A high tech, power-filled Christmas

Another Christmas has come and gone. It was bittersweet this year; I always love Christmas, but the first Christmas without my grandma was hard. I haven't seen her on Christmas in about 10 years, but it's the fact that she wasn't there to shop for, or to talk to on Christmas day. I had a really rough day a couple of days before Christmas. I was out finishing up the last of our shopping and saw a lot of things that Grandma would have loved, things she would have tried to get me to like too, and then we would have argued over them...And everywhere I went I heard Christmas carols, and I couldn't help but hear her soprano voice harmonizing every song...Add that to the fact that we've scheduled her placement in the mausoleum and it made for a difficult day.

But Christmas came...well, sort of. You see, Ricky had to work on Christmas day, so we moved all our celebrations up a day, to Christmas Eve, which really threw me off. I've been a day off ever since!

Anyway, it was a nice holiday. We spent Christmas Eve morning with my parents, pretending it was Christmas Day, and they really spoiled us. Ricky received a skill saw and a saws-all, along with some much needed items like new socks and a balaclava. I am now the proud owner of a sewing machine! I am excited to try something beyond pillowcases (of which I made several tonight).

That evening we went to Ricky's parents' and had Christmas with them, Ricky's two sisters and their families. We enjoyed the traditional Christmas Eve meal of pizza and oyster stew and opened packages. The 3 year old nephews had a blast drawing on the easels we gave them; in fact, it kept them entertained long enough for the adults to play a game uninterrupted!

Afterward we went home and opened our gifts to one another, which is where my biggest surprise came in. First, you must know that my husband is the cheapest human being on the planet. Secondly, you need to understand that he hates to read and doesn't understand how anyone could like it, which leads him to merciless teasing of my love of reading. So when I opened up a box that held a Kindle, well, I was shocked. I've already loaded the thing up with 30ish free books and am about halfway through the first book. I'm loving this thing and already spent some Christmas money to buy a cover with integrated light.

Overall it was a very nice holiday. We had the chance to spend time with family and friends, received some very thoughtful and surprising gifts, and enjoyed the time together.

With that, I'm off to bed. I'll read on my Kindle for a while and then get rested so I can attempt to make an apron on my new sewing machine tomorrow!

The skirt is in!

I got my Christmas tree skirt back today! For those who many not remember, this is what it looked like before, in the form of a dress. I like to call this Christmas Tree Skirt: The Prequel


Here it is with the tree. Notice there are lights but no ornaments. This is because I am lazy.

Closer up, so you can see the detailing

And another close up because I wasn't happy with how the skirt was laying (lying?) in the previous picture.

I am absolutely thrilled with the results and am so glad I thought to do this! If you've been hemming and hawing over what to do with your very own useless but well loved sentimental garment, I highly recommend going the tree skirt route.

Wedding tree skirt!

Is that a wedding tree skirt? Why yes, yes it is!

Uh, what's a wedding tree skirt?

Well, it's when you use your 8 year old never going to be worn again wedding dress and make a Christmas tree skirt out of it. Which I have an appointment for today. Wahoo!

Thankful

As yesterday was Thanksgiving, I thought I should take some time and write about the things for which I am thankful.

I am thankful for my awesome husband. He is a great match for me in so many ways. He pushes me, challenges me, supports and encourages me. He is always up for a debate, but he'll also gladly just listen. He makes costumes and builds sets because he knows it's what I love to do and he wants to help me. He's a pretty cool guy and I like having him around.

I am thankful for my parents. I seriously have the best parents ever. They are always willing to help in anyway they can. They let me major in theatre (what were they thinking?!). They call me just to talk, they hang out with me and go shopping with me. They drive me around in snow storms. They're pretty amazing people and I'd like to keep them around for a good long time too.

I am thankful for my job. I love my job. Adore it. How did I get so lucky? I get to combine the art I love with my passion for kids and have fun all day long. I have such a supportive boss. He is willing to take a chance and try new things with my students. And my students - they are wonderful. I learn so much from them everyday. They are pretty awesome people too. And really, who gets to say that they love the people they work with, they love going to work, they love spending extra time at work?! But I do, and for that I am so, so grateful.

