It's A Wonderful Life!

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Silent Night

Merry Christmas from Reilly, Dawn and Alex.

Look what I discovered today!!

I'm am so excited.... I just discovered that you can hear Alex flute performance online!!!! (She is the "trilly" one.)

Also Caroline's drumming.... Here are all the selections.

Celia update

Gabby, Mom and I went up to see Celia and Peach today. Celia looked good- very alert and looking around at us. I got to hold her for a long time- even while 2 different nurses came in to examine her. She's so sweet and snuggly! Elizabeth said that they are 99% sure that her "episodes" (not breathing) are caused by reflux and they have put her on 2 different medicines to help with that. If she doesn't have another episode they may send her home tomorrow. Her due date was this coming Thursday, so it would be fitting for her to come home then!

Say goodbye to the dancer....

Well, I'm glad you all got a chance to see Ethan dance at least once, because today he quit. It has been getting difficult the last few classes to get him there, but I made him promise to stick with it until the winter recital was over with....

He got a little teary when he was telling Mrs. Sciarratta that he was all done, but she said, "I'll still be your friend, and maybe you can try again next year." We'll see. Now he wants to try karate... yeah.

Run Run Rudolph

Watch Gabby RUN!!

Candy Cane Dance

snow angel

Ethan's first recital!!

Frosty the Snowman Tap Dance Finger Lakes Ballet Academy

Feeling Crafty...

Look what I whipped up while Cate was napping yesterday.... No, they are not little gnome hats, although Dawn would like that (she likes gnomes)...

they are candy cones. I saw the idea here and thought they were really cute. Of course mine did not turn out as cute, but o-well. I am the Class Mom for Ethan's class, so I am going to fill them with candy and little treats and pass them out to his classmates.All I have to buy is more candy, everything else I had on had. The green sparkly felt was left over from Hudson's elf costume.

Warning: I have been feeling quite crafty lately, so you all should beware this gift giving season!

And on a more serious note.... say a prayer for baby Celia. She is up at Strong Hospital after she stopped breathing yesterday. Thankfully she was at the doctor's office for an appointment when the incident occurred, so she has been under professional supervision the entire time. She is having all sorts of tests done to see what caused this. I can only imagine what Elizabeth and Marc are going through to see their sweet tiny baby being poked and prodded.

Here is Celia with her great Aunt Karen and next to her Great Grandma at Mum's 95th birthday party.

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Happy Birthday Mum!

Mum is 95 today! Happy Birthday!

And happy birthday to you too Grandpa Donald... we all miss you very much. You would have been very proud of your granddaughter and great granddaughter last night.

5th Grade Concert

Alex had her 5th grade chorus and band concert this evening. They had a "trial run" this morning, and bussed all the kids from the elementary school up to the high school "performing arts center" to see it. Mom and Justin (and Gabby!) went to the morning show because they couldn't make the evening event. When I picked Gabby up from Mom's house afterward (I had a dance meeting to go to) she told me how good it was, and that Alex's duet was great. Her what??? She had a duet? OK, so now I ma feeling like the crappiest Mom on the planet. I knew that Mr. G had given her and another flutist some "special music", but I thought it was just for lessons or for fun.. I had no idea she was doing a duet. Then I thought- gosh- maybe she told me and I was like, "Uh huh" without really listening. I felt really bad. SO I go tonight and watch her and be awed and amazed and blown over. It was really good. We get home and I asked her about the duet and she says, "Mom, I wanted to keep it a secret so you'd be so surprised!" Well, I was....

(It was actually a trio because Mr. G played guitar)

Playing in the band...

Here is Alex in the chorus...

Caroline was part of a special group- five kids played a holiday song. It reminded me of a jazz gig... sorry Caroline, I couldn't avoid the microphone across your face! What talented kids we have!

Happy Hanukkah

Ethan expressed an interest in celebrating Hanukkah (Alex did the same thing when she was little too). So, due to the fact that Hanukkah starts tonight and we were short a menorah, we improvised with birthday candles and an egg carton. We lit one candle, Alex and Hudson said a little prayer about thankfullness, we shared some chocolate cake and enjoyed being together.