December 2019

In early December we started our many Christmas traditions.  Our first one was a visit to Our Lady of the Snows.  This is the only picture I took this year.

We have a homemade Advent jar with activities written on popsicle sticks.  Somehow every year the kids draw the "Christmas Dance Party" stick when Jim is home and I am not. 

While they were having their dance party, I was celebrating with friends.

We had some mild days in December.  Maggie and a friend played in leaves after school one day.

Jim took the three younger kids to a chess tournament while Jack was at Scouts and I had a day of reflection for a retreat I was helping with.

It was Maggie's first chess meet.

Charlie finished in 3rd (out of 84) in his age group and Patrick finished 1st (out of 89) in his age group!  Maggie finished a respectable 20th (out of the same 84 as Charlie).

Christmas card photo 2019.

Another tradition is to see Santa Claus at the train station.  We got to meet a reindeer while we waited.

They were so excited to see Santa!

Jim took Charlie to a scout event at a friend's house. The boys all decorated cookies!  Charlie did a great job!

I went on my annual shopping trip.  I think this is the last year we go to the Lake. 

Serengeti Steve came to the Scout meeting in December.  His visits are always a hit!

We enjoyed hearing Patrick's class sing in the Advent concert.

Maggie's class entertained us with some holiday songs as well.

Jim took the boys on a winter ride.

Our annual holiday party was a blast!

We enjoyed a hike at Powder Valley with friends over Christmas break.

We spent another afternoon hiking at the sculpture park.

Jim gave the boys his phone to take a selfie with the snowman they made (on this mild December day).

The selfie:

One evening Jim and his pals played music for a holiday dinner for people in need. The kids and I came and helped serve dessert.

The musical entertainment:

We kept our tradition of mass and dinner with my parents on Christmas Eve.  Maggie and Rory were darling in their Christmas plaid.

The kids waited until it was time to open presents on Christmas morning.

Their first look:

Jack slept in a t-shirt from one prospective high school and opened a gift of a hat from another.

Jim lost the hat he got in Glacier so I got him a new one for Christmas.

Watch out! Charlie might put a spell on you with his new Harry Potter wand.

Grandma and Grandpa gave the kids roller blades!

Our attempt at a selfie after Christmas brunch. It was really bright outside!

We spent Christmas evening at Aunt Sue and Uncle Matt's.  We walked to the nearby golf course to use her stomp rockets.

My friend Connie came to town with her girls and we met them at an ice skating rink.

Maggie found a Frozen throne at the Science Center.

The kids like to play this Mars Rover video game at the Science Center.

Jim's sister and her family came in town. We were happy to sneak out with them one evening.

We celebrated Christmas on the weekend when everyone was in town.

It would not be a Kelly gathering without live music!

We rang in the New Year with friends.

We might not have been so happy if we knew what 2020 had in store for us!