festive faves

The Friday before Christmas Week!!  

A busy time. but a festive time!!  

And time to reflect back on our week as we participate in the Friday Fave Fives!

Here's 5 of my favorite festivities from this past week:

Claire before the S---Junior High  grade 7 Chorus concert
8 December 2011

• SCHOOL CHRISTMAS CONCERTS!  We are blessed that both of our daughters chose violin to study and our youngest also chose chorus this year as an extra course.  Our district has a phenomenal music department and the teachers use actual Christmas music during the December concerts....which is rare in public schools around much of our state.  Claire is in 3 performance groups this year at school:  Chorus (for credit), Orchestra (for credit) and Select Chorus (by audition only and is an after school club so no credit towards grades).  Dave and I always like going out to the concerts...it's one of our fave things to do during the school year and it's so important to support our children in their musical endeavors.  She had her Chorus 7 concert last Thursday, her Orchestra 7 on Tuesday, and last night she had the Select Chorus concert.  It's so much fun going to hear holiday music performed by talented tweens/teens!

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• COUPLES XMAS PARTY!  We had my small group of women and their husbands at our home on Saturday evening for a "couples xmas party" complete with 3 different appetizers, fancy punch, veggie and fruit platters, cheese tray, cookie platter and fudge bowl...and of course other cold drinks plus coffee.  It was so much fun getting the men together and many friendships are being formed.  We had a rousing game of Taboo (men against the women) and we played "yankee swap" with the gifts.  It was just an evening of food, fun, and fellowship.....and we all walked away promising to get together again sometime over the winter....getting together with fun people is always a fave.......

• SURPRISE COFFEE!!  I work most of the day in a 2nd grade classroom as a TA with special needs children.  The teacher in that room found out it was my birthday on Friday and sent the school counselor out to surprise me with a large DD gingerbread coffee.  YUMMY!  When I returned to the classroom with my students who had been in the special education room, the 2nd grade class burst into song and surprised me with the coffee.  What a great mid-morning treat while at work!  That really made my day! You know coffee is always a fave with me!

• CHECK LISTS COMPLETED!  I had a LONG check list I created over last weekend.  This past week, all 6 elementary schools in our district had half days due to parent-teacher conferences.  Because I am no longer a Master Teacher, and just a teacher assistant, I had the afternoons free!  Both afternoons were on days that we had concerts to attend in the evening so I was very motivated to get my stuff completed.  And....I enjoyed checking off each item as I went through my day....that's a great feeling for me at this time of year...and always a fave!

early morning mid-December sunrise
from our deck
c. faithe MTPics 12/2011

• COLLECTION OF POETRY  I've been enjoying some poetry from various collections we have. One book in particular had a poem this week that matched my mood regarding these cold, crisp mornings, minus snow (very unusual weather for New York State in December!) The book is Sitting By My Laughing Fire by Ruth Bell Graham.  The poem is:

"Winter speaks to the surfeited heart,

weary of heat 

and weeds

and leaves,

longing to breathe

cold, bracing air,

explore the hillsides

swept and bare;

to revel in each bush,

each tree

stripped to stark

simplicity;

original etchings

everywhere----

and You,

Who etched them,

with me there."

Isn't that a lovely poem?? It sums up my feelings right now of our days that begin with cold, crisp air but warm up mid-day to temps in the high 40's....and....I can't believe I'm saying this, but a little bit of snow next week would be so pretty for Xmas Eve....wouldn't it? Either way....let's remember the One who "etched" all of these treasures........

Do you have some fave things from the past week??

If yes, please consider joining us by linking up at Susanne's site (click here), and leaving me a comment about one of your fave moments this week.

Enjoy the weekend!  I plan on hugging my oldest daughter tightly as we travel to pick her up from my in-laws (they volunteered to get her off campus for us!) and celebrate Xmas with them tomorrow.  

Whatever your plans are, enjoy some time with the Savior....it's such a busy time preparing for the celebration of His Birth!