Merry Christmas

Playing Mary

the mother of the mother of Christ awaits the "enter stage right" cue:

Bea's class did a fantastic Christmas Around the World production, presenting facts about Christmas in many countries including Vietnam, Haiti, Argentina, and Mexico.  It ended with a Las Posadas parade and Bea was chosen for the prestigious role of Mary.  She was a pretty proud mama!

Counting Down...

Every day starts with another part of the manger scene being added on the advent calendar and the question "How many more days????" We are busy reading Christmas books,  wrapping, planning, and packing for our holiday on the road this year but in-between all that, we took time for  some events, the highlight of which was the annual St. Joseph's School Christmas show.  It's hard to believe but Beatrice and her classmates fit in with the  "big kids" now compared to the cute little tots performing in  PreK/K.  She was chosen to be an angel and played the part beautifully.  Grade 2 sang Joy to the World and We Three Kings and it was a wonderful event.

She's starting to sing the melody of songs and remember lyrics better.  I do so hope she loves singing as much as Anthony, I, and both of our families do and have for generations.

On Saturday after aikido, we headed to the roller skating rink classmate Julia's 7th birthday party.

Super fun!!!

and here's the letter to Mr. C., mailed yesterday.  The wish list is longer than ever, a sure sign that this girl is growing up!   :(

and, more proof of that fact came when we received this school picture the other day.  Holy 8-year old!!!

Breakfast with Santa

Black Friday ashes

Our 5 1/2 days off were fun-filled, starting with the GPIC Thanksgiving service, having our fill of food and wonderful friends on Thanksgiving, seeing some cousins and old friends on Friday, seeing The Nutcracker with Rachel on Saturday, losing two teeth (Beatrice, that is) and riding on the SJS float for the Holiday Dazzle parade on Sunday.  Whew!  I'm ready for another vacation.  Guess I'll have to wait just a few short weeks for that....

The official program/candle giver outer at the interfaith service:

The chocolate peanut butter Rice Krispy treats were a big hit!

tooth #6 came out in the car on the way home from aikido Wednesday night.  Her first non-shark tooth, and first didn't have someone else pull it tooth!

(and to explain the title of this post, moments before this tooth came out, we were on the highway listening to the radio, which was having commercials at the moment about sales coming up on Friday.  Beatrice asks from the back seat " Mama, is Black Friday when we get ashes on our head in the shape of a cross?") What a classic Family Circus moment.... 

On Saturday, we met Rachel and Martha at a Vietnamese restaurant in Worcester for a pre-show lunch.  The girls didn't miss a beat and just had a great time together...

Tooth #7 has been dangling at the bottom for weeks, but finally she pulled it out Sunday morning upon awakening:

Every year when the parade is done, Beatrice says "next year I want to watch the parade, not be in it" but when the information comes home in November she always changes her mind.  Such a fun event!

and Samm coming over early for a play-date made it more awesome!