The Cabbage Patch

7 Quick Takes Friday (volume 62)

~1~

This is our second and final weekend of Nutcracker.  There was a dress rehearsal tonight.  It was very fun.  I think everyone is feeling a bit froggy.  At the end, during the finale, Sister and 4 others come out as reindeer pulling the sleigh.  They take Clara across the stage.  Two other reindeer moms and I took their places.  It was fun and we had everyone just cracking up.

~2~

Honey has had the worst cough these last 18 hours.  We had to use Xopenex several times consecutively last night.  I tried to make an appointment.  No go.  I left a message for the on-call doctor at almost 8.  No call back.  (You gotta love government run healthcare)  Luckily, I have a dear friend whose husband is a doctor (he is a good friend as well).  He came over and checked her out.  She's got an upper respiratory infection.  He gave Brother some antibiotics too since he's not been himself for about 4 days.  Hopefully, this will take care of it all and no one else will go down.

Oh, and her first thought was she would dance tonight.  She couldn't leave her partner hanging.

~3~

Ben has arrived in Kuwait and is awaiting the planes to take him to his final destination.

~4~

I'm not ready for Christmas.

~5~

Every year I say I need to get Christmas shopping/gift making done before Nutcracker season starts.  Each year, I fail.  Now, I plan on starting gifts in January.  I need to make out my plan.

~6~

I also have lesson plans to work on.

~7~

But, the week from Christmas to New Year's will be to-do list free.  Besides the basics, there will be absolutely think I HAVE to do.  Actually, I refuse.

 

Check out more 7 Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.

 

More Nutcracker Pictures

My brother attended the Saturday showing of the Nutcracker in Temple.  Of course, as a photographer, he couldn't help but take pictures of his nieces.  His pictures are way better than mine.  In the process, he took pictures of the whole ballet.  They're gorgeous!  Take a look.

Tearful Goodbye

     

What We've Been Doing This Weekend

 

 

 

Tomorrow Ben leaves, so we will be spending quality time together.  

 
 
 

  

Army-Navy

today at 1:30 CST.

Go Army!  Beat Navy!

7 Quick Takes Friday (volume 61)

~1~

I've been very, very busy lately.  That's why there haven't been any posts for a week.  Well, let's be honest here.  I am not known for being a prolific blogger.  I looked at my stats the other day, and I have only a little over 700 posts.  That's not a lot.  So, what have I been busy with?  Nutcracker, Christmas shopping/gifts, Ben leaving, children, laundry...what haven't I been busy with?  Well, blogging.  

~2~

Tomorrow is our first Nutcracker dress rehearsal.  All costumes are sewn.  All are altered.  All are ready to go.  I think.  I can't wait to see how the snow dance turns out.  Instead of thinking, "Look at my daughter."; I'll be thinking, "Look at my bodices."

~3~

I've been watching Bones DVDs that I borrowed from my fellow seamstress.  I've been loving them.  I've watched the first season.  Now, I'm watching the beginning of the second season.  I really enjoy the interplay between Brennan and Booth.  One other thing I really like is that the actress who plays Brennan graduated from my alma mater, Boston University.

~4~

I've become a wimp.  I've become a big-time cold wimp.  I used to live in Boston!  Now, I can't handle this cold weather.  Although, it has been unusually cold lately.  Usually, we don't have weather in the 40s for highs until later.  

~5~

I can't wait to see my bon-bon dancing.  She is not too happy because she's terrified about going on stage.  I'm so proud of her.  She is working to overcome it even if it scares her so much.

~6~

Now, you know what my next 10 days will be like.  We have dress rehearsal tomorrow, two performances this weekend.  Dress rehearsal next Thursday, and 3 performances next weekend.  I love it!

~7~

Ben leaves almost immediately after the performance on Sunday.

See more at Conversion Diary.

7 Quick Takes Friday (volume 60)

 

~1~

I've already received two Christmas cards.  Seriously, people?  Stop making me panic about my to-do list.  I have tons of gifts to buy, a stack of cards to address and mail out, and Nutcracker things to finish up.

~2~

Ben's new date of departure will be after the first weekend of Nutcracker performances.  I'm thankful for many reasons that he will be here to watch Sister and Honey's performance.  He bought Sister a Nutcracker charm from James Avery the first year she performed in the Nutcracker.  Now, he can give Honey hers.  It'll be so cute when he gives it to her. 

~3~

They've been doing some artillery stuff on Fort Hood.  We are about 15 miles from there.  Why can we still hear it so well?

~4~

Brother is officially joining the Squires this Saturday.  I'm so proud of him.  He's been to one activity and enjoyed it.  Ben said he did very well.  I know he was really nervous.  This Saturday, he will be sworn in or something like that.

~5~

My house is a disaster area.  Where did all these things come from?  I need to get to Ikea to get some bookshelves plus a couple of other things.  I can't do it with the kids in the car though since the boxes can't fit along with the children.

~6~

There's a forecast for snow tomorrow.  My poor children.  They don't realize the implications of living in Central Texas.  If we get snow, we'll get a dusting.  I can't imagine we'll have enough for anything.  You have to love children and their optimism.  They were making sure we had all the things we needed to make the face and arms for the snowman.  They're so cute!

~7~

I've been enjoying the sewing even if it's been a bit pressure-filled.  I guess I didn't realize I actually have some skill.  I surprised myself. 

 

Nutcracker

I've purchased my Nutