Nutcracker!

Hello, friends and family!  We've been up to so much and I haven't updated in so long that I'm just going to start with our most recent happenings and, hopefully, work my way back to Thanksgiving over the next couple of days. 
Most recently, these girls went to see the First Coast Nutcracker yesterday afternoon. I purchased tickets for this event early in November and have been so excited to start this tradition with our little family. But yesterday morning, I worried that we still have so much to do to get ready for Christmas that we didn't really have time to give up for this event.  I'm so glad that we went anyway.  It was a nice, peaceful break from the Christmas rush and really a fun show.  We had great front-row seats and the girls were enthralled with the dancers and costumes.  It was a feast for the eyes and ears, as the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra provided the music.  We were just in front of the pit, which the girls thought was so cool!  Mary Grace's favorite part was "when they got married" and Elsie's was "the green boy".  She thought it was so funny when he got a spanking and was carried out.  I loved the costumes and set.  They were so elaborate and really beautiful!  As for Stephen, well, he says he's had his "culture" for the year!