Christmas 2019

We started off the Christmas season by decorating our Christmas tree after Thanksgiving.  With the cruddy weather heading back from Rochester, we ended up not cutting down a tree this year.  However, we got one of the best trees we've ever had from our friends' parents' garden center.

We visited Santa on the first weekend of December.  We always love going to a local realty office, where they have an outdoor setup.

Abby was too old for the Sunday School Christmas program this year, but Norah performed and had a speaking part.  She did a great job!  I played piano again this year.  It was so nice of the grandparents to come up for the program!  Dave's parents stayed in the afternoon to make gingerbread houses.

With Christmas being during the week again, our Christmas celebrations were on the weekend before Christmas.  This year was just a quick trip.  We celebrated on Saturday with my mom's side of the family.

On Sunday, we had Christmas with my dad's side of the family before heading back home.  The girls also played prelude at church.

We had our own little family Christmas on Christmas Eve before going to church.  I played piano for the 10:00 p.m. service, and the girls played prelude.  Norah fell asleep during the service, because she was so tired!  We came home and curled up for bed under the Christmas tree after setting out cookies for Santa.

The girls were excited to see that Santa had come in the morning.  Abby had asked for an American Girl gymnastics set and hedgehog house.  Norah had asked for a dolphin cruiser Lego set.  Norah started on the Legos before breakfast!

My family came up later on Christmas to celebrate.  My parents and sister spent just one night, but my brother and his girlfriend ended up staying until Friday.  They headed up to a hotel and flew out before the weather got bad over the weekend.  It was a busy, but wonderful Christmas season that flew by too fast!

Piano Recital

The girls had their first piano recital with their piano teacher, Marilyn.  My parents and Dave's parents were able to drive up and join us.  They both did a great job!  They each played a Christmas song, and then played a Christmas duet together.  I think their favorite part was cookies and a Christmas present from Marilyn after the recital.

The girls with their friend, Addy, who also takes lessons from Marilyn 

The girls and Marilyn, their piano teacher

Disney on Ice

The girls and I spent a fun afternoon with Dave's cousin Jenny and her daughter Grace.  We met up at the Excel to see Disney on Ice, and the girls loved it (especially Grace and Norah).  We had great seats on the main level, so could see everything really well.

After the show, we drove over to Punch Pizza to have dinner together and exchange Christmas presents. 

The girls can never get enough time with Grace!

For King & Country

Any opportunity that the girls and I have to spend time with our friends, the Clarks, always turns out to be an adventure.  This time, our adventure took us to downtown Minneapolis for a concert by our favorite Christian music group, For King & Country.  We stayed at a hotel connected to the Target Center through the skyway, and after checking in, the kids had some time to play and be silly.

For dinner, we ate right across from the Target Center at an Irish pub. 

The concert was amazing, and we had a blast! 

After the concert, we headed back to the hotel.  Our sleeping situation was...interesting, with only 1 king-size bed and a pull-out chair meant for 1 person, but we made it work.  At least the continental breakfast in the morning was yummy!