The end of the semester brought many class parties, celebrations, concerts, and awards nights for the Tolbert girls!

Anna Kate’s class enjoyed a variety of special in-class activities, as well as a visit from Father Christmas on the last day of school.

Anna Kate was also called up onto the stage at her awards night for Art School. She was given the award for the most artistic in the category of painting!

Caroline’s class organized an evening out at a woodworking shop that also hosts outdoor activities. The children were able to create several different wooden Christmas decorations. After that, we enjoyed a bonfire and warm drinks before heading out on a walk through the forest (in 25 degree weather and in which we handed all the first graders full-size lit torches!) to try to find surprises that the elves had left behind for us. We found a table full of gingerbread cookies, and then eventually found Father Christmas as well as a live nativity (the owners of the facility are believers and actually shared the Christmas story!).

Caroline also received a certificate for excellent work during her first semester of dance school, which consists of ballet, Latvian folk dance, improvisation, and tap dancing.

Eleanor’s big celebration was actually a concert, in which her whole class (including the teachers!) dressed up as bunnies. The title of the performance was “How the bunny family celebrates Christmas”. Eleanor had been talking about this “bunny show” for months and was thrilled when the night finally arrived. Our little bunny did a wonderful job singing her songs and reciting her poems (all in Latvian) and may have sung louder than any of the other children!