'Tis the season (for concert halls, sanctuaries, and gymnasiums)

This year, we attended a whopping ten Wernet-kid concerts and performances in the span of three weeks. It's always lovely to see them on stage after all their hard work, but it's also nice to have some free evenings again. We can pretty much summarize our Christmas season in photos from auditoriums, churches, and school gyms! Here they are, in order:

1) Nellie's Chamber Ensemble recital for the Spartan Youth Wind Symphony

2) Annie in Elf Jr. with the Midway Theater Company

This was such a fun show; I saw it three times! Annie played Shawanda the elf and a Macy's saleswoman.

3) Spartan Youth Wind Symphony winter concert - It was pretty awesome to see Nellie play at the Wharton Center! We were glad we didn't bring the other kids, though - it was a 2.5 hour concert with the MSU Wind Symphony playing as well.

4) Grand Ledge Bands winter concert

The kids didn't get off so easily this time, but it was a fun concert with lots of good Christmas music. Mary's favorite was Minor Alterations, which "sounds like Christmas music, but scary!"

5) K-3 Christmas show at LCS

Eddie was a shepherd this year

After a three-year hiatus, it was great to see this LCS staple again

6) Church Christmas kids' show: Psalty's Christmas Calamity! I waited about 36 years for this show...I used to listen to it nonstop on vinyl as a kid. 

After months of rehearsals, DJ, Eddie, and Mary finally got to share their singing and dancing with us. DJ's come a long way in his church performance career, playing Joseph this year! 😅

7) 4-12 concert at LCS - I missed DJ's first-ever concert (he's playing saxophone in band) when I was out with Covid, so this was especially cool to get to see. Annie did great on a percussion-heavy piece.

8) Grand Ledge Collage Concert - It was my first time seeing this unique annual show, and it was amazing! Nellie played flute in several "acts," and it was great to see her friends sing solos and sing with the choirs.

Oh, and we had the opportunity to do the advent reading at church. Everyone took part!

And finally, a bonus  picture of our annual Cracker Barrel trip: