The next day, the K family came for their annual visit. We had been looking forward to this for months!
The first day everyone spent time together at the house just enjoying being together again. The following day, The older crowd went to the shooting range with the dads, and the moms took the younger kids to the park. They loved this merry go round!
We celebrated with Lito, Lita, aunts and cousins the next day. What a fun day with a nice lunch, cousins playing, great conversations, and singing carols with Allia on piano.
We all went to 10am mass together, including Pawpaw and Manah, then came home for lunch and family gifts.
We did lots of food prep, some last minute decorating, and then went to celebrate with Pawpaw and Manah before the 8pm mass.
Double wreaths donated from Lita
Some nice helpers with the pecan tarts
Austin directed the women's schola at their first mass, and Mariana and Gloria both sang. Pawpaw and Manah generously put the littles to bed so I could go as well. It was so beautiful, and I was very proud of my musicians!
He had an epic party last night with some great friends, flashlight tag hide and seek (or something like that), chicken express, and lots of other fun. But us girls were hiding away so I didn't get any photos. :/ Somehow Mariana weaseled her way in and ran around with the best of them!
This morning, he opened family gifts, went out to Mooyah lunch with Allia plus dinner with the family.
Anastasia was invited to this sweet get together for Advent/Christmas. They had a great time decorating Gingerbread houses and being girly!
Our homeschool choir had it's concert this evening. Marina sang with the audition-only Madrigals group and the main choir, Gloria sang with the main choir and played advanced bells, Stephen played advanced chimes, Anastasia played beginner chimes and sang with the main choir, Sebastian played beginner chimes and sang with the little choir, and Cecilia sang with the little choir and played little bells. It was quite a show, and the music was beautiful.
The younger kids always ask to light the candles on the church advent wreath before mass. This year we were able to do it twice, and they had the same family bring up the gifts for the offertory. A sweet friend took this picture for us. I love that Stephen is there serving!
