Happy Holy Terror Holidays

A busy weekend is fast approaching.

Today I've taken advantage of the first free weekend we've had in quite a while to get some things accomplished around the house and to relax and rest without being sick or running around sick.

I've also had alot of rehearsing to do.

For the last three plus weeks I've been fighting an extreme cold and laryngitis. During Thanksgiving, for four days I couldn't even talk - at all! Of course, my family was probably most grateful to Heaven above for a relatively quiet and unperturbed holiday. But I digress.

So just at the time I begin to get sick, my choir director asks me to sing a song with the choir for Christmas Eve services. I was also asked to sing praise team for last Sunday, of which I had to switch with someone since my voice was barely functional even then. I was also asked to do a reading again for Sunday the 19th.

Then Wednesday night at rehearsal (where I still could not sing but went anyway to listen and get down more music in my head at least), I discover that the Christmas Eve song I'm supposed to sing has been scheduled for Sunday the 19th. I've been listening to it since receiving the music but have not been able to actually sing it until today, though it is still only somewhat. What's more is that the Sunday I switched out last weekend with the fellow soprano was for the 19th.

So that means on Sunday the 19th for services I am doing a reading, praise team, and singing with the choir a song I have yet to be able to practice with them and the other soloist live and in person. We'll get to do that hopefully for the first time this coming Wednesday night at choir rehearsal.

Then Thursday morning my son informs me that his Christmas choir concert at school is scheduled for next Wednesday night. He's also doing something special for said concert so that means I have to be in two places at once.

Oh Happy Holy Terror Holidays indeed! I wish at the moment human cloning was legal.

So if next weekend isn't packed enough already, we're heading down to Oklahoma that Friday evening for a Christmas Open House for my parents' church and then our all family Christmas gathering on Saturday before heading back up here Saturday night for Sunday services. I pray my voice is fully recovered before then.

It may be a busy weekend, but as I said before I'm not turning aside any opportunities the Lord puts in my path.

There's got to be a reason for it somewhere...I hope. :-)

Ramping Up The Season

Busy weekend as we welcome the season!

Saturday morning my son had to be up and at-'em early for all day rehearsals and an early evening concert for District Choir. While he attended to his business, I had a list a mile long of things I needed to get done.

Decided to finish my book first though. Needed to return it to a friend and I'd been nursing it all week. Only had a couple of chapters left to complete the thing anyway.

So after my son's MOST excellent performance (state choir is next!) we skeedaddled home to finish up my pot of chicken and noodles and made it just in time for my Sunday School class Christmas party. Had an absolute ball, listened to some awesome singing by a good friend of mine in choir, and finished off the night with some Christmas carols and pass the mike moments of Christmas memories. Such an absolute time of fellowship and enjoyment!

So this morning I was supposed to sing in praise team - NOT happening until this crazy junk gets completely gone (which better the heck be real soon). So one of the other sopranos told me she'd sing in my place and swap Sundays with me for the 19th. I'm already doing a Christmas reading that Sunday, so adding praise team to the line-up won't be too difficult to carry off.

As long as my voice returns in full force very soon, that is.

The season is ramping up and running already. Do you realize it is only twenty days until Christmas? Thanksgiving feels like is was eons ago already. This morning it was wonderful to hear the strains of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel", "The First Noel", and "What Child Is This" to mark the first Sunday of Advent.

May the rest of our weekends overflow with comfort and joy until we get back to that most holiest of nights.

That's my other favorite Christmas carol, by the way. Perhaps we'll be singing that one come the 19th. God always has a way of working things out for the best.

And making the season bright.

Christmas Life

The Christmas season has officially begun!

At least around our house anyway. :-)

Mom and Dad brought my son home and spent the rest of the weekend with us as tradition dictates. We've got our tree up and in the water, presents purchased, and I'm getting ready to start doing some decorating around the house.

Now if only I could keep up with the dishes and dusting.

Christmas is typically my favorite time of year (Independence Day a close second), but this year it feels a little more mellowed for some reason. A year ago brought alot of heartache and upset right around this time with my mother's cancer diagnosis followed swiftly by my grandma's passing (mom's mom). Eleven years ago this Christmas Eve was also the time my dear grandpa passed away. There seems to be alot of hurt attached to this time of year anymore.

Back when I was married (sooo many moons ago) I was just starting out in the banking industry and didn't have enough seniority to get time off at Christmas. My husband's family lived in Nebraska and he would take off a week or two and go up to see them. I'd go a couple of hours south and drive back Christmas night.

I remember vividly that first Christmas night driving back home all alone. As I entered the city, it was eerie in its silence and disturbing in its darkness. Nary a car was in sight as I roamed the streets and pulled into the garage. Walking into the empty house brought such pangs of loneliness of which I've rarely experienced since.

My ex and I never spent a single Christmas together.

Which is why after the divorce, Christmas became my favorite holiday once again. I had no good Christmas memories from my marriage to cloud my future happy holidays.

But 1999 muddied the waters for awhile after the loss of my very best friend forever and ever between Thanksgiving and Christmas that year and then the passing of my grandpa that Christmas Eve. It was several hard years after that before Christmas again became a festive time for us.

So even though there's rather a mellowed sense of the season this year, there's also so much life to celebrate in that Mom is doing great and my family continues to draw close to one another through these tough times.

And isn't new life what we're really celebrating at Christmas anyway?

That's what I thought.

A Thanksgiving Remembered

Thanksgiving day is dwindling - it's hard to believe it is almost over, it came so fast.

Drove back from my sister's in Oklahoma tonight all by myself. It's been somewhat of a tradition for the past eighteen years.

Since I've been in banking, I've almost always worked the Friday after Thanksgiving and taken off time at Christmas - a trade-off, if you will. During those early years, I never had a babysitter to watch my son that day, so my mother started coming back with me either Thursday night or would bring my son back and drive up Friday sometime after Thanksgiving. Then we'd spend time that weekend getting our tree, decorating our house, and doing a little shopping if we felt brave enough to tackle the crowds.

So even though my son is grown, my mom still comes back with us for the weekend to help us get ready for our Christmas - this year because I have school. It's become one of our many family traditions now.

Today we had a wonderful time at my sister's, ate a ton, took a nap, watched a movie (An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving) while the guys watched football. One of my nephews was home from Minnesota and a niece and great-niece were there from Arkansas, so I knew my son would want to hang out with them for awhile. So I said goodbye, will see my son and parents tomorrow, and chucked myself home for the night.

Sometimes I love the drive all by myself. The night sky was beautiful tonight and traffic wasn't all that bad amazingly enough. Tonight was a time for thinking. Just another month and it will be a year since our lives fell apart with my mother's cancer. But looking at her today, her hair is thick and getting longer all the time. She's regaining more and more of her health each and every day. Maybe someday soon I'll be able to look at her without worrying anymore or feeling the need to see if she's doing alright. It's really hard to believe it's been almost a year. So much has changed, and yet there is an element of peace in the family once again.

And THAT is something well worth giving thanks for this Thanksgiving.

Riding the Roller Coaster

This past week has been quite a roller coaster - mostly up but a bit down too.

Last Sunday I had an urgent agenda after church. When my music pastor asked me to sing a solo part in the Christmas Eve services, I was pleased and excited. Then reality hit me.

I don't have a dress.

Our Christmas Eve services are huge affairs, with all the bling a girl can ask for. Rarely do I sing Christmas Eve and the few times I have it has been in the loft, where it is mainly important to have bling on the upper half. Black pants or a black skirt usually work fine otherwise.

However, as a soloist, it is imperitive that I have a dress that meets certain criteria.

1. The dress must be long
2. The dress must have plenty of sparkle
3. The dress must be modest (it is in church after all)
4. The dress must have a jacket or sleeves - no bare shoulders or arms

It was a bit daunting to realize that I was going to have to go shopping for a long dress in the midst of the season - meaning it would be highly unlikely that there'd be anything on sale and anything less than $200.

Ouch!

Checked out several stores over the weekend and then shuffled my way to Dillard's Sunday and figured I'd have to bite the bullet eventually.

Came out with a great dress.

#1 - check
#2 - check
#3 - check
#4 - check
Budget - priceless

No seriously, I came out of there spending less than $50 on a beautiful turquoise blue dress on sale in my size. How about them apples?

Then onto the remainder of the week. Previously I mentioned the Salon Fair and taking first place in the hair show. What an incredible surprise! I still can't get over that one.

Wednesday night I came home to an email from the music pastor asking me to do another reading in services this morning. Great scripture reading from Romans 8 - loved it!

Then Thursday I felt it coming on. All day I was just absolutely exhausted. Tried to chalk it up to the let down after all of the stress from the hair show and such, but deep down I knew it was about to catch up to me. Thursday night was critique and it was great seeing everyone there for the first time in awhile (and just before the season gets crazy).

Friday morning brought the worst sore throat I can remember in some time. Made it at school until about 1:30 then I had to pack it in. Spent the majority of the weekend in bed and snoozing away the time. Never do I like getting sick. Typically I always get on my own nerves after laying around the house for a day or two, watching the laundry grow and the dishes pile up on the counter.

Hey, it's hard keeping a good woman down!

Needless to say, I've tried to somewhat enjoy this down time. Read a few books and watched a movie that I haven't seen in years. Made it through services and the reading this morning but hurried home and back to bed.

Feeling a bit better this evening. Fever is down again and I'm hoping to be back in the saddle for school tomorrow. My son has an early morning for tomorrow so he's busy getting ready for it all. I can also be thankful that I'm getting the junk out of the way before Thanksgiving and Christmas this year instead of being down during one of the holidays. That's never fun.

So I'm just about to get off the roller coaster I think. Funny - I always did like the downhill rush better than the uphill clickety-clack ride.

Guess I'll appreciate whatever comes for the remainder of 2010.

Hungarian Rhapsody

This past week I finished reading "The Great Escape" by Kati Marton. It's a true story set during World War II about nine Jews from Hungary who fled Europe to escape Hitler's reach. It is truly remarkable who these men were and how they impacted the world we now know. They were incredible photographers, artists, movie makers, scientists, mathematicians, and physicists. Had no idea so many great men who eventually made their mark in Britain and America were from that country.

How I wish I'd have known this information and read this book a few years sooner.

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of being seated at the Thanksgiving table across from the father of my sister's dear friend. They had a houseful that year at my sister's. She'd invited these friends to participate in sharing Thanksgiving with us.

My sister may have specifically situated me there, knowing my love of World War II history, and I enjoyed every moment of it. This gentleman was originally from Hungary and remembers the Nazi era well. He was a teenager at the time. Eventually he and his new wife fled Europe to Canada enroute to the United States.

I remember him talking about what Hungary was like growing up, how his wife and he were separated trying to get to the U.S. He spoke of how proud he was when they became American citizens. Even though he has spent the majority of his life as an American, he still had quite an accent. What a charming time I had speaking with him.

How I've wished since then I'd had more time to pick his brain. There were questions I didn't feel comfortable asking at the time, as one it was a holiday and two I didn't want to pry in private and personal territory. Mainly I just listened as he talked and went in directions he wished to share without peppering him with deeper questions.

Yes, I can be respectful when the time calls for it.

But after reading this book, there's so many things I'd ask him about now. Very little of World War II history even references Hungary. There are only a few references to the post-war uprising of Hungarians against the occupying Soviets. If only America had interceeded.

If only I had another chance to sit down with him and listen with a little knowledge of the Budapest cafe life, the compassion of the people, the beauty of her cities, the loveliness of the Danube.

The excitement of living there during the pre-Nazi days.

But then, this book wasn't even published at that time. Now it makes me wonder what else I have missed in my World War II studies.

Perhaps it's time to do a little more digging to find out.

Thanksgiving Memories

Glory be! Mom just sent me this picture of we girls at Thanksgiving. I love it!

After a busy morning of cooking and afternoon of eating and then cleaning up, we girls crashed on my humongous bed and watched sweet and sappy Christmas movies.

By the way, I really DO need to get my pictures back up on my walls in my bedroom. That wall behind us is completely blank. Did not realize how awful that looked. I need to take advantage of some coming time off to deal with the blank walls all around my house.

Anyway this picture sure does bring back the memories from those wonderful couple of days. Yes, I was tired when it was all over with but it was so absolutely fun while everyone was here that I didn't notice it at that time. I think everyone was happy and comfortable while here and we all had different areas of the house we could hang out in without crawling over each other and getting on each others nerves.

I know I'm quite capable of that, thank you. No comments from the Brian or Gary section in that regard.

Sure hope I have the luxury of hosting my family again. Well I do know I will in a couple more years when my son graduates from high school. Everybody better the heck come back or I'm going to hunt them down and drag them here!

Have a happy evening now, you here?

Peace

Well the family is all gone save Mom. She decided to stay and help us with getting our Christmas tree tomorrow.

It's an annual tradition we like to keep. :-)

Never have I felt so truly blessed with the joy of having most of my immediate family around me in my own home. My beautiful new dining table looked even more exquisite with my loved ones gathered around it. I believe everyone was comfortable with sleeping arrangements. The kids had fun playing video games, running around outside playing a version of hide and seek in the dark with black clothes, and then running out to our special movie theatre last night.

My sisters and our mom puttered around the kitchen with meal preparations and cleanup duties. Chores are so much more fun with family around. While the guys commandeered the television in the family room, Mom, my sisters, and I plopped like dollops of Cool Whip on my bed and watched our movies.

And I'm so glad I went the extra mile with two ovens!!!! We'd also have never survived without the extra fridge. The leftovers are packed in both, but we made a substantial dent in them today before everyone left. Out of seven pies we have just a few more pieces to finish off.

The smoked turkey went over great - was so glad I decided to have two different turkeys. Even got an amazing compliment on the dressing (thank you Stove Top for the base from which to start). Pam's cranberry salad was superb. Angie's chocolate pies were excellent, as usual. Then, of course, Mom's cream cheese mashed potatoes - aaaah! It was all heaven on a plate.

Now for the tree. Next weekend the play. Then we can relax and enjoy the Christmas season.

Tonight the snow is falling in lazy swirls. My hope is that with the holiday season upon us you will find joy and peace.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving

It's been a Happy Thanksgiving.

I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. Right now my mattress is calling.

Product Recommendation

Arrival day has arrived!

That sounded weird.

Oh well - Mom and Dad arrived safely last night while I was at play rehearsal (which is going pretty good, despite my unruly lungs). My sisters and their families will be arriving this afternoon into the early evening hours.

Still trying to get a few last minute things taken care of and have started tonight's dinner of chili with all the fixins. I'll try and get the turkeys in the oven today so they can be filling the air with the smells of Thanksgiving (no, I'm not getting up at 5:00 in the morning to cook the blasted turkeys tomorrow).

I finished up with the decorating yesterday when dusting was completed. Washing the china at the moment. It's times like these that I wonder why I bought so much china!

Nah, I love the stuff and getting it out to use. I'm not one of those who just likes displaying my wares - heck, the stuff was made to use so I grab every opportunity to pull it out and eat off of it. It'd be an awful waste of funds otherwise.

By the way - product recommendation!!!!! For all of you who have animals and are constantly trying to keep the furniture fur free, I have a solution. My niece, Abbie, is terribly allergic to cats and bunnies, and of course we have two cats (though they are indoors all the time and wonder if that makes any difference for her). So I've been trying to clean fur off of everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) for the past week or so.

When I went to Wal-mart on Sunday for my veggie items I came across this thing called a Fur Fighter from Scotch and remembered seeing something about it on TV recently. Snapped it up and figured it was worth giving it a try.

LOVE IT!!!! I used to use one of those roller sticky things that don't work that great, but this thing is AWESOME! It has these teeny tiny pricklies that grab the embedded fur and pulls it out with only a few swipes without damaging any sort of fabric. I used it on all the furniture and pillows and everything around the house and it worked like a charm. The real test will see how Abbie does when she sits down. :-)

Better run and finish my chores before everyone starts to get here in a few hours. Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Off To The Races

The final push is on. I've spent all day today cleaning and preparing for guest arrivals. Mom and Dad come in tonight, while everyone else will be coming tomorrow afternoon/evening.

I can't believe it is finally almost here.

Lost alot of time yesterday running around trying to find my last few costumes for the play, but I cannot complain. DAV had some great period piece tweed suits actually from the 1940's. Found one that fit almost perfect, so my friend Lori is going to do a small amount of tweaking for me.

She should get a byline in the program for costume mistress. I'm a little hard to fit in a particular area so nothing fits quite right off the rack, especially clothes cut from a less generous time in our history, fashionably speaking. So Lori has gone with me on all my costuming expeditions since she's an expert seamstress. Great eye for details and tucks.

It's all beyond me.

Anyway, don't have alot of time to write tonight. The dinner bell is about to ring and the house still has a few areas that require attention.

Off to the races!

IT'S FINALLY HERE!

IT'S FINALLY HERE!

