The Christmas season has begun! The next few weeks seem to become more and more busy as every day passes. It began on Friday evening with Patriot Academy's Christmas performance. These performances are like none others I have ever seen and this years was no different. The children (and staff) did an amazing job.
In preparation for the performance, I did something I haven't done in years. I pulled out my sewing machine, dusted it off, and hemmed Jacob's new pants. It was actually really fun to sew again, even just to do this small job. I may have to find some time to do it a bit more often.
Jacob and Spencer dressed up and ready to go. Jacob was one of the carolers and Spencer was in the chorus.
Annalise and William before the show. William was "Blue", one of the narrators. He is just in regular clothes because he would soon be wearing a costume.
Annalise entertained herself in the chair for a while.
By the middle of the play though, she was tired and just plain done. She and I spent the rest of the time in the back of the theater or out in the lobby. I didn't get any pictures of Bryce and John, but they were there also and enjoyed the play. Bryce was in a great mood and laughed through a good part of it.
After the performance, I came home with the two little ones and John took the older boys to Aspen Leaf for a treat. Overall, the night went well and was a great start to the Christmas season.
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The following morning started early as the 5 kids and I loaded into the van and headed to Phoenix to help with a fundraiser for Ryan House. John stayed behind to work on our garage/bedroom project. The fundraiser was a golf tournament at the Biltmore Golf Club. There was a lemonade stand set up at one of the holes and we were asked if we would like to help serve lemonade. We had a lot of fun and it felt great to be able to help serve for a good cause.
The kids enjoyed the volunteer's rest station.
Bryce, not so much. He just wanted to get back outside and moving.
Jacob ready to serve a glass of lemonade to one of the golfers. He was most impressed when someone took a glass of lemonade and handed him a $20 bill. Everyone there was very generous!
Here we are with one of the golf groups that came through. The lady who unfortunately got cut off here, gave each of the kids a golf ball. They thought that was wonderful.
The lady holding Annalise was the other volunteer that was serving lemonade with us. She was so nice and I had a great time talking with her about our children and her boys. Her oldest, named Ryder, is Annalise's age. She was so good with Annalise and very kind to all of our children. Her name is Kodette and about half way through our time there I found out that she is the wife of Jason LaBarbera from the Phoenix Coyotes! Yeah cool! Very, very nice lady.
This man was one of the golfers. Before hitting his own ball, he took the time to show my boys how to golf and then let them use his iron club to hit a ball...which he left for them.
The boys thought it was great and have all decided that they need an iron for Christmas!
Even Annalise got in on the action. She took this stick that William had found and hit her own ball.
"Goal!"
She kept saying that as the different golfers hit the ball. Also at one point she was "crawling" around the grass and a golfer said, "get down, get down" to his ball and then we heard Annalise repeating, "get down, get down!" She also kept herself busy by hiding under the tablecloth (her cave) and roaring at the golfers as they came by for lemonade. She is a funny little girl and had a great morning.
While there we also talked with Ryan Roberts again and got to meet his sweet wife. We also talked with Ryan (of Ryan House and his parents), and met some of the Arizona Rattler's cheerleaders. I'm sure there were many other "known" people who came through, but I didn't recognize anyone else. Everyone we did meet though was very, very kind.
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From the golf game, we went to the Affinity Family Christmas party. We got to see Santa there and each of the kids got a bell and a little stuffed animal as a toy. Santa also gave them a Candy Cane which the boys all handed to Annalise. I wondered why and then remembered that we are not eating candy. They are so good! They amaze me.
We had pictures taken with Santa and there were no tears this year! As soon as we get those pictures, I will post them. We did not stay for the movie since we had to get home so that we could get to William and Jacob's Christmas piano Recital.
Like a bad mom, I didn't get any pictures of them, but they did a FANTASTIC job! Jacob played "The Sleigh" and William played "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" They had their pieces memorized and played them well. They both definitely have a gift for playing. I am so glad that they enjoy it.
