Christmas is A'comin'

     My youngest woke me at 6:10 this morning.  We watched the snow falling - enough to feel festive, not like a chore.  After eating breakfast I finished up some Christmas present knitting. (No posts for the 52 Project since a lot of the uses are for Christmas gifts.)  We went to the store to get ingredients for some special presents we are making.  After returning we discovered that the washing machine is acting up and may, indeed be broken.  I finished drying my son's Cub Scout shirt with the hair dryer and  we went to the retirement home to sing carols.  We took my daughter along to insure some extra vocal power.  It was a great hour or so of singing and visiting, and drinking chocolate milk and eating cupcakes.  We were shown all the Christmas decorations in the great room, and told the history of some of them. (They were the decorations that graced the windows of Bresee's Department Store, which was a major store on Main Street until  about 5 years ago when they closed.)  The residents and I had a wonderful chat about the history of it.  I was so proud of my son.  He talked to most of  the residents, shook hands, and even danced for a pair of the ladies! Not too shabby for age six.
    Tonight we head off to a party with many of our theatre friends.  Last night  my husband and I went to dinner and a movie. (Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows  - a fun romp!)  I am not certain  if I can handle two social outings in one weekend - it is so unusual for us!
    I hope you all have a wonderful week leading up to Christmas.

Anniversary

  Twenty years ago my husband and I were married.  So much has changed and so much has remained the same over the years.   That little baby I am holding is now 20 years old and about 6'3" and my sweet little flower girl niece is finishing her masters degree.  Our ring-bearer nephew is much taller, has a degree from Georgetown University, but he still looks good when he dresses up!  My husband and I are the proud parents of three children, have moved more times than I want to count, and we keep unusual hours due to our two chosen professions.  But over all it is a great life and I am looking forward to the next twenty years

Tommy, Aunt Barby, MP and Panda

Eating wedding cake and almost choking on it! (really!)

Drew and his Gran
(I want my legs to look that good when I am 86!)

Things you do not want

   This afternoon, after dragging all the Christmas boxes out of the attic, a former student and friend of my husband's dropped in unexpectedly.  It was great to see him, and later, his wife, but timing was not good.  Then, while he was there, our eldest had a meltdown - quite common as the holidays approach.  While this was happening I was in the kitchen making popcorn for stringing on the outside trees.  I heard my eldest race out  the front door screaming at the top of his lungs, wearing no coat and no shoes (it was mid 30s today), and then my youngest crying upstairs.  I ran up to  check on/comfort my youngest, and after a few minutes of patting and reading a book, I smelled something.  At that same time, so did our guest, and so did my husband  - who  had just walked in the door with our eldest in tow.
    The kitchen, dining room and foyer were rapidly filling with smoke from the burnt popcorn.

An open window is not what I suggest on a cold winter day...

unless this is waiting on the stove

I thought the pan was a complete goner, but it is cleaning up better than I thought it would

Our entire house still wreaks of it, even though we opened every door and window,  I have been washing things, burning candles, spraying Lysol and Febreze and generally doing whatever I can to rid the house of  the stench.  Please feel free to give me any suggestions as to how to rid the house of the smell.  Short of an ozone generator, I am out of ideas.

Sending Christmas Cards

  I used to be a lot better at this when the kids were smaller.  I do not know how?  Maybe I wrote them after they went to bed?  Maybe I was better organized?  I do recall one year starting to write them in October while sitting in the waiting room of my son's gymnastics class each week.  A gentleman passed  me, stopped and walked back and said, "My wife would hate you!"
   In hope of getting the children - or at least my youngest involved, we will make a few today.  here is a link for some good images: http://countdown.tentwostudios.com.  You get new images of Christmas past each day for free or you can download the whole bunch for  a price.  I am frugal, so one a day is fine for me.
    I think  making cookies is in order for the day as well!