The week I've been waiting for has finally arrived. I had this week in mind more than a year ago when I finalized plans for my house. Those months seemed to drag on forever, then lo and behold, we moved into our new house last year the day before Thanksgiving.

Don't remember much from that holiday except how exhausted I was. Somehow I managed a small feast with Mom's help.

But this year all the stops have been pulled out. I've not only filled my regular fridge and freezer but have now stocked up the new one as well. Okay, I went back to Wal-mart last night for a few (just a few) last minute veggies and ended up with over a hundred dollars again. You know, it's like a miraculous event everytime I walk in that store - POOF! - my cart is suddenly full and my bank account lighter.

Can't help it - I'm busting at the seams with excitement and anticipation. Gee, I hope I'm not setting myself up for a let down.

Nah, how can you end up with a let down when you've got all fifty-bazillion of us together in one house???

We manage a good time regardless of where we lay our heads at night, as long as we're together.

You know, I think that's what I love the most. My mom, sisters and I are close after all these years. Yeah we've all had our struggles but all-in-all we really do seem to enjoy each other's company (of course, I can't speak for my sisters but hey, they're coming aren't they?).

Then there's the kids. They too go though their ups and downs and yet are so happy to see each other and spend time together. I can hardly wait for them to get to hang out in Tyler's man cave. We'll probably have to drag them out for dinner!

I hope everyone is comfortable. I hope everyone is satisfied at every meal. But you know what, I'm just honored that they are going to grace my home with their presence.

And I pray blessings for each of them this Thanksgiving.

The Fridge Is In The Building

We're getting the last few legs on the Thanksgiving celebration next week.

I'm so excited! Wait, I think you probably know that by now.

This evening we went to Lowe's to pick up a cute little fridge for extra goodies and storage space for all the food both before Thanksgiving and after.

My freezer will thank me.

Next week I'm taking off so that I can finish up my preparations for the big party. Need to run to Wal-mart and pick up some last minute veggie items. Didn't want to pick those up last weekend and have them wilt before next week. The house is in desperate need of a good scrubbing since I worked on sets all day last Saturday. My poor house is feeling very neglected.

I'm just looking forward to have a few moments go relax too. Been pushing it pretty hard this week both in work, the play, and final prep mode. The cough is still nagging at me like a bitter old woman. Getting kinda tired of her presence, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, hoping to get some much needed sleeping in Saturday morning and maybe a moment to relax.

Come next week there will be no time for anything but partying!

Dreaming of a White Christmas

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!

Well I've got two more Christmas presents to buy for extended family and one more to buy for my son.

Time is running out.

No, I'm not one of those kind of people who relish the idea of getting up at 4:00 in the morning to attend the 5:00 door-buster sales the day after Thanksgiving (though I may have to do it this year if my family wants to since they don't know where all the stores are around here). I usually have all my shopping done by the first of November.

There've been a few distractions the last few months. Maybe?

So now that we're getting close to Thanksgiving and I won't have any time next week for shopping purposes (except as they relate to FOOD!), there's a sense of desperation building up. I've just got to finish up this week.

Those crazy Christmas shoppers scare me - or get on my last nerve. I have a tendency to think it is probably more of the later, in all honesty. I've no patience for idiots.

The Christmas season is something I truly relish. Can't help it. I think my secret middle name must be Claus or Kringle. Anyway Christmas is rarely far from my mind no matter the time of year. Therefore I refuse to let idiot impatient shoppers step all over my season of joy.

Which is why I generally boycott stores after Thanksgiving. Don't care about the sales, bargains, or special early-morning discounts.

It's having the time to appreciate the crisp, nose-tingling air - the cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows - carols (why don't people do more of that?) - the beauty of the lights - the hope of Christ.

And if we get a white Christmas, that's just frosting on the cake!

Can I Hear A Hallelujah?

Well Thanksgiving is getting closer each day. My preparations are in full swing. I'M ABOUT TO EXPLODE WITH JOY!

For the last couple of paychecks, I've been stocking up on certain items necessary for my big family Thanksgiving extravaganza - you know, stuff that will go in the freezer or in the pantry. I didn't want to have a heart attack at the last minute with an enormous grocery bill that threatened to put me in the hospital.

So for the last two weeks I've been composing my final grocery push. Took up a freaking entire page. I estimated about how much I should spend just so I was mentally prepared.

