Hi, everyone!
It’s already December 15! We’re more than halfway through Advent!
Grandma was busy writing Christmas cards and didn’t have time to help me post my blog. Today, it’s sunny and 50 degrees, so it’s hard to remember winter is almost here!
On the first day of December, we went to Alan Franke’s tree farm to get our Christmas tree. It was supposed to start raining later in the day, so we went right after breakfast! We found a nice tree right inside the door!
I like to watch our Christmas tree go through the baler! That ties up the branches so we can put our tree in our car to go home. Our tree just fit!
We got our tree early before all the nice ones were gone, but we weren’t ready to put it up yet. Grandpa fixed a place in the garage for it to stay until we’re ready to bring it in. It started to rain just when we got the tree inside!
After we got home, I started all three of our Advent calendars! First, Grandma helped me put the first item from the reverse Advent calendar in my Advent basket. It was a can of tomato sauce! Then, I helped Grandma with her jigsaw Advent calendar from Uncle Steven’s family. We opened the first box and put the pieces together. They formed the upper left corner of the picture!
For afternoon snack, Grandma and I opened her upstate New York food Advent calendar from Uncle David’s family. It was a fancy cookie! I helped cut it in half so Grandma and Grandpa could share it.
Saturday, December 2, was a busy Advent day, too! In the morning, the town crew came to pick up our last leaf pile! I always like watching the dump trucks and loaders. Grandma was happy the crew didn’t snag any of the apple tree lights as they dragged the leaves out onto the street!
In the afternoon, we went to our church to decorate for Advent. I helped my church friends who were putting a garland up around the sanctuary. Uncle Steven used the tall ladder to hang a big wreath and put stars and candles in the windows. Grandma used a shorter ladder to reach the top of the Christmas tree.
The top of the tree has a star, a strand of raffia and bird ornaments in memory of Uncle Bill and some other church members. I made friends with the bird for Uncle Bill. After some church families came to put bird ornaments in memory of their loved ones on the tree, the decorating was done!
Just before sunset, the apple tree lights turned on for the first time. I was happy to see that the way we arranged the lights looked nice! They looked even nicer after dark!
Sunday was day three for all the Advent calendars! Grandma took the first three food items for the reverse Advent calendar to church with her. I helped her with the third box of jigsaw puzzle pieces and the third Advent snack. We went out to the bay after church.
On Monday morning, I helped Grandma and Grandpa to protect the flower buds on my rhododendron friend over the winter. The rhododendron has grown so much that it won’t fit into the winter fence any more! We used the mesh from the fence to wrap around the branches and across the top. I helped hold the pieces together while Grandpa tie-wrapped them. I hoped this works!
Wednesday was day six of all the Advent calendars. Guess what? We also had snow! It was cold enough to last overnight, so I got to enjoy the apple tree lights in the snow.
Last Sunday was Tuba Christmas! Grandma and Grandpa and I got there early to get our favorite seats in the balcony! That gives me a nice view of the Eastman Theater chandelier!
Uncle Steven’s family joined us just before the concert started. Santa Claus always brings a double-belled euphonium to play. The sousaphone players always decorate their instruments with lights. One baritone player brought a German horn and dressed to match. I’d never seen a black tuba before! The sound of the group is always very pretty!
Today is day fifteen of our Advent calendars. I made friends with the food items for this week that will be going to church on Sunday. It’s almost time to put up our Christmas tree, too!
Love,
Lion-san