Dusting off my blog

I can't believe it has been 6 MONTHS since I posted here... this (for anyone who doesn't remember) is the non-musical family happenings blog. And lots of things have happened in our family - but skipping all that for now!

Today is actually my darlin's big b-day - he is NOT happy about this marker of time. AND he has a cold threatening. Poor baby. Because I love him I will not post the lovely photo I took this morning. We had a wee celebration last weekend, just a bbq with the neighbors, but there was ice cream cake! Tonight I have rehearsal which is too bad, but I'm sure the celebrations will continue as we approach the family gatherings in August...

Tomorrow we are headed off on a family trip (ok it is totally for me so I can play with in Helena, I guess I'm an emergency sub) - they are putting us up at the college there in a suite. Should be fun, D wants to go to the sapphire mine where apparently they let you look for gems. They have a great city pool with all that "stuff" kids like - slides and dumping buckets and sprayers. I believe you can also swim there.

The kayaks are still on top of the camper, so maybe we are taking them - there are several lakes in the area that look promising. D had his first solo kayak experience in the Tetons last month, he did great (til his wee arms got tired). And our plan is to go up through Glacier on our way home Sunday (and maybe Monday).


On the homefront - we got a pavilion tent thingy for our new deck! It is quite large, and I love it - we dithered about buying one, or building some sort of pergola, or doing nothing at all... J put it up all by himself (crazy man) and of course the day after we got the biggest windstorm we've had for ages - I was so worried it would just rip itself apart! But it survived and it looks great, and the shade in the afternoon is great but there are still sunny places if you like sun...yay!

home stuff

Not much has been happening on the home front - so most of my writing has been to the music blog. But I thought I'd plop a few items out here just for fun. Yesterday was Ds best friend's birthday party - a Star wars theme. Gak! Funny that a couple of the kids invited had NEVER seen Star Wars, which rather handicapped them in the trivia games - but I think they all had fun. We ended up staying and ordering pizza, having lovely adult conversation (not x-rated, just talking with other grownups!), and terrible armenian wine (followed by some really excellent california wine).

I still have the Christmas decorations up, really MUST take down the tree but I don't want to (whine whine whine). If I get the tree down, I will have room for my new recliner (which is not purchased or even chosen yet, but I want one). So that is kinda fun to consider. Other thrilling items I can't believe we still haven't bought: new bed! Our bed has a broken boxspring and it makes this groaning sound every time J gets in (hahaha). As the world's worst shopper I am completely unable to buy us a new bed. I would just buy the one at Costco but it has been deemed "too pillowy" and he won't even try it. I think he should sleep on the floor (not pillowy) and I'll just get what I want (whatever that is).

Also, my phone is dead and I am actually borrowing one from the ATT store. So nice of them, but I am feeling guilty now it has been 3 months. But of course it is more than just buying a phone, we really need to look at our plan, which J NEVER uses, but we are paying a ton for having 2 phones. He wants to keep his razor phone so he won't go on a pay as you go plan, but it seems silly to spend $500/year for him to keep his stupid phone he never uses. So we go round and round and have never actually gone to the phone store to resolve anything. *sigh*

Christmas meme

It has been forever since I've posted to my "home" blog, so here is something fun. I plan to put our yearly letter (christmas letter implies it would be done before Christmas...) up soon, but not too soon! Stay tuned.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Duh! I actually bought eggnog as a special treat for J, and he informed me he hated eggnog (as do I). D said he would try it, took one sip and announced "well, it's family tradition! We all hate eggnog!"

2. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Gift bags, recycled cuz I'm cheap.

3. Real tree or artificial?
Real. Fake trees aren't trees. And preferrably the real tree from our property that we cut ourselves (even if it looks pretty Charlie-brown-y)


4. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Both! Tastefully arranged of course.

5. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Lights first, then garlands, then ornaments. Then more lights (cuz it looks thin) and a few more garlands (to fill out here and there) and more ornaments. Usually at this point our poor little tree is sagging all over.

6. Do you hang mistletoe?
No.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Several. We like to insert action figures also. This year one of the kings is playing the Hallmark player piano ornament.

8. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Would love to mail, but my cheapness factor is making me balk. Of course, we haven't actually WRITTEN the card/letter thing yet, but I figure by the end of January is fine. And this year the plan is for electronic distribution.

9. What is your favorite holiday dish?
I love most food - don't really have a favorite. Do like J's deep fried turkey (was awesome this year).

10. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Huh. I guess a standout it the new bike year (6?) and just going to grama's in general most years. Also the Christmas in Hawaii.

11. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Don't really remember - but I do recall blowing that myth for a family friend and the mother having a cow! I was so embarrassed (probably 9-10 yo)

12. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Sometimes, but we're usually too busy.

13. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love snow, hate driving in Bad Snow/Ice. Like last year when we got 4 feet. FEET. Inches are fine, but feet not so good. It was beautiful though.

14. Have you ever recycled a gift?
Frequently! J says I'm his recycled gift.

15. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Here's one where you have the "good" answer and the "real" answer! I love playing Christmas gigs, and it isn't Christmas without at least one Messiah. I love the last gig being over and the sense of relief I get before I realize I've put off all the gift buying and now I have 2 days to do it all. I love getting the perfect present for someone - even better than getting the perfect present. I love the quiet moments when we can all relax and do puzzles or other mindless activities we never do the rest of the year.

16. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Something chocolate. Maybe SIL's homemade English toffee. TO DIE FOR.

17. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Decorating. Visiting. Eating. Music. I love it all.

18. What tops your tree?
Star.

19. Favorite Christmas Show?
Love Actually. Or Christmas Story. Or Scrooged

20. Saddest Christmas Song?
In the Bleak Midwinter

21. What is your favorite Christmas Holiday Song?
I love great (not cheesy) arrangements of many old hymns - am missing that aspect of being a church musician this year. The funnest thing I did with the bells was Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Wizards of Winter. Loved playing all the Mannheim Steamroller stuff this year - on their actual Christmas concert (with them!); Amahl and the Night Visitors has a great oboe part, and the Russian Christmas Music is fantastic. Even love the Nutcracker although it is overplayed.

Greenacres Next Top Model

Be amazed - I am now a PAID model! Ok, paid with coffee and lunch, but still...

My neighbor is teaching a drawing class, and she wanted a "movement" model (fully clothed of course). So I walked around the classroom while the students tried to sketch movement. It was quite interesting, and it was fun hanging out with my artsy neighbor!

Other than that, Mr. D is now EIGHT! Hard to believe how time has flown, his school pictures are today so I will post those when we get them. Right now he is into bugs, and he will not hesitate to tell you he is an expert. Jim is sure he will never have a girlfriend at this rate! I remind him that HE managed to land one (myself), and he continues to be a total nerd. Awwww.

J and V came with their 3 for a weekend earlier this month, and mom and dad are coming with C and his family in two weeks. This weekend is Halloween (D wants to be a bug/native American with African influences/bat winged creature) and after the festivities we are swooping over to Lake Chelan for an overnight with Grampa G and L. Should be fun, hope we avoid the snow!

1st day of 2nd grade!

So our boy is getting all grown up - 2nd grade today. He will have the same teachers as last year, still going to the wonderful little school in the valley. Here he is, solo and with daddy as they head off.

vacations!

In all the craziness it is suddenly time for vacation! Today was supposed to be the last day of swimming, but for some reason the pool was "unbalanced" and they canceled til tomorrow. So daddy will have to pick D up from the neighbors and take him (fun). Because tomorrow is the day K and I go to the Tetons! Girl weekend here we come. Of course the timing is terrible, because the next weekend is my family reunion at the beach (which should be delightful also) AND the audition which is right after I get back! So hopefully I won't be too awful to be around, and I'll get good practicing as well as good visiting in. I swear I don't plan the auditions to fall right after vacations, it just keeps happening that way.

new dog

I guess I haven't mentioned the fact that another dog has been left with us. It appears that he was dumped on our road (same as Donna 3 years ago) and he is the same age she was - around 8 months. Weird. Also strange is that they look like twins - black lab-like with white chest markings. So alike that the person who found the dog thought it was Donna and brought him up to our place!

Since Donna was there in the driveway, it was pretty obviously not her. Also the male factor, and the age were good clues. But the "finder person" was going to take him to the vet, where they only can hold lost pets for 3 days. She was willing to make posters to put around the neighborhood, and we agreed to keep the dog if/until the owner called. We also advertised on Craiglist, but no one called, so last week we took "Darwin" to the vet for the big snip-snip.

Darwin is not the smartest of dogs. The day after the vet experience he discovered a new species: porcupines! Both he and Donna had a face full of quills. Fun. A couple years ago we took our first dog to the vet for porcupine quills and it was $300! Since then we (mostly J) pull them out ourselves. The dogs aren't happy at the time, but they keep going back for more! And indeed, Darwin was quillful again the next day (yesterday). Hopefully he is getting a clue, but I'm not holding my breath.