After taking my son down to see his dad for the weekend, I decided to go ahead and get the grocery shopping done tonight instead of tomorrow to avoid trying to maneuver an overstuffed cart through the maze that is Wal-mart. Saturday shopping is stressful enough without throwing that into the mix.

I was a little concerned about any freezer items. After the last grocery trip there wasn't an inch to spare in my freezer. We've been trying to eat as much chicken and steak as humanly possible the last two weeks in order to free up a little space. Looking into my cart tonight had me a little worried. I need that new extra fridge/freezer yesterday.

The loaves of bread kept falling off the piled up cart in my final run to the registers. Really needed my son around to help pull while I pushed. Somehow I managed. Think there were a few snickers as I lumbered along - the jerks!

Unloading onto the treadmill took about thirty minutes - well, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but the poor cashier was trying to find floor space to put the full bags before I even had my cart emptied at the other end.

I dreaded the total, but thought I just had to be pretty close to my estimate. When I shop, I have a tendency to keep a mental calculation going in my head of the approximate amount I'm spending. Hey, after all these years I can almost determine based upon how full my cart is and how many above average items I throw in.

To my delight the total came to $9.20 less than I had anticipated. Didn't blow my budget. I'm not skimping on anything either. We're going to be eating GOOD!

Can I hear a hallelujah?

Thanksgiving Traditions

I'm going to cheat on my blog tonight. My sister Pam is the one responsible for making me sign up on facebook so I could answer her monthly question about what everyone is planning to do for Thanksgiving, traditions, favorite foods, etc. Therefore, for my blog post tonight I'm copying my response to her. I'd love to hear comments from any readers out there on what their plans are for celebrating Thanksgiving!


Okay, Pam, for you I'm taking a break from planning and chores to answer your question (thank you very much, by the way, for guiding me to the proper section here).

So for the first time in my adult life - I GET TO HOST OUR FAMILY THANKSGIVING DINNER!!!!!!

No, I'm not a bit excited.

Last year we moved into our big new house the day before Thanksgiving with the plans that since this year would be the B--- "on" year that I would be the one to host the entire immediate family. Expecting seventeen counting baby Madi. :-)

Of course we have to have turkey - I'm going to have a smoked turkey and a standard version. Hello, cranberry sauce! Mom's pumpkin pie, Pam's apple, Angie's chocolate, and my cherry (yes, the pies are the most important food group on the menu). Then all the trimmings of mashed potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, broccoli rice, dressing, you name it.

Thanksgiving morning we girls will kick the guys out to go play golf or just walk/drive the course while we get ready to serve up a good turkey coma. The kids can run around the yard or walk down to the park to play some basketball. We'll go around the table and mention what we're thankful for (Angie's got something up her sleeve). After dinner the guys will watch football and talk about how they overate (while running for that second helping of pie) while we girls go pile on my mile high bed and watch a girlie movie (maybe a Boyfriend For Christmas!) while the chicken/turkey and noodles are cooking for supper. That night we'll either go out to see a movie or stay in and watch Silent Night.

Friday is my traditional day to go get my Christmas tree, but I'll probably wait until saying goodbye to everyone (waaaah!). Wait, that doesn't count as a Thanksgiving tradition, does it?

What's With The Waterworks?

Last night I FINALLY received my practice CD for the play. There are a few songs I have to sing but one is a solo/duet. I think it is important for me to get a little bit of time to rehearse it too.

What's with the waterworks in this play????????

The song starts as my character is listening to the radio. She and her father have just had a discussion about life, loss, love, and moving on. Then her pop goes off to bed and she turns up the radio again to hear Miss Stella Ashton singing "Everytime I Turn Around".

My character is already missing her husband after not seeing him for five months. He was supposed to try and be home for Thanksgiving. Didn't happen. The Christmas season has begun and she's not sure he'll make it home then either. The thought of a Christmas without him is just tearing her apart.

Then the song comes on.

It's one of those old crooning songs. The words speak of seeing reminders of him from the ceiling to the ground, everytime she turns around - a favorite book, his hat, the footfalls on the stairs, his laugh, his smile.

Once again, when I think about my character I can't help but just have tears welling up in my eyes at the hurt she feels. The song is very powerful. What the heck am I going to do if I start crying during the song at performance time?

I mean, we just finished a difficult walk down memory lane that makes me tear up. I'm already going to feel emotional and sniffly (won't that sound great in the microphones) and then I'm supposed to sing a song with an already only halfway there voice?

