Christmas Elf

Fina is part of a group at school called Sources of Strength. They're a peer-to-peer support group for kids at school. Today they stationed themselves at the various school entrances and handed out candy canes - Merry Christmas! The (temporary) tattoo on her cheek is the organization's logo.

Seven Falls at Christmas

What if they lit up about .8 miles of canyon leading to Seven Falls?... This is what you get! While Tracy and Jonny were at Stanford for a chiari surgery follow-up, the rest of the Compound dwellers took advantage of a reasonably warm day to hike up to Seven Falls and have dinner at the 1858 Restaurant. Matteo found a skillet trout dish he really liked, which led to talk of trout fishing, of course. A little colder than we'd hoped, but that didn't really slow us down much. More photos are here.

Nana, Fina, Lexi and Matt, Matteo, David, and AJ.

The water was flowing/falling beneath the ice.
This shot only shows a small portion
of the Seven Falls at the bottom.

The 1858 Restaurant is right at the base of the falls.

Chapel Hills Mall Hangout

The Chapel Hills Mall is a favorite hangout of the middle school set. It's the only fully enclosed mall in the area (that we know of). Nana and Papa went Secret Service for Fina and friends - just like last year at this time. Not sure what the younger set may have gotten, but we seniors enjoyed a Peanut Buster Parfait (goes way back) and a Banana Split at the DQ in the food court! Oh, and we (finally) found a replacement for Lynn's "I Am Loved" necklace that Jamie gave her decades ago (early dating period) and was lost when loaned to a friend within that year. About time. And the bear was a Helzberg purchase as well - donation to Make-A-Wish. Note the "I Am Loved" logo on his scarf.

DWAP Cookie Decorating

While Nana and Papa took Matteo to see A Christmas Carol at the ENT Center, Tracy held a cookie decorating class/party at the house for their DWAP (pronounced dee-wap) group, Dessert With A Purpose, an adoption/foster group. And Fina was out caroling in the neighborhood with her school choir. Love that new table with its humongous lazy susan.

Nice lighting...

Caught Tracy's picture wall with good lighting...

Advanced Choir Concert Fall 2018

Wonderful concert by the DCC Middle School music department this evening, sung to a full house.

Fina's "Thunder Tones" (8th grade girls). Fina is front row far right.

All the Middle School choir members

Sunset

Interesting sunsets seen while taking Matteo to his "Take Flight" lesson.