Deacon and Elf Shenanigans

This month has been made extra special by the appearance of two magical characters: Deacon and Elfalina. Deacon returned once again to Rockbridge on December 1st, and he surprised us each morning with his mischief. Some of his tricks were funny; some were a bit messy. Our favorite ones were the broken TV prank and the car wash. He always left behind silly notes that made us all laugh. On the 23rd, he appeared in a Ziploc bag, so that the kids could carry him around without losing his magic. He enjoyed riding in the car and then playing outside with the neighbors. Now that it is Christmas Eve, Deacon has returned to the North Pole. Hopefully he is giving Santa a good report of the behavior of the Kennedy children. 

 

Elfalina was the elf that visited Aunt Megan's office at Sedge Garden. Maddox, Emmy, and Eli were excited each morning to see what mischief she got into overnight. She appeared right after the Thanksgiving break on December 1st, and like Deacon, sometimes she left treats and sometimes, tricks. One day she covered the principal's office in wrapping paper! On her very last day of school, Elfalina left a note and special gloves for the kiddos to give her a magical hug to send her back to the North Pole. Elfalina and Deacon have been fun additions to the Christmas season, and we are already looking forward to their return next year. 

Although our last student day was on Friday, the 19th, I had one Teacher Workday this Monday, the 22nd. Eli tagged along and was very helpful with the shredder, while Emmy attended a basketball camp with the Winston-Salem Stealers. In the afternoon, we finished up another batch of cookies with Grammy. Yesterday, Emmy had her camp again in the morning, and then we met the cousins, Aunt Megan, and Grammy for lunch at Mellow Mushroom and then an afternoon at the Kaleideum. The kiddos especially loved the new snow-themed exhibit and, as always, the outdoor playground. Christmas break is off to a wonderful start!

Darby, Emmy, Smith, and Austin

Hello, Christmas Break!

It is officially Christmas break! Emmy and Eli had their last day of school on Friday, December 19th, and there was much build-up each day leading up to it. Between spirit days and class parties, I can't imagine a happier place than an elementary school before the holidays. We are so thankful for their teachers and the volunteers who make it so special. 

On Monday, the 15th, the kids had their annual physicals. We got a good report from the doctor, and they are growing just as they should. Here are the stats: Eli - 3'10" (55th percentile), 45 lb 9.6 oz (48th percentile), 15.24 BMI (45th percentile); Emmy - 4'6" (74th percentile), 67 lb 3.2 oz (58th percentile), 16.12 BMI (46th percentile). 

Although we don't have quite as much hoopla as our elementary friends, it is still an exciting time in a high school too, and there was a constant buzz in the air this past week. Santa even made a visit one day, and I got my picture with him. On Wednesday evening, I went to dinner with all of my Starmount coworkers. They are such a fun group of ladies. 

On Friday evening, Emmy and I joined Megan, Maddox, and Grammy to see the Nutcracker at the Reynolds Auditorium in Winston. It was performed by the International Ballet Stars, with local dancers joining for a few of the ballroom scenes. Maddox's friend Mollie was one of the dancers, hence why he tagged along. (I'm not sure it was otherwise his cup of tea.) We were all mesmerized by the skills and talent of the professional dancers. 

Today, with no sports or other holiday activities, we had a free day to do as we pleased. I don't even remember the last time that happened! We set off to Winston first for lunch at Burke Street Pizza, and then we toured the Reynolda House and Gardens. We have been to Reynolda Village so many times, but we have never toured the home. It is the estate of the Reynolds family, and now a historic site open to the public. The home has been maintained as it would have appeared in the 1920s. In addition to the bedrooms and fifteen (15!) bathrooms, there is a shooting gallery, indoor pool, bowling alley, and bar. The kids were entertained with the scavenger hunt, and we enjoyed learning more about the local history of this prominent Winston family. We ended our adventure with a sweet treat at Dough Joe's. There always has to be a sweet treat! 

There is one other important date from this past week - Boomer and my 15th anniversary! December 18th fell on a Thursday this year, so it was otherwise a normal day of work and parenting. In the evening we had dinner at Dairio, and then Boomer took the kids to the batting cages, while I came home to do laundry and wrap some Christmas gifts. I did find a special surprise of fresh flowers in the kitchen. How sweet! Although the day itself was a normal day, let's not forget that we celebrated BIG back in October on our Mediterranean cruise. Fifteen years has gone by in a blink, and I am thankful for every one of them!