Sledding

While everyone was at home during the break, we had to hill the Ucon Pit for some sweet sledding action on December 27.

Winnie went down the hill on sleds for a while, then asked if she could just go down on her tummy. I directed her to a path away from all the sledders (so she wouldn't get run over), and she went to town. Her little arms propelled her all the way down time and time again. 

Video proof.

Seth hauling sleds and a Winnie up the hill.

Analee and Miriam taking a break. 

Cute Analee in the snow.

Rebekah sleds like a boss.

Winnie with part of a weed caught in her zipper from acting like a penguin.

Christmas

All of Seth's family was in town for Christmas (which is saying something since one family has been in Virginia and another in Boston), so we went to Grandma and Grandpa Scott's house earlier in the day on Christmas Eve to open jammies.

 Winnie with her Hello Kitty nightgown.

Seth helping Winnie get dressed. All the other girls used the privacy of a bathroom to change, but Winnie is still young enough that she was totally unconcerned.

She had to give hugs to Grandma Scott and Grandpa Scott (for giving them to her) and Seth (for helping her get dressed). 

Miriam ecstatic over her Harry Potter jammies.

Miriam and Analee in their matching jammies. 

 Winnie showing Andrea the matching doll nightgown that came with hers.

Rebekah and her lamby jammies. (That's fun to say. :-)) 

 Andrea reading a book to Miriam and Winnie.

Then we had dinner at Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Susan's before the girls got to open presents from them. They all got the same thing (a make-your-own comic book with stickers and markers) and loved them despite the age differences. (These pictures were shot on my phone, so the quality isn't as good.)

Analee and Miriam checking out their books.

Miriam showing Seth what she had drawn. 

Rebekah working on hers.

Miriam and Winnie working on their comic books more during their reading time before bed.

Then on Christmas morning the girls let us sleep in (we had told them we could come down at 7, but they didn't bother us at all until they saw our light on at 7:45). But it was worth it in the end.

Miriam with her mini plush Yoda. 

Analee checking out her dollar bill origami kit. 

 Rebekah snuggling with her new blanket.

Winnie opening her Mal doll (from Descendants) from Miriam. 

Rebekah reading the book Analee picked out for her.

Then we spent more time at Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Susan's with all the Grover cousins.

 Analee wearing her new dress and playing her new ukulele. She brought it over to show and share.

Rebekah wearing her new Marauder's Map sweatshirt and watching cousins play.

Kelsey, Winnie and Emma checking out Kelsey's sticker book. 

Lily and Miriam playing LEGOs.

Then that evening we went back to Grandma and Grandpa Scott's house (have I ever mentioned how incredibly AWESOME it is to have both sets of grandparents within a mile of our house?) for dinner and festivities.

Blowing out candles on the spinning nativity from Germany. 

Gathered around at Grandma's.

Hendricks family Christmas party

As per tradition, we had a wonderful family get-together with Grandma Susan's side of the family on December 23. And as per tradition, we had delicious food, a nativity for the kids to act out, cookies to decorate, crafts to make and piñatas to crack open.

 Rebekah playing the part of the innkeeper.

Miriam the shepherd with her sheep. 

Winnie the angel with all the other little angels and Mary. 

 Analee the wisewoman with the wisemen, angels, shepherd, Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus.

The cast posing for pictures after the narration was completed. 

Winnie sitting with cousins while listening to Grandpa Hendricks. 

Grandpa Hendricks reading "The Night Before Christmas." 

Rebekah's sock (repaired with duct tape). 

Analee decorating cookies. 

Miriam filling up her bag with candy after the piñata. 

 Rebekah, Mack and Tav waiting for the big kids' piñata. They look like a bunch of hoodlums.

Winnie decorating cookies with plenty of sprinkles.

AR assembly

Analee made it into the 300-point club in the school's Accelerated Reading assembly, so Seth (who had the day off of work) accompanied Winnie and me to see her and others honored at the very loud assembly on December 22.

 Analee's name and picture on the big screen.

 Analee and the cute Christmas earrings she made in the gym following the assembly.

Miriam and her cute Christmas hat in the gym following the assembly. Analee tried to tell her that hats aren't allowed at the school, but they made an exception for the day before Christmas break started. 

Lincoln Court

Rebekah, Analee and I spent hours practicing the piano (all of us), ukulele (Analee and I), valve trombone (Rebekah) and chimes (Analee) in preparation for our annual music recital at Lincoln Court. Aunt Jessica, Grandma Scott and Grandpa Scott came to watch, and Seth brought Miriam and Winnie to see the end of the 2-hour program. Then our family went out to dinner together.

Rebekah on the piano. 

Andrea tuning her uke in the background. 

Rebekah and Analee singing "Angels We Have Heard on High" with Andrea playing. Rebekah sang the alto part while Analee sang the soprano part. None of us had practiced it until the day before, but it turned out beautifully. 

Our captive audience. (They're captive because they have to come in here to eat their dinner.) 

Rebekah on the trombone. 

Rebekah having a conversation with Andrea in ASL while Analee plays. 

Rebekah and Analee singing the echoes for "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" while Andrea sings and plays. We added this one to our repertoire just this year. In fact, the girls didn't know they'd be joining me on this song until we were in the van headed to Lincoln Court. But it was fun.

 Analee on the chimes. She hadn't practiced these until the day of our performance, but did exceptionally well.

Grandma Scott and Winnie listening to the music. 

 Miriam and Seth listening.

 Analee and Andrea playing a duet.

Analee on ukulele.