It's Christmas Eve...

We have been so busy this December, but I really want to throw up some pictures of our Christmas activities before the big day. 

To make a long story short, I'm very pleased the 3rd Annual Jupiter Nativity Experience was a success, and thrilled the stress is over. The weather was perfect, and we had a great community turnout. I directed the play, and did more sewing than usual: I made Dave's vest, fixed my costume, and made all of Jessica's costume from a pattern. After all those months of study and thought about Christ's birth, I never feel guilty that my Christmas is too commercial. I'll blog more about it another time.

Jessica learned how to say "dee" for Christmas trees, except that she says it when she sees Christmas lights, so I think we programmed her incorrectly. She can take bows off of presents, but although she understands the "open" command for books, she didn't figure out how to unwrap gifts. (Note the bow stuck to her butt, her pants slipping down from crawling, and her warm clothes: it's actually cold down here--into the 30's--several times.)

Two days after the Nativity, Dave and I went to hear the King's Singers--they are incredible vocalists. We didn't have the time or the courage to go shake their hands, so we bought CDs and took a cell phone self-portrait.

I wanted to take advantage of the fact that we weren't traveling out of town, and see as many local Christmas events as possible. (Entertainment is twice as sweet when you're in the audience and not trying to make it happen!)

So I went to hear a local Presbyterian choir, and the Young Singers of the Palm Beaches.  The Young Singers sang only 1 song I'd heard already (yes!), and it was funny and interesting all 2 1/2 hrs. One of my piano students is in the junior choir. I highly recommend them.

We traveled south to Hoffman's Chocolates, which has a strange collection of outdoor Christmas displays, and a store-factory with the most tantalizing sweets. Why can't they make a scented candle that smells like that shop? The real thing is terrible for my waistline.

We also went to the music-light show at the mall we can't afford to shop at.

In this blog, Jessica is modeling 7 outfits all generously donated by friends, including this onsie: "It's my first Christmas: SPOIL ME!" No problem babe.

We also rode the new carousel, complete with Florida animals (dolphin, manatee, flamingo, turtle, and endangered sandhill crane) with it's charitable pitch, ubiquitous in our wealthy county.

And at others' request, and out of personal guilt, I finally set up an appointment and we drug ourselves to a portrait studio for formal pictures. Call me ProcrasiSanta, but we didn't get to it 'til Christmas Eve Day. It took way too long, and we're no supermodels, but they'll do.

Jessica is just learning to stand.

Oh how I love our little angel!  She is the best gift we could ever ask for. Dave and I are so excited to watch her open presents.

We stopped at the extravagant botanical Santa garden at the mall. A visit with the man in the red suit was not high on a to do list that I only half finished this year. Next year we'll try for a picture with Santa.

Jessica is seriously motivated to stand with all those toys on the coffee table (our games trunk.) These are her first figurines and she shows her love by biting their heads. I'll post that video later...

She's asleep right now (probably on her knees/bottoms up as usual), and I should go to bed too. So I'll sign off. Merry Christmas to you all. We love you and wish you a Happy New Year, from the three of us.