Spring City

 

We were done with school for Christmas break on December 17th, so we had plenty of time to have fun before Christmas festivities started.  One day we took our kids up to GI to go to Spring City.  The boys had only been there one other time, and Monroe hadn't been lately.

There was hardly anyone there when we went, which was really nice.

Their favorite parts were this pit and the rock climbing wall.  

All of them got to the top multiple times.  I was not adventurous as a kid, so I love that all three of my children are.

In 2016, our favorite restaurant in GI closed.  It was called Vientienne, and they had the best Thai food. About a week before this trip to GI, a friend had let me know that they had opened back up.  It has a different name, and the owner is cousins to the original owners.  I was really hoping to surprise Zach and take him there before he found out they were open.  It worked!  When we pulled up, he said, "No way!"

Eating curry for the first time in years

We will definitely be back!

Hawthorne Christmas Sing-along

 Hawthorne had the Christmas sing-along the day before break.  They split the classes up and do two grades at a time.  Monroe's orchestra class was practicing the same song they were doing in music class, so she asked her teachers if they could play along with the singers.  This is a really hard task, but they agreed.  

The song didn't go how Monroe had planned :) We could tell she was disappointed at the end.

We stood where we did so that we could see the orchestra, but then we couldn't really see Monroe for the other songs.  

She was chosen to be in front for the sign language song, which was her favorite song.

Preschool Christmas Program

 

Pierce and Graham had a Christmas program for preschool.  It's our family's last one :( 

They did a great job!

This was the sweetest!  This one is Graham.

Pierce

Four Tickets to Christmas musical

Monroe was in her grandparent's Christmas musical again this year.  Zach had decided not to do it this year.  Then, the week before performances, one of the guys got Covid.  His parents asked Zach if he could step in.  It was actually ideal because he only had three practices and then three performances.  You would have never known it from watching him.  The boys and I went to the show with some friends on Friday night.

The cast

All of Zach's family who were in the cast.

 

Piano Recital

 Monroe had her Christmas piano recital.  This summer, I borrowed some piano books from a friend, and made her a binder of songs she knew, like the Harry Potter theme song, or Disney songs.  This has made practicing more fun and engaging, and she sits at the piano more often.  Her piano teacher has loved this, and kept her going with the binder. 

Zach and I were so impressed with her performance.  We both thought it was the best she'd played either song! The second one was a good push for her.  It is not an easy song.

Ode to Joy

Circle of Life

Husker Volleyball games

 

The Husker Volleyball team made it to the National tournament.  The first round was in Lincoln at Devaney.  Zach got on the night that was announced, and we realized how cheap the tickets were.  For $30, we got tickets to all three games the first weekend.  We decided we couldn't pass that up, and we would take the kids.  

As we walked into the game, I ran into one of my best friends from college!  It was so good to see her!

The kids were so excited!

My parents also had tickets

The second game was against Campbell, and we easily won in three sets.  (The Huskers didn't play in the first game.)

We stayed at my parents' that night.  We did some Christmas shopping the next day.

Then, we headed back for game three.

We easily won game three against Florida State as well!

We had a great weekend of volleyball!

On to Round three!

December 1st

We get the kids a gift on December 1st.  

We got them Christmas books and the ornaments they'd chosen

Ellie snuck into a bag. (She always does!)

Graham chose Spiderman

Monroe picked Alexander Hamilton

Pierce picked Black Panther