This blog spot is primarily a photo/memory album for our family. It also serves as a way for us to share what is going on in our lives with our friends and family that don't see us on a regular basis. Ashley, Worth, Ellie, Emma, and Mack
This week was the week of music performances. Last Sunday night Ellie sang in her her children's choir group with the adult church choir and the local orchestra. It was beautiful! Monday night Mack had his preschool Christmas program, and he certainly put on a show. This pageant is my favorite of the year.
Tuesday, my friend from high school and I met up in Jacksonville to see Janet Jackson. This was originally a 38th birthday gift to me 2 years ago from Worth, but Janet cancelled the show due to pregnancy (at 50 years old!) As soon as she hit the road again my friend, Neilie, and I got tickets as soon as we could. We were huge fans as kids, and at one point were determined to be backup dancers for her on tour. (A kid can dream, right?) We saw her previously in Atlanta in 1998 and compared to last Tuesday, I can honestly say Janet still has it. At 51 she can still move on a stage and entertain. We had a blast!
Thursday, Ellie had her music program at school. I only shot a small, short video but it was so cute! It was only 2nd and 3rd graders that performed with a cameo appearance of Frosty and Santa. The kids did good, and I was impressed with what the music teacher had done with those 300+ kids.
Friday, the school Christmas parties for Emma and Ellie took place. I have decided that I'm a terrible room mom. I'm doing my best, but it is really exhausting.
Ellie's group that sang last Sunday night. She is 3rd from the left on the 2nd row. She has a huge red bow in the back of her head.
our little sheep in the preschool Christmas pageant
That's his best friend, Luke to the right of him. They are quite a pair, and the loudest ones on stage.
My favorite picture from the night.
Emma dressed for the occasion
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Of course his sisters wanted to pose with the performer.
Mack has never been a big sleeper, but due to all of the Christmas excitement, he has really been up throughout the night, not napping, and not going to bed at a decent hour. This happened in carline when we were waiting to get Ellie and Emma on Thursday. He finally gave in, even if it was for only about 15 minutes. He does sleep.
Several years ago, I posted a video of Ellie's nativity from Ms. Jennifer's 3 year old preschool class. Well here is Mack's version:
Ellie's class had an ornament exchange for their Christmas party in her class. She got a beautiful wooden snowflake.
The holiday festivities are in full swing. This week, we had Worth's work Christmas party, Ellie and Emma had their K-Kids choir Christmas concerts, we celebrated Worth's 38th, and we visited Santa.
Ellie had a solo in the K-kids concert this year. All the grandparents came, and even Worth made it just in time for the show to start. Ellie did a great job, but was disappointed in herself because she said she sang the wrong part. I honestly had no idea. You couldn't tell because they all moved through the solos so quickly. She did so awesome, even if it was the wrong part. Worth and I told her we were so proud of her because neither of us ever had the guts to get up and sing in front of anyone by ourselves.
Worth's birthday was Friday. He was on heart call, of course. He didn't want to try to go out to eat because of the risk of having to leave because of being called in. He, therefore, requested a dinner of tacos at home. I gladly made them for him, we sang, had cookie cake, and he opened his gifts. It was a very relaxing birthday despite is "house arrest" heart call.
Next week will be packed full of activities, so there will probably be a picture overload here on the blog.
It was hard to get a good picture of Emma, she was behind a big bow! She is the one in the glasses.
Ellie on the right end of first row.
He turned the big 38 this year! Man still loves a cookie cake!
The kids were trying to talk to Santa and this little girl just wandered up and wouldn't leave Santa (we were in our neighborhood clubhouse.) No mother claimed her, so the lady with Santa just carried her around until she found the child's mom. Come to find out, it was a little girl in Mack's class. She is the 4th of 4 children, so mom was not worrying herself at all about where this one was. Thankfully, she was in a place that was safe.
We finally got a good picture. Mack and Emma rattled off their wish list, but Ellie froze. She said, "I couldn't think of anything. I need more time!"
Goofing around in the clubhouse while we had doughnuts and hot chocolate
It was around 40 degrees outside, and they still had the train ride. Our neighborhood does not disappoint kids. I thought my kids were crazy for riding it though!
This weekend not only was the start of Advent, it was the annual Nutcracker ballet. Emma was in it for the first time this year as a mouse. Ellie participated in her third year as a toy soldier. It is always a very busy week as they prepare for this, but it is such a great kick off to the holiday season. The dancers work so hard, and it shows onstage. I'm partial to the performance since my best friend from college, Allison Shenton, is the director. I know how hard she works behind the scenes to prepare the dancers and the performance, and the guilt she feels for being away from her boys during this season to put on this 40 year tradition in Valdosta. I'm so proud of her and everything she puts into it. I was also proud of my little mouse and toy soldier. They both didn't miss a beat and did exactly as their teachers asked them onstage.
The Nutcracker has 4 shows all weekend with 2 different casts. Each cast performs in 2 shows. This year, I lucked out, and both girls were in the same cast. Ellie and Emma both performed for the Friday night show and the Saturday matinee. Mia and E.W. came to the Friday performance, and Grandma and Papa came to the Saturday show. I apologize for not having great pictures this year. I deserve a D- on taking pictures, it was really hectic trying to dress and make up 2 girls in the chaos, let alone take tons of really good pictures.
