Getting Ready for Christmas

I'll split this into two (or maybe more) posts - but here are some of the lead-up things to Christmas. We went to Westlake to pick out the tree, as usual. We got a spruce, which Sam was unsure about, and had to cut off the top a bit so it would fit in the front room. 

The mantle looks about the same as last year! Though we did have to replace the command hooks for the stockings & got in several more cards after the photo was taken. 

Leah studied every single page of the toy catalogue for many days in a row. This is before school one morning. She also circled approximately every other item. 

We went to see the magic tree - and Sam took the kids back with their cousin Levi when he came up, too. 

These two did not want to make a good picture - and Amelie didn't want to be in a picture at all!

We went through the drive-through lights at Veterans United, too, and wore our festive hats, but they didn't take a photo this year (we should have taken one on our own!) It was not too cold. Grandma Doris came with us & had a good time, too. 

Band Concert

 Amelie had her winter band concert at Rock Bridge High School - Jefferson Middle School 8th grade went first and then one of the high school bands played. I was impressed that the high schoolers all had matching black band outfits (it looked like long bridesmaids dresses & tuxes) but Sam tells me this was a thing even when he was in high school - not for me in Bernie, though!

Playing the clarinet: 

We played the videos for my Grandma Doris. 

And here's the link to the winter concert last year. https://babybuffaloe.blogspot.com/search?q=band+concert