Performances

Some people talk about how busy and crazy this time of year is and how it's work to remain sane in the midst of it. I don't know if we are kind of lame or if we just try to keep things pretty simple in general, because I love this time of year! I love excuses to get dressed, excuses to celebrate, reasons to feel like a moment is extra special and these days are full of these kinds of goodness.

Last week was Sydney's little pre-school winter program and it was such fun to see her up there with her buddies, all shy and sweet singing classic carols and a few her teacher wrote (e.x. "I like snow, but I don't shovel the driveway..." and "Here comes Suzy Snowflake dressed in her snow white gown...) Nick's parents came for the event and Sydney was silly with pride. We left the cookie party early to go to for hot chocolate and eggnog lattes (why can't we have these all winter?) and it finished off the fun little afternoon perfectly.

Sunday was Elias' debut in the church Christmas program and you would have thought he had a leading role instead of being a barnyard animal extra (well, a giraffe) from the look of pride on his little face. Sydney about mothered him to death on stage, but he put up with it since he was so happy to be a part of the big kid show.



I love our church's Christmas program because we rehearse for not long the day before and they begin the service by inviting anyone who wants to join in, to go downstairs for a costume. No one thinks she's Shirley Temple, there are no solos or memorized parts and I always leave smiling because so much of what makes our church great comes out in the simplicity and beauty of the kids singing Christmas carols and reminding us of the story of Christmas. I think it will be a sad day when the kids don't dress as angels or animals and get up there and simply glow with pride simply because they are on stage with their friends singing "Jesus is a light for us..." But I'm sure those years will have other joys that will make the season just as special. For now, I'm really enjoying the season as experienced alongside little eyes full of wonder and glee.

Carmel Battle 2011

Sometimes when there are important things to worry about, I instead throw my thoughts into something else, something silly, but usually rewarding. Case in point: the carmel battle of 2011. Remember that picture I posted a few weeks back? That little jar of carmel made me really, really happy. It tasted like the carmel from Apple Hill, near my hometown. My mom has sent me a carmello (marshmellow in the middle in a big, heavenly blob of perfect carmel) most years since I moved away from home and that little treat wrapped in wax paper is one of my favorite treats of the year.

Well, I was so excited about my successful carmel outing that I tried to make some to give to friends and family. I followed the same recipe and the same steps (I thought) but each batch came out a little bit crunchy. Or too salty. One day I consumed about half my original jar trying to figure out where I'd gone wrong-- tasting "wrong" carmel, tasting "right carmel" repeat about 10 times, heavy on the right carmel. ugh. It became a little bit of a sickness and one day I was actually sad in the afternoon because I couldn't win the carmel battle. I took a week off to recover from my crazy.

Today, I decided I was allowed to try one last time and I promised myself that if it didn't turn out I was retiring from carmel forever. Neither of my kids were napping, even though they woke up in the neighborhood of 5:30 a.m., so I thought resuming the carmel project would be better than freaking out over naps. Well, folks it worked. We have a nice little jar of creamy and just-right salty carmel in the fridge. I feel a bit ill from licking the spoon and the pan and checking the sauce too many times. But at least I won the battle. And, my kids still haven't napped, but no one has yelled or talked grumpy, not once, and that my friends is a miracle.

phew.

December 10 on 10

What fun the 10th was this month - the first day of the knitting club my friend and I have been trying to start for a year now (I took a picture on the walk, but forgot to take one of our busy hands and big mugs o' lattes) and then the annual family shopping trip that includes an early dinner at PF Chang's.