Today was the Christmas Concert at Preschool. Both children performed wonderfully. Mason stayed on stage the entire performance, we expected him to run to mom at some point during the three song set (Christmas Birthday, Deep and Wide, and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star). He was a trooper. Had a little issue of lifting up his shirt and showing his belly to the world, but one cannot expect a nearly three year old to keep his shirt down that long. I’ve heard stories of me picking my butt when I was a ring bearer in my aunt’s wedding, Mason is allowed to lift his shirt up and show the world his belly button.

Violet was the picture of beauty. Occasionally waving to her loving fans and smiling that big smile. She didn’t sing much, she didn’t have to. If a verse amused her, she would sing it, otherwise she stood there, dazzling the crowd with her smile. The “Fours” (as Violet now is) sang us a trio of standards: Feliz Cumpleanos, Jesus (learned in Spanish class), Rudolf the Rednosed Reindeer, and Baby Jesus is Born. In the last song she got to shake a shaker, I was only mildly disappointed there was no cowbell.

Mason and I are preparing ourselves to travel to Iowa on Thursday. We are getting on an airplane at 6 in the morning, that means we have to leave the house at 3:30. That’s insane.

It’s well worth it, though. We are going to see my nephew graduate from high school and visit Eldridge, Iowa one last time before they move back to Kansas City.

Please notice the drool in this picture:

And this one:

There were ponies, inflatable bouncy things, and snacks.

Tonight, while sitting on the couch, I had a field day. Violet put her arms around my neck and said, “You’re the best dad ever!” Blew me away.

You can click on any of the pictures above and you will be sent to flickr to see the whole “set”. I took a whole bunch more pictures of my kids, but you’ll have to wait ’til later to see those.

Here are the pictures from Violet’s Valentine’s Day Party. Eating cookies, playing games at 11 am on Wednesday morning.  Click on the picture below to see more.

Violet successfully locked me out of the old misterbeesley site sometime in the last couple of weeks. I have been too tired, too ill to figure out how to get back in. I’ll show her, I’ll start a new blog, this time with words and pictures.

I’ve spent the last two weeks with fever, cough, wheezing, ears full of fluid. I finally woke up to the fact that a doctor’s visit was in the cards. Since then, the steroids have kicked in (to lower the inflammation in my chest and head) and some good cough syrup has helped me sleep at night. Should have done that days ago.

Violet seemed to avoid it for the longest time, but today there is snot. Hmmm… should be a fun weekend.

Wednesday was the Valentine’s Day party at preschool. Colleen did the party with another mom. Colleen took some really nice pictures. Violet was the bell ringer that day.