On Monday and Wednesday of this week I got to perform the Messiah!!  It was so incredible!  What an amazing opportunity.  I have always loved Handel's Messiah and always hoped I'd have a chance someday to play in the orchestra.  So it was such a thrill for me.  The production had professionals for the soloists and principals and it was a thrill to play with such talent, as well.  The performance lasted 2 1/2 hours but even so, all my kids and my husband and his parents came to watch the last night.  It was so fun!

On Tuesday, Cali and Chey had a performance, as well, for their Junior High Nightingale Choir.  They sang beautifully!  The junior high choirs always sing "One Candle" at Christmas time so now I have five daughters who can sing it for me in my living room on request!  Love it!

On Wednesday, Beth and Ben had crazy hair and crazy sock day at school.  They had backwards day on Monday and Christmas hat day on Tuesday, but I only took pictures on Wednesday!  Ha ha!  They also had karate this week as usual and Beth had her last basketball practices before games start after Christmas break.  Fun, huh?

Thursday was only a half day of school so I didn't make any of the kids go to school.  Only Beth and Ben decided to stay home, though!  We'd had our first snow the night before, so we grabbed a couple of sleds and tried out our new sled hill.  Beth and Ben said that it was, "Epic!"

Thursday was also Kevin's birthday!  He and I went out to lunch together between the work he needed to do.  Then I made him his fried chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner and his mom and Jim came and ate with us and brought decorations even!  Fun times!  Then we opened presents and ate cheesecake.  Happy Birthday Kevin B!

Friday was Megan's birthday!  She is now the oh, so glorious NINETEEN!  Her dad made her crepes for breakfast and then her mom took her shopping for some new clothes for her presents.  Then her friend, Alisa, arranged for a group of her friends and sisters to meet at "Get Out Games" where they saved the world before dying horrible deaths.  That night, we went to the Brick Oven for a birthday dinner and then out to Spanish Fork to see the lights.  It was super fun.  Happy Birthday Megan!

Savannah and Megan came home Thursday night.  We had such happy faces because they were back with us and they had such happy faces because all their classes were done FINALLY!  We're proud of their hard work but glad, too, that they will have a break for a little while.  Especially with us!

Saturday we went as a whole entire family to the dollar store to do our family shopping.  It was so great to have all ten of us in the car and in the store.  Later that day, we made candied popcorn and in the evening all ten of us got in the car again and made deliveries to 40 of our closest friends to wish them a Merry Christmas and be wished a Merry Christmas in return!  What a rich, glorious life.

We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas, too!