It's Looking Like Christmas

Just so you know...picture captions are underneath each picture. You can thank Mrs. Hackbarth, my high school newspaper and yearbook teacher, for that. The caption goes below the picture. (Or to the right, but I centered my pics, so there ya go.)

This is our den--with the fireplace and tree. This tree has all of our cutesy ornaments--ones the boys made, presents from students, and all of the ornament exchange ones. It's a fun tree. Richard put the garland and lights around the fireplace. We're still waiting to put the stockings up. Hopefully, before Christmas Eve.

The cutesy tree in the den.

The pieces on top of the easel are all from either my mother or my grandmother. The china doll on the right isn't really a Christmas decoration, but I didn't want to move it because it's the one safe place in the house

This is the front room tree. This is the first year we've had two trees. This one is the more formal tree--a bit taller and only glass ornaments on it. It's very relaxing to sit in this room and looks pretty from the window.

When you walk in our front door, this is the first thing you see. We always have the picture hanging there, but the little nativity seemed a really good Christmas addition, along with the garland and lights. The front room is directly left of this, so it's a nice, peaceful entrance.

So...this is our Christmas house. It feels good to have it all up. There are more decorations, but I got tired of taking pictures. :-)

Caroling

I took a group of 40 4th and 5th grade choir students caroling today. We went to two retirement centers and then out to eat lunch at CiCi's. It was a fabulous trip this time. The kids sang very well and behaved amazingly well. Even at CiCi's. Janet and I were pleasantly surprised. We got quite a few compliments from people at both centers and the restaurant. One guy even came up and asked if it would be appropriate to email our principal to tell her what a nice group of young kids we had. Wow!

In thinking about it, I realized that I don't have many, if any really, of the "popular" kids in choir this year. So there's no one who's really spending all their time trying to impress everyone else. It was a great day. This should be a good choir year.

Happy Birthday, Mom

I miss you. I miss being able to call and just chat about everything and nothing. I miss Christmas at TC. I miss the big tree and all the presents and the food and cookies and pie and family.

But I learned something from you. (I know...you're shocked.) I took today off from work. I finished my Christmas shopping, took John and myself to the eye doctor and made some fudge. I didn't get anything wrapped yet, but I'll find another day to do that. The trees are up and decorated (I'll post more about that in another post.)

So...I'm finally starting to figure out how to make the Christmas I remember happen in my own home. Yes, it's different, but I'm adding more and more each year.

Thanks, Mom. And happy birthday.

Changes For Real This Time

I was released today as primary pianist. Actually, I was originally released as primary chorister. I thought hey--my name and Suzanne's calling! Maybe we both got released. But no...they fixed the error. So after today, I'm no longer in primary--at least not on Sundays.

But I have a new calling. It's what I've known was coming. And hopefully, I'll be able to know what I'm doing fairly quickly. Can you tell from the pictures? Didn't you already know?


I'd prefer not to wear the ugly yellow shirt. Really, you'd think after all these years they'd have found a better color--or at least a more flattering yellow. But I digress. Someone told me, "You don't really have to wear the shirt." Well, if I want the boys to wear their uniforms, I should wear mine. And I'm terrible about remembering to take the boys' shirts and books on den meeting day. So maybe this will help. And...I'll have to prepare ahead of time.

Uh-oh. There's the real rub. Preparation. Den meetings start 15 minutes after I get out of school. Just enough time to get to the car and get across town to the church. Wonder if I can work with the actual den leader and see if she will be in charge of the activities and I'll be in charge of record-keeping and enforcing behavior. I mean...actually keeping the boys in the room instead of running around the building.

I'm kind of excited. I'm not scared of it anymore. Am I supposed to be set apart for this? That would probably help. We have pack meeting this week. I have no clue what's going on, so I think I'll be making so phone calls and emails to find out--and then probably just be the mean leader.

At least after this week, we probably don't have another meeting until after the first of the year. So...maybe I've got time to get things in order. Maybe. Anybody out there who's been doing this for a while and has any great ideas? Send 'em my way!!!

Is it in the DNA?

