Merry Mc Christmas

We celebrated Christmas with Mom and Dad and Travis, Erin, Tessa, Bryce, and Grayson today!

Sylvia and Mom spent all morning in the kitchen baking pies!  They made pumpkin, pecan (Caeden and Krampa cracked the pecans that Mom and Dad had brought home from the pecan groves near their home in Arizona!), triple berry, and an apple roll (which didn't last but 15 minutes after it came out of the oven!) with the leftover dough.

Caeden and the twins did a little wrestling, as usual.

The kids brought the little tree from the porch into the sunroom and decorated it.

Mom showed me this towel that had been Grandma's. Either Grandma or one of our relatives did the stitching on it.  It's so beautiful, and looks like cross stitch, but it is all done on the front of the towel--nothing shows on the back.  I've never seen anything like it, but it is beautiful and impressive!

Meanwhile, Jeremy took Annah into Fort Wayne on Black Friday to Mynett Music to look at clarinets.  He texted me with video clips as she tried several. He brought her home with a beautiful Bliss LB210 wood clarinet. 

Pile on Sylvia!

WhenJjeremy and Annah got back, the kids were all so excited to see them.  Annah was excited to get our her new instrument and play it for us all.

This Daddy likes to give good gifts to his children.

Oh, these pies look so amazing! They tasted amazing too!!!  Mom made a fabulous meal of pot roast and these were the perfect dessert.

My mom is so cute, and had on the most adorably festive light-up "ugly" Christmas sweater and crazy socks for our celebration!  

Thank you Krampa/Pampa and Gram/Mamaw, for filling your home with love.  

And then we opened presents!

The kids wanted to play the new Squawk game with Uncle Jeremy.

Grayson read the Pop the Pig box to his daddy.

Bryce was so excited about getting tokens, which he adorably called "tuggins."

Gram explaining the shrink wrap ball o' gifts...

Trading the little gifts so that everyone has what they want...

Playing Tessa's new Disney game...

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What a fun day with family!  So much love.

Happy Thanksgiving

We had a nice Thanksgiving Day today!  I made a layer salad, Beef House rolls, and green beans for the Crabill gathering, then forgot to take any pictures while we were there!

It was our first holiday without Grandma, but it still very much felt like she was there, as we were all mindful of enjoying time together and being thankful for the love and legacy she and Grandpa gave our family.  We were also thankful for the sale of the family farm earlier this week, and happy it is being bought by friends and farmers who have farmed the land since Grandpa passed nearly 20 years ago.  God has provided.

This evening we enjoyed more great food and fun games with Jeremy's brother and family.  These two were talking wrestling, but stopped when they saw me go to take a picture.

Lovelies enjoying pie and ice cream...

Lucy and Marti

Caeden, Lucy, and Joey

Wilson was home from college and loving on his little siblings.

Uncle Eric let Caeden play his electric guitar!

We played our traditional game of Pounce!  Wilson was the champ as always.

Gabby even joined in the fun after a while, and Simon was a very encouraging partner even though I was getting too tired to think fast enough for Pounce!

We have so much for which to be thankful!

1st BNYS Concert

Tonight was Sylvia's first performance with the BNYS!  It was an honor to take her and attend.

Tuning up before the start of the concert...I've always loved the beautifully chaotic sound of all the orchestral instruments tuning!

Next time I will sit in the balcony so I can see the whole orchestra,
but they looked beautiful from the 3rd row too.

The featured soloist, Dr. Ransom, is Sylvia's cello teacher. We love her, and are always in awe to hear her. She was phenomenal on the Hungarian Rhapsody by David Popper. 

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She received a well-deserved standing ovation for her amazing performance. 

Sylvia really likes the conductor, Mrs. Bryant.  She says she talked to them during the performance, and made eye contact with her specifically and commented that she was playing by memory.

Sylvia and Angel

Sylvia's friend Lexi and her mom came to the concert, as well as their classmate Chloe, who is hoping to join the orchestra on flute next semester. How wonderful to have the support of friends!

Dr. Ransom asked for a picture before the concert with Sylvia and her other BNYS student, Lydia, who is the cello section leader. They are so fortunate to study with Dr. Ransom, and when she sent me the photo, she said she is so glad to have such wonderful talented students.

It was a beautiful evening of music-making!