I am thankful for my family. Not just my mom and dad, but my extended family. I am so blessed to have family with which I am close, family that I genuinely like, and family that cares about me. I am especially thankful that not only does my family accept me and all my strange quirks, but they've opened their arms to my husband. From the beginning he was look at as a grandchild and cousin, and I love my family for that.

I am thankful for my in-laws. It's amazing that you can take two people and all their family history and traditions and put them together and expect them to lives peacefully. But so far we have (mostly), and I think a lot of that is because my in-laws raised an incredible human being in my husband, and they are very welcoming and accepting of me. Ricky and I are very different from them in a lot of ways, but that's ok, they love us for who we are and are willing to support and encourage us in anyway they can.

I am thankful for egg nog. And Christmas trees. And pretty much the whole holiday season. I love this time of year. I am so excited for it to be here again. In just 2.5 weeks Ricky and I will be celebrating our 8th anniversary, and that makes me happy. Then we have Christmas and all the excitement that comes with it, then New Year's and then my birthday. I just love the excitement and wonder of this season and I'm so grateful to live in a plase where I can have all that.

I have so many wonderful things to be thankful for. What are you thankful for this holiday season?

It's official. I'm crazy.

I'm sure some of you are thinking, "oh, you just now figured that out?!" But let me explain.

I've never understood how people give up their dogs. I just don't get it. Jacko is so much a part of our family...he is like our child. No, we don't call ourselves Mommy and Daddy, either to him or to each other (or anyone else for that matter), and yes I realize he's "just a dog," but our relationship with him is that of child-parent in many ways. He loves us, and shows is constantly. He depends on us to provide the things he needs. He wants to play, and doesn't like to take no for an answer. He pouts when he's mad, he hides when he's scared...he is, for all intents and purposes, a toddler.

So it baffles me that people can put their dogs up for adoption, saying things like, "we can't bear to get rid of him but we just have to. Our lives are too hectic and he's not getting enough attention."

Um, excuse me, but would you give your CHILD up if they weren't getting enough attention? Doubtful. You'd cut back your hours at work, you'd find a daycare where they'd be stimulated, you'd work alternate hours, whatever it took, right? RIGHT?

So how is this dog, who relies on you for everything, who just wants to love you and be loved in return, this dog you CHOSE to be a part of your family...how is he any different?

Everyone says, "it's not the same." And I suppose it's not, to most people. But to me it is. I can't imagine handing my Jacko-pea over to someone else because life got hectic. Life HAS gotten hectic, and yet we've still foudn a way to give him attention and exercise. I will not give my puppy away, because to me, that's like giving away a part of me.

A man and his gun

Dad and Ricky are getting ready to go hunting. Ricky's boss also hunts, and is currently on his hunting trip. At first Ricky thought he'd be a hunter for Halloween, and then we thought, "why not go redneck?" Ricky's boss, Tony, gets teased about being a redneck by his employees, so Ricky decided he would just be Tony for Halloween. I can tell you that this is an extreme version, but everyone found it very funn.

Fake teeth, a bummed smoke, and an empty beer can in Boss Man's favorite brand

A better shot of the gun, which Ricky made from scrap wood we had at home, and the gunsling, made from duct tape!

B-O-R-E-D

Seriously. There is nothing on tv, I'm all caught up on hulu, there are no movies worth renting, I don't have any books...I hate days/nights like this!

There isn't much going on. We had auditions for The Velveteen Rabbit a couple weeks ago and it's all cast. We started blocking this week. The kids are also working in their production groups on the tech side of things. Today I spent 4 hours with 5 of my kids, rearranging, organizing and cataloguing all of the props, costumes and set pieces. They even cleaned my desk (this will make my vice principal VERY happy)! I really do have the best students.

Otherwise, I got nothin'. I think a part of my melancholy is that it's the end of October. It's getting light later in the morning and dark earlier in the evening. It's currently pouring down rain (or at least it was a few earlier this evening). I feel all kinds of "blah." I need something to do but have no idea what. Ugh.

How's that for a random and boring blog post?!