We started with the scout troop having its annual lock-in. We were back at Willowbrook Baptist Church this year. The scouts did some skills training but they spent most of the evening playing video games and playing music up on stage. Matthew spent the evening playing guitar and drums and didn't touch a video game all night. The next morning the troop distributed luminary kits through out Hampton Cove as part of a fund raiser. The troop received $1000 and half of that went to the scouts that worked as outing credits for future activities.
After the luminary distribution Matthew and Mike went off to load the Nutcracker set and props on a truck while Meghan and Michelle were at rehearsal. The next day, after Meghan's first rehearsal in the Von Braun Civic Center, Mike worked setting up the set. For the next week we were all down at the VBCC. Meghan was dancing all eight shows as either a party girl or a party boy depending on the day. Michelle worked backstage with the girls and Mike and Matthew worked tech crew backstage. Mike was in the rigging running back drops while Matthew was the clock on stage and then helped up in the rigging. After the final show on Sunday afternoon, the work continued with striking the set and moving it back to the Huntsville Ballet's storage. We managed to squeeze in setting up all the Christmas decorations somewhere in there but did skip the outside lights this year.
For all the work backstage, Meghan and Matthew got to get sick. Meghan had to leave school early on Monday but Matthew survived. He didn't make it the next day though. Matthew did manage to get back to school on Friday but Meghan was still under the weather.
On the 18th, Meghan had her piano recital. Luckily she managed to get well in time for it. Her music? Nutcracker.
So, right after being sick for a week, the kids get to their final week of school. Meghan got to have fun with a Colonial Day where they all dressed up and learned about things in our colonial times. Matthew got to do finals. Doesn't seem fair.
Finally we get to Christmas Eve. We did our traditional dinner at Carrabbas and then off to church for the Christmas Eve services. We got to do both with Michelle's good friend Gerri and her new husband Bertram. After church it was home to exchange ornaments and settle in for the evening.
The next day we woke up to something truly unusual in Huntsville, AL, a white Christmas. After opening presents the kids went out to play and took Moe with them. Later in the day Meghan got to make her first decent size snowman. We had Christmas dinner with our good friends the McClellands. The snow continued and the day after Christmas Matthew, Meghan and Mike went sledding.
On December 30th Mike and Matthew went to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the Armed Forces Bowl with the West Point Society of the Tennessee Valley. Army's first bowl game since the mid 90s and first win since the 80s!
For New Years Eve it was putting away the Christmas decorations and spending the evening with the McClellands.
