Baptism

This has been another busy week.  After last weeks birthday and Thanksgiving celebrations we were ready to put up the Christmas tree.  What a disaster that turned out to be.  The kids were so excited as we got out all the boxes and Mark started putting our tree together.  It's a pre-lit tree we bought when Em was a baby and it has served us well all these years.  However, last year a couple of the stands of lights started acting up but with a little shake they came back on and stayed on.  Phew...another year we avoided buying a new tree.  

Mark had set up the whole tree and then decided to plug it all in.  We weren't so lucky this year as half the lights would not turn on.  By this point, the girls had put out all the other decorations they could and were ready to move on to the tree.  It was getting late, they were getting tired and Mark's frustration was growing.  He tried everything we could think of to get the lights to work but to no avail.  We were about to throw the whole thing out and just buy a new tree when my neighbor suggested we just string new lights on top of the old lights.  Yeah! It worked and we turned the tree so the dark spots are in the back where you can't see them anyway.  We did have to wait until the next night to put the decorations on but it looks good enough for now.  

Just the other night, another string of lights went out.  Fortunately, it was in the back and you can't really tell.  

I love this picture because it shows Josie's true character.  She won't hold still for  even two seconds while I take a picture.  She was moving on purpose.  She's such a teaser.  

On Saturday, Emily got baptized.  It was a really nice program and Mark's brother (and his family) and aunt and uncle were able to come down.  We had a really nice luncheon afterward and were able to visit with family and friends.  We had a packed house and as soon as everyone left, we headed to Lindsey's dance performance at a holiday craft fair.  When that was done we went back home, gathered up Emily and went back to the fair for their singing performance.  It was really cute.  They did so well.  They are both a couple of performers and didn't seem phased at all to get up and sing in front of a bunch of strangers.