December 22, 2013

The last Sunday before Christmas is a big deal!  Our choir sang four pieces, three of them a Capella. J did an awesome job leading the choir!  All four were old English carols and very pretty.  (I sang a solo in one of them- it was nice.). Friends sat with the kids during sacrament meeting for us- everything looked calm and Cocoa stayed down there, so that's a win!

After sacrament meeting I practiced with my partner for a duet we will sing next week.  Hope these notes are going to be enough to remind us what we're doing!

I got a new calling today too- I'm joining the organist rotation.  Everyone has said "No big surprise there."

As the primary counselor over senior primary, I've been in charge of senior sharing time since October, and it's been fun.  Today I just read a story to them- The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.  It's one of my favorites.

I'm subbing as music leader in the nursery for the time being, so I head there right after sharing time.  We sang a few favorite songs and then I read nativity stories to the kids- they were absolutely silent!  After the stories we (the leaders) sang Christmas carols while the kids listened and sat in laps or laid on the floor.  It's one of their favorite things, so funny.  Anyway, I broke most of the leaders--even the men-- when I chose Silent Night as our first one to sing with everyone holding a child...we were all crying and sniffling.  :)

After church we all lunched and then rested in various corners of the house (yes I chose my bed and yes I locked the door.  Yes I fell asleep too.)

I made a double batch of biscuits for my mom's birthday dinner and we all met up at my sister's to celebrate.

I snapped photos while we digested. I missed a few people.

The Bert.  She's texting.

Ma Ma and Yeh Yeh 

Cocoa with Daddy's glasses

Lolo and Uncle

And... A selfie.  I was there too, and slightly crazy.  We left soon after this gorgeous shot ;).  Man I look strange.

Last story of the day- we drove around our neighborhood to look at lights on the way home.  At one point, while J was admiring a horse trailer on the side of the road I had to tell him to pull over: a large white carriage, pulled by two horses and full of happy light-gawkers, needed lots of room to get through. So very strange!  We saw them once more, being followed by an extemely large hay truck carrying at least 30 people.  Merry Christmas!  Guess it was The Night for looking at Christmas lights :)