SORRY....



  I haven't posted in so long because the internet connection we were using at our apartment was secured, and we couldn't use it any more. Now I finally got my laptop to work with the domain at the college, so I need to do some serious updating. First, all the Christmas activities we had in December. There was a college activity called "Christams Lights" where we all went to Chicago. I went, but Dad decided to work instead. Here are some pictures from that:

The whole city looked so pretty with all the Christmas lights and decorations. This was the HUGE Christmas tree in front of Macy's.



My group got to go ice skating at Chicago's Millenium Park. This is a pic. of Katie and I.



It was my first time ice skating, so I was a little unsteady! But it was a lot of fun!!



All of the shops in Chicago had such amazing displays. The outside of the Lego store was all legos, and the had a lego man sitting on the bench outside the store. (Allan wanted a picture with him)



Here is another one of the displays, this one at a candy store. The dress is made comletely out of skittles and skittle packages.



We went shopping at the mall in Chicago. We all look so puffy because we had several layers of clothes on. It was only about 8 degress that evening. This is a pic. of Melissa, me, and Katie.

There was also a fancy Christmas banqeut on a Thursday night service, but we don't have pictures of that. Next, there was the Christmas concert at church. I got to participate since I was in college choir, which was awesome. There were several specials, music by the orchestra, and several choir specials. We even got to do the Hallelujah chorus. I ordered the cd from the concert, so maybe later I will post some of the songs. For now, here are some pictures:

Red and black was the color the orchestra and the choir had to wear



Here is Jacob with some of his friends: Thomas, Luke, and Alec. Jake is the well-dressed one in the middle.(-:

We had to have a fake tree for the first time this year, since the apartment owner won't let the tenants have real trees. Mom was able to fid a really nice one for only $15. We decorated it one night after church.

Dad, Jake, and Beka



Everyone getting the decorations out of the box

the tree was 9 feet tall, so Jake needed a little help!

TA-DA!

Poor Charlie!

Awwwww.....

Now for Christmas:

On Christmas eve we celebrated Dad's birthday. He "still looks good" at 42.

Opening preasents on Christmas morning.

Miranda had been wanting boots for a long time.

The gifts we got from Nana. We all got the thing we wanted most.

One last thing, which I don't have pictures of, is that around his birthday, Jacob made a profession of faith, and was baptized. Now we are looking forward to Pastor Reeves coming out here, so I'll try to post those pictures shortly. But for now, that's all, folks!