Yuletide in Yadkin County

... or so Boomer entitled our Hallmark-movie of a Saturday! 

Yesterday, we headed over to Yadkinville for their annual Christmas parade. We have gone to this parade for several years now, ever since Boomer was the principal at Forbush. It is always a festive event that brings the community together and features many of our students. Before the parade, and like last year, we went to the Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast at the Yadkinville Methodist Church. The kids were thrilled to see Santa there, and they went straight to him before eating any breakfast. Eli and Emmy continue to stick to their same wishes: a track for Eli, an Easy Bake Oven for Emmy. After eating our pancakes, we walked a short distance down Main Street to set up our chairs for the parade. As each float passed by, Emmy and Eli got a haul of candy, way more candy than any two children need. They were excited with each piece: "Skittles!" "An Airhead!" "Nerds!" "Lollipops!" It was enough to fill an entire grocery bag! We limited them to just two pieces as we walked back to our car. After the parade, we went to the Shiloh Amish General Store in Hamptonville. We got delicious homemade sandwiches and a few other goodies to eat then and to save for later. Unfortunately the only downside was that the store does not have any indoor seating, and the wind and chilly temperatures made it uncomfortable to sit outside on the wrap-around porch. We gave it our best try...but eventually the director called "Cut!" on this Hallmark movie of a day. We headed home to the warmth and enjoyed the rest of the day indoors. 

This past Tuesday, we were quite surprised to wake up to a dusting of snow! It is the earliest to my memory that we have had snow, especially since it is still technically fall and only a few days into the month of December. There was just enough to cover the grass and create some tricky driving conditions, but not enough to truly play or build a snowman. At first, the school districts called a 2-hour delay, but then the delay turned into a total closure for students and a Teacher Workday for staff. Eli's preschool remained open, so after dropping him off, Emmy tagged along with me to my school. She spent the day making bracelets and other crafts; she also helped me with my Christmas cards. 

Emmy's newest interest has been Legos. She received a Moana Lego kit for her birthday from her friend Heidi, and she loved putting it together. She did the entire thing independently over the course of three days, and it was really neat to see her focus and determination. She was very proud of the final product.

Since I have included several pictures of Emmy, here is one of my sweet Eli, asleep in Mommy and Daddy's bed. He loves falling asleep in our bed, and he must know I have a weakness for telling him 'no.' This particular picture was on Saturday evening, after our big day in Yadkinville. I just know he is dreaming of candy, Santa, and presents. 

A few other holiday happenings, Emmy's elementary school has had spirit days every day in December. Emmy especially looked cute for "Oh Deer!" Day, where she wore a dress with Rudolph on it. This past week Zander had his first concert as part of his middle school's orchestra. Zander is learning to play the violin, and it was quite impressive to see the skills he has developed in just a few short months. Boomer took point on the kiddos so that I could attend the concert, and I enjoyed being just aunt for the evening.

Deacon has continued with his shenanigans. I may have missed a day or two, but I have tried to snap a picture each morning when we discover his latest overnight escapades. There is holiday magic at the Kennedy household, that's for sure!