pre-holiday activities and preparations

Ming Ming painted our Christmas tree

popo did one too

 

and Selina yiyi did one. Yes yiyi arrived from Europe to spend Christmas with us!

Ming Ming painted another one the next day.

Ming Ming started taking ice skating class with Bella and Kiaus. 

with the help of Selina yiyi, we hosted a hotpot party for the commune.

 

December 23rd, first and last shopping trip to Downtown before Christmas! 

taking a monkey with us

 

 

 

Rudolph the red nose reindeer pancake

Popo's Christmas dress for Ming Ming

 and got to watch a lot of dancing at home

End of Year Recital

Liz and Mike arranged a Saturday recital for the commune. We finally got to witness the musical growth of three of our young members over the past year: Nourit on piano, Oscar on cello, and both Nourit and Avi on violin. Ming Ming can't wait to start violin, but it demands a lot of parental involvement and I am not sure that I got the time this year. 

quite an audience! 

Nourit's piano recital

me and Zazie, the youngest of the Lacroix girls.

After a delicious lunch cooked by chef Mike, the commune proceeded to the Mandel Hall to watch the annual Nutcracker by the Hyde Park School of Dance. Ming Ming was part of the preballet dance show.

dancers getting ready

backstage

they showed the little dancers' pics during the preballet show.

Ming Ming on stage

see if you can find her.. (tip: the tallest!)

 

 

 

dance along Nutcracker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tree cutting

Rainy rainy day! but, as long as it is outside, with many kids, it is always fun!

bumpy ride on a tractor.. Mike holding Liz and Zazie wrapped inside Liz's jacket.

 

 

Keven the red nose reindeer

George cutting their tree, and the kids trying to help

the Lacroixs and their tree

Rubyhofer's tree

tingcadoux's tree

 

 

 

X'mas party by papa's company