This is not going to be pretty.

Maybe I've let my head get too deep into this story. Maybe I need to not think about it so much. Okay, I know there's no way I can do a play without immersing myself into it completely. Never was able to do ANYTHING halfway - why start now?

Just remember - if you come I've already warned you.

Caesar, Take A Holiday

Tonight we received the packet of information on my son's trip to Europe next summer.

It also had the payment notices once again and the balance due. Ouch!

For awhile I was stressing about all the upcoming expenses and the upcoming large payment due for this trip. I've got the next payment due the middle of November, then we're celebrating the big family Thanksgiving. There's Christmas coming and then the unknown of the first half of my property taxes due on my new house. Not sure what to expect there.

About a month ago, I quit worrying about it. It's going to work out even if I have to put a little bit on my credit card when it's all said and done. Now those of you who know me pretty well know that I'm not a big fan of debt, especially credit card debt. But over the years, I've learned to let go of my fears of my credit card getting out of control. Having a credit card can be a good thing as long as the credit is working for you not you merely working for it.

But this trip is far too important. Even if I end up putting a bit on my credit card, it will all be worth it in the end. So I end up making a few months payments on it after the final installment. I've been through worse before. I know I'm capable of managing it and paying it off very quickly. Besides the idea is just an idea at this point. Doesn't mean I'll end up having to put something on my credit card. I just had to get comfortable with the idea and stop worrying.

Now I can enjoy the prospects of the upcoming holidays, the trip installment, and my property taxes (say what???).

Well taxes aren't my idea of something to celebrate and ENJOY - but then we are to render to Caesar what is Caesar's.

Just wish Caesar would take a holiday right about now.

Opening Scene

Once again, this is going to have to be a quick post. We had our first rehearsal tonight for the big Christmas program at church. It was so much fun! We blocked and ran through the opening scene several times and it just came back to me so naturally.

Okay, okay - I guess it is like riding a bike.

The opening scene is the chaos of a family getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving in the days leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. My character became the family matriarch at a young age and has had to juggle responsibilities of life, family, and holding it all together just when the world is getting ready to fall apart.

The director talked with us after we'd had a chance to play around in the characters a little bit. She wanted to see how we were reading the characters. I told her my character rather resonated with me on a personal level, the enormous responsibility, the independent spirit, the vulnerability she hides - then seeing the world she knew crumble into dust around her.

Wow, some Christmas play you say. Ah, but it has what sounds like a rather beautiful ending. Her husband is off as a pilot and airplane mechanic for the planes being sent off to the European front. Pearl Harbor comes and he's called off into the war. But the director added a final scene to bring closure to this part of the story. As a surprise he comes home for a couple of days before shipping off. Ruth felt it more uplifting this way and so added this scene to the end of the play.

There are some absolutely hilarious moments in the opening scene that set the family dynamics around the Thanksgiving table. Makes me think of my own Thanksgiving undertaking this year. I certainly hope it goes off without as many hitches as the play.

Better run - my fluffy bed is waiting and my eyes are drooping. We're doing Scene 2 tomorrow, so be sure and tune in to find out what happens!

Wait, didn't I say this was going to be a quick post?

Preparations Underway

This weekend we went down to visit some of my family in Oklahoma. Got back late this evening and am trying to prepare for a crazy week. It was all my fault.

I was on a mission to find some Thanksgiving decor for my big family event at MY house this year. Takes alot of preparation to host eighteen people. :-) Figured I'd better get things moving right along.

When it comes to decorations, I'm a real nutcase. I needed a bigger house just so I could finally get out and display all of my Christmas stuff collected over the years. That's when I really go ca-razy! I've got quite a few cute Halloween decorations too. But when it comes to Thanksgiving I've been a little remiss on decor because I've never had the space to be family host before.

That's all about to change.

One thing I've always wanted to get was a man and woman pilgrim couple, but then I'm picky on how I want things to look. I like realism and somewhat of an elegance.

So I ended up buying two pilgrim couple sets. Hey, I've got two tables to decorate, not counting the coffee table, the end table, etc., etc., etc. Then I've got these great pumpkin candle holders and leaf imprint pillars. Then I'm ordering a long table centerpiece with silks and candles for the main table lighting. It's going to look so awesome.

Oops - just had a valley girl moment there.

Next item on the agenda is organizing family outings. That will have to wait until next week.