What is it about men and boys? Do they really not see the socks all over the floor? The pillows on the floor? The cereal left on the table? The dishes piling up in the sink? The overflowing laundry hamper? The piles and piles and piles and piles of papers?

I'm tired of having to tell everyone in the house when to do some chore or the other. Everyone. And telling those who are learning to pick up this or that while the one who should know is sitting in the computer chair surrounded by the same junk I'm telling the shorter people to pick up.

If I had a daughter, which side would she be on? I wonder.

Hectic-ness

How do we get ourselves into such a tizzy around the holidays? I had something to do every single night this week. Ok...I had nothing Monday night, I don't think. But it's weird because I don't really remember Monday night. It was a lifetime ago.


Tuesday night was Enrichment progressive dinner. It was nice and good food.

Wednesday night was a surprise baby shower/dinner out. Yum!


Thursday night was the 5th grade program. They did fabulously! I'd like to say I never doubted them, but I'd be lying. And not just lying--majorly lying. Extreme fabrication. But they proved me wrong and I'm so proud of them. They knew their lines and most of them sang the songs. The ones that I knew wouldn't didn't, but then again their parents got to see them stand up there and stare into space for 20 minutes. So that's a plus.


Tonight was the ward Christmas party. Just me and the boys. It was a party+serviceproject. Dinner started 30 minutes late, so 7:30. It was good and John was especially excited because they had ham (HAM!!!) James was excited because they had baked potatoes. There was not a single dessert that John could eat, but most everything else was good. Then we got pictures with Santa. Then we were supposed to fill stockings. Well...we left. I'm sorry about doing that--sorta. But I was there with with two boys who were getting tired and cranky. Chris was off with his friends and then spent time talking with the YM leader.


Have I mentioned how much I love this YM presidency? They seem to be really in tune with the boys and their needs--and they know how to do scouts! Maybe Chris will finally advance! How cool would that be?


But back to the party...we left before the actual service project part. I just couldn't take the boys fighting anymore and I was feeling a bit alone. Chris even noticed and came over and sat with me for a few minutes. He said, "You look...alone." Yeah. So he sat there for a minute. I told him he didn't have to sit with me. "Ok." And off he went. But he noticed. That tells me a lot. He's made mistakes--don't get me wrong. And he's got a monkey on his back that worries me, but overall...he's a fabulous kid. He goes about quietly doing good--much like his grandfather.


Back to the party and week again...so we came home. Richard came home a few minutes later. He'd been up at school trying to get caught up on grading. He said he stopped by the party, but they were already cleaning up and we were gone. Oops.


So on Saturday...there's a primary activity at 8:00 in the morning. Then karate. Then three red-headed boys will be spending the afternoon/evening with us. Anyone got any valium? (They're wonderful--really. I love those boys. They're just...energetic. I'll just remind them that they can have Sister Martin or Mrs. Martin and see whom they choose. Sister Martin is the fairly nice sister from church. Mrs. Martin is the mean music teacher from their school. Maybe we'll put on a good movie too.)


So...the topic was a made-up word: hectic-ness. I don't like it, but really...what things this week was I going to say "no" to? I want to say no and I've honestly gotten pretty good at it, but there just wasn't anything to drop this week. Next week will be easier, I think. Just choir caroling Monday night (church choir), karate two days, cub scout pack meeting the same night as the orchestra concert - see, that's a combo right there! Ooh--with the pack meeting the same night as the concert, that frees up Tuesday. Maybe I can do the dishes that night. Oh...and school choir caroling during the day on Wednesday. Staff party Thursday after school. Seriously, what can I say "no" to?

Two Weeks

Two weeks. Just two more weeks til "winter break." Those three days we had off for Thanksgiving was like a dropperful of water to a man trapped in the desert. Just enough to wet the tongue, but not enough to satisfy. We are so, so, so, sooooo ready for a break.

I've still got some shopping to do. We've got some stuff done, but not finished. I need to write it down and get it definitive. I'm planning on taking a personal day next week to finish shopping and maybe wrapping--even :::gasp::: baking!

So...two week until break...two and a half until Christmas. I feel much more prepared this year than last. I hope it stays that way. Surely it will. Surely.