Winter Concert 2008

I am breathing once again...my Winter Concert 2008 is over! I teach Pri-Primary-3rd grade vocal music, so December is always a busy time of the year, what with 3+ shows at school and all the personal stuff we are involved in (church, etc.). Here are a few pictures from the concert last week. With 200+ K-3rd graders on stage, it was a fun and busy group to conduct!


The theme this year was "Celebration of Peace". The students learned songs from several different countries, and studied how those cultures celebrate the holidays. Since the school has no religious affiliation, I have to be very careful how I handle the holidays! Many of our students celebrate Hanukkah, so we are always very respectful of that. I have actuallly learned a lot about this biblical holiday; it is very interesting!

I love teaching the choreography to the students; they are very entertaining!

We have some talented faculty who played Santa and Rudolph this year; they were HILARIOUS! I obviously don't really "believe" in these characters, but they are fun, timeless traditions for the children, and we have a great time with it.

This little blond, curly-haired Kindergartener is one of my "favorites." He sang a big solo for our finale that made everyone cry!

The parents were all pleased, and the children had a great time=success!!!

Already thinking about next year...

New Southern Living at Home Catalog

The new Spring catalog for Southern Living at Home is now available to view online. There are some beautiful new items this year; I'm asking for some of them for Christmas!

You can click on the link below to view the catalog:

http://mag1.olivesoftware.com/ActiveMagazine/welcome/STLM/SouthernLivingatHome-Spring.asp

If you are at all interested in hosting a party, January is a great month to do it; it is a Double Hostess Dollars month, meaning you get double the free stuff just for hosting! Or, if you are interested in just ordering an individual item, let me know, and I can add it on to one of my January parties.

Even if you do not live locally, you can still host a party. I can mail you catalots, etc., and you can do a "catalog party." It is very easy and fun way to get free and 50% off things as you freshen up your home for the new year!

If you are interested, e-mail me at: robyn_ranae@juno.com.

More of the Singing Christmas Tree

Here are a few more pictures from the Singing Christmas Tree. I used my dad's camera the past couple of nights, and got some better pictures.





Several times, Payton would throw her arms up like this and wave it the audience! It was so cute!



She LOVED playing in the hay!


My mom sang in the tree again this year.


Caleb Heath singing with the children's choir.

Our good friends' son, Bryce Owens...this big yawn in the middle of the song was so funny and cute!

Here is Bryce singing...isn't he a handsome guy?

Alaina Bulson had a solo with the children's choir. We like to call her family wonderful, wonderful friends!

Payton just watched them singing!

Robb was the accompanist this year. It is a huge job, and I was very proud of him!

A big smile for the crowd!

The ONLY cry out of four nights, plus the long dress rehearsal...she was such a good baby! I think she poked herself with a piece of straw, and it must have not felt so great!

I managed to grab a couple of shots after the program of her sitting in the manger. She was ready to get out of there!!!

Waving again at the shepherds, this time.

She loved this scene where "Mary and Joseph" just played with her!

A tired Baby Jesus!

This is one of my favorite pictures!

Payton had some adoring fans in the form of all these children each night! And, she loved the attention!

Well, it's goodbye to the Tree for another year. It was so great this year; I'm already looking forward to next year's production (well, almost!)

Hobe Sound Christmas Parade

One of the fun things about Hobe Sound in December is the Christmas Parade...nothing like wearing t-shirts on a sunny day for a Christmas parade! We had a lot of fun...I'll let the pictures do the talking!

The beads will be explained later... :<)

Caleb Heath riding in the Hobe Sound Christian Academy float. It was a very fun, festive float (designed by one of my best friends, Kelly Heath...great job, Kelly!)

From the back of the float...

The handsome guy on the front row, second from the left, is our nephew Michael Huff. He plays the trumpet, and did a great job in the marching band. I was so proud of our Academy Band. They presented the school very well!

Wyatt and Payton were kept highly entertained by these bead necklaces being passed out by one of the floats!

Payton was waving at the people passing by!

Getting a little hot and tired!

Payton always has a fun time with her Nana!

My cousin's little boy, Wyatt, is just a couple months younger than Payton. What a cutie!

One of Payton's favorite places to be is on her daddy's shoulders!

Singing Christmas Tree 2008

I forgot to upload my pictures first, so now my text is al down below...you may want to scroll down and read that first, or the pictures won't really make since!


The Wisemen come to visit


John Paul and Jolie Churchill play Mary and Joseph. They are so great with Payton, so I am glad they are playing this important role! Payton just looked all around. She kept trying to pull the earpieces out of John Paul and Jolie's ears!


My niece, Kaitlyn, is on the end. She just couldn't help herself; when the children's choir came up to sing, she just had to look for Payton. I love this picture, because you can tell that Payton spotted her too!

Kaitlyn and Lydia Bozone

Payton clapped right along with the audience!

Visited by the shepherds

John Paul and Jolie sang a beautiful song about worship.

Payton kept looking out at the audience, smiling, like she really understood that she was in the spotlight!

One of my very, very, very favorite things about Christmas is the Singing Christmas Tree, put on by Hobe Sound Bible Church (where we attend), and Hobe Sound Bible College (where Robb and I both graduated). This is the 12th Annual Singing Christmas Tree, and I personally have been involved in the past 8 trees; this year is my 9th! But, this is maybe the most fun year of all for us. Payton is Baby Jesus this year, and we are so proud (in a good way, I think!) When Paula (the drama director) asked us if Payton could be Baby Jesus, I didn't hesitate for a second! I knew she would do a great job, since she is such a good-natured little lady! Robb and I have been Mary and Joseph 3 different years, and we've used a lot of babies; all wonderful, adorable babies, but not all were right for Baby Jesus! It is very, very hot up there, very loud, the fog machines are right in your face, and with all the lights and action, it can be a little overwhelming for a baby. The other thing that makes a good Baby Jesus is a little older baby. If they are tiny, the audience can't really see them, and the crowd just loves a baby that interacts with them...Payton has NO trouble with this at all!

Wednesday was Payton's first "performance", and she did such a great job. She didn't cry at all, and the only sounds she made were those cute baby sounds that everyone loves! She clapped when the audience clapped, which was pretty funny. She was smiling and waving, like someone had scripted it and given her instructions!

Here are a few pictures. I wasn't able to get a really great one of her smiling. It is dark in there, and I'm not very good at "night time" exposures. If anyone here in Hobe Sound happens to get a good picture of her, please e-mail it to me!