Saturday, Worth headed to Atlanta to watch UGA play Auburn again, but this time it was for the SEC championship. Worth pulled the Dawgs through and we came out with a win! So proud of my Dawgs and the coaches! Georgia is now ranked in the top four and will play Oklahoma on January 1st for the playoffs. GO DAWGS! It's been a long time coming, y'all. Georgia hasn't won an SEC championship in a long time, so it was good to see it happen. I'm also very glad my friend Allison cast my girls so that I could be done with the Nutcracker just in time to watch the game. I don't think that was something she intended, but it worked out well for me.
December 1st (Thursday) was the first day the kids could break into their chocolate Advent calendars. They were so excited! These little calendars come from Hobby Lobby and have become a big tradition in our family. Mack had to wait on his candy though. He had been warned to stay in his bed (he tends to get up 1-2 times per night, then again at 5am just to chat, need water, want breakfast, etc.) He was told if he got up out of his bed that night and came out of his room he would lose his Advent candy that day. Well, he came out of his room twice. The second time announcing it was ok if he didn't get his candy, he just couldn't sleep anymore (at 5:30am.)
My 2 girls getting ready backstage.
Emma's dance teacher applying her whiskers.
Mia and E.W. were there Friday! Grandma and Papa came Saturday. I never got a picture of them, but we were thankful they were all able to come see the girls dance.
Friday night, Ellie was so serious as a soldier. When I reminded her to smile when she was on stage, she informed me that she was a soldier and she was supposed to be serious. Emma was beyond hot in her 20+ year old mouse costume. Alison wants to get new ones, but these were all handmade and it would cost her a fortune to have them all redone.
I got a better picture of them before the Saturday performance.
I was backstage for the Saturday show. I didn't get a good picture of Emma coming out on stage, but the little horse/mouse booty facing you in this picture is her. She was waving some other mice onto the stage.
Emma's entire class waiting for their cue to run and steal presents from under the tree. Emma is leaning slightly forward in the upper right of the picture. (Her costume is almost covering her eyes.) Her class was huge this year. There were 22 mice on stage in her cast. They barely all fit on stage.
Stealing the Christmas gifts.
Ellie is waiting patiently to go on stage. She is the first one in line.
There were 3 soldiers that started the dance off. Ellie is the tallest one. You can see her face slightly forward of the other girls.
They had a lot of very difficult lines to maintain in this intricate dance. I hate to brag, but this group of 3rd graders NAILED it. They all did so good!
Such crazy lines and formations. They did awesome!
The cannon shoot and fall is my favorite. I think the girls liked it as well.
Meanwhile, Worth sent me this as the Dawgs entered the field.
This week was Thanksgiving, and the beginning of the Christmas season for our family. It seems like both of our families are always in different directions during the Thanksgiving holidays. This year was no different, and Worth was on call the Wednesday before Thanksgiving day. I decided to host Thanksgiving lunch at my house since Worth would most likely work most of the previous night, and I thought it would be easier on him instead of traveling anywhere.
Mia was in Augusta with her mom (Grandmama Cavaleri,) the Berryman's were at the farm in Lincolnton, GA with Jay's family, and Amos, Anna and baby Hardy were in Augusta with Anna's family. That left Worth, myself, Ellie, Emma, Mack, E.W., Sa, Grandma, and Papa to celebrate here in Valdosta. We had tons of food which I failed to take pictures of,😞 the girls put on a small skit about Thanksgiving, and we all probably ate more than we needed to. It was a very relaxing afternoon. Worth and I were so very thankful to spend time with those precious family members despite missing the others.
Friday morning we headed to Hambrick's tree farm to pick out the perfect Christmas tree. It took us a while to decide. When you have 5 people with varying opinions of a perfect tree, it can take a while. We finally agreed on a tree and headed home to decorate it.
The rest of the weekend Worth and the kids worked on the outside of the house. Well, Worth worked and the kids played. Worth really gets into the outdoor decorations, so I just let him do his thing. I handle inside, he handles the outside. It looks so good this year! I took a short video that I will post on here, but Worth says he's got a few more lights to hang.
Emma made her Christmas list for Santa already. She had to interpret for me.
The table was all set for Thanksgiving!
Since it was raining out, Emma and Mack played in the garage until lunch was ready. Yes, Mack wore the ironman/avenger(?) costume the ENTIRE time. My mom kept them Tuesday night so I could work on preparing food. She took them to a thrift store, and Mack found this costume, and of course, my mother bought it for him. I finally made him take it off yesterday, so I could wash it. He had worn and slept in it since Tuesday, it was pretty gross.
The turkey was busy frying.
Sa, Worth, and E,W, having a serious discussion while enjoying their bloody marys.
Ellie produced, directed, and performed in a skit for us. This was the program she made.
I attempted a coconut chiffon cake this year. It turned out pretty good! I didn't get a picture before we started cutting into it.
This was around 5:00pm Thanksgiving night. They were pooped!
At the tree farm!
The hunt is on!
ALWAYS performing
And the winner is....
Worth let Mack hold the saw. Mack was more excited about that than the tree Worth had just cut down.
Our Elf, Red, comes the morning after Thanksgiving day. Amazingly, he showed up on time again this year, with a note! That Red is one smart elf!
We got the Christmas music cranked up, and Emma got to hang the first ornament.
I caught Worth dancing with the girls while they were decorating. It was too cute to pass up taking a picture.
