Elf Dance

So, first my sister sent an elf dance out of her family and now my cousin Sarah has posted her elf dance on her blog. Being a dancer myself, I couldn't allow my family to go without an elf dance, too. So, enjoy!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Holiday Recital

Every year, the kids' piano teacher puts on a holiday recital. This recital is different from the other two during the year because the kids get to pick their own song rather than picking from the Suzuki books.



Annie picked "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and was ecstatic because she got to play a duet with Miss Cindy.



Michael's song, "Carol of the Bells," was especially challenging for him. It's the first piece he's played using the pedal. I thought he did wonderfully!



Ever the J.S. Bach fan, Jay picked "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," one of the few pieces I've always played for the kids. His rendition is much better than mine, though.



If you look closely, you can see a tiny heart locket around Annie's neck. She wears this whenever she's doing anything special. Her Grandma Gardner gave it to her on her first birthday. I believe this locket was given to Grandma Gardner by her grandmother on the occasion of her baptism.

The recital was followed by a cookies and punch reception, reminding me of the piano recitals we had when I was a kid.

I think the whole family is in the Holiday Spirit now. We listened to Christmas songs and read Christmas books for the rest of the day!