Misc December Pictures

 From the Milwaukee Ballet's Nutcracker student matinee.  We got yelled at for taking pictures right after this photo was taken.  Homeschool lesson learned:  It is fun to be a rebel and break dumb rules.

Decorating cookies with our good friends.

 

Before the Sunday School Christmas Program.

 

 Reading books.

Being silly on Christmas morning.

Ablaze!  A "charcoal lighter" for incense that Chris has nicknamed the flame thrower.

Thomas!  Thomas! Thomas!

Sunday School Part

Walking Around

 Waiting to get on the People Mover.

 The GM Renaissance Center.

This is Hart Plaza. Canada is across the water.

 Christopher's great uncle William Kapp was one of the architects responsible for planning the move of this historic church in downtown Detroit in 1955.

 The Spirit of Detroit.

 William Kapp's firm also designed this art deco gem, the Penobscot Building.

 While having pre-dinner drinks in the lobby of a different building, Chris got a call that a parishioner had died.

Outside the restaurant for dinner.  Roast specializes in (ready for it?) meat.  I had an enormous steak (we both ate leftovers for lunch the following day) and Chris ordered the suckling pig.  We shared an order of fried brussel sprouts that had a walnut vinaigrette poured over the top.  What a meal!  My mouth is still watering.

Ten Years

Christopher and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary last week.  Chris's parents graciously offered to watch our children so that we could enjoy some time alone together.  We booked a room at the Inn on Ferry Street in Detroit.  The bed and breakfast consists of a number of historic properties just west of downtown (MidTown if you want to get technical).  It was a gem.  The breakfasts were amazing and the buildings themselves were gorgeous.  We were within walking distance to a number of museums, including the Detroit Institute of Arts (future post).

I booked the standard queen room.  We were bumped up to some sort of palatial king suite for some reason or another.

 The bathroom was cavernous, like fourteen times the size of our bathroom at home.

 I read somewhere in the Inn's promotional materials, that during the renovation of the buildings the owners used salvaged materials wherever possible.  I really enjoyed the little details of the room we stayed in.  Just look at those tiles!

 Crown molding.  Swoon.

Merry Christmas

See amid the winter's snow,
Born for us on earth below,
See the tender Lamb appears,
Promised from eternal years.

Hail, thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Gift of the Magi

 The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry is one of my favorite Christmas stories.  I remember reading it with my mom as a child.  His words are so lyrical and touching. This particular illustrated version by Lisabeth Zwerger captures his prose beautifully.  The characters dance on the pages.  Check it out!