.  Not once has Anna noticed them.  Maybe she will find them in the spring.......
Anna & Aunt Gayle


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