December Days

Despite my best efforts, December has been a little overwhelming for me. The sign-up lists and requests for supplies and/or money and/or time that have flooded my in-box have been downright crazy. I spent an hour last week in front of my computer, making a list of everything I needed to purchase and deliver and when and then added all my volunteer commitments to the calendar. I added a few more this week, but it's finally slowing down.  I did some substitute teaching for a local preschool last month, but I've been thankful to have all my extra time in December. I'm looking forward to the week off of school before Christmas.

Two weekends ago, the girls and I went to a Walk Through Bethlehem that a large local church put on for the community. They did a marvelous job. They had booths set up outside and inside, and probably a hundred volunteers dressed in various costumes at any given time. They had live animals, and at some of the booths, you could "buy" items (bread, fruit, candles, etc) with local currency that they passed out when you signed the register upon entrance to Bethlehem.

Eliza sang with her choir in the service for the first Sunday of Advent, and then Amanda and Caitlyn sang with their choir in our church's Messiah concert last weekend. They had performances both Saturday and Sunday evenings, and the concert was tremendous. It's such a blessing for them to have an opportunity to learn and perform such incredible music.

We've been enjoying our evenings with our Advent calendar and our Christmas books. I've wrapped Christmas books to read each day until Christmas, and the girls take turns putting up the day's picture on the Advent calendar and opening the books for the day. We're also reading a couple of chapter books, when we have time to fit them in.

The weather has been really nice most of the month, and for the last week or so, the girls have been heavily involved in outdoor animal activities with the neighbors, making bird feeders and holding regular gatherings of their Reptile Club. Yes, they've collected a number of small reptiles. They are not kept in our yard.

Eliza is anxiously awaiting her upcoming birthday. She's so excited to have her first real party where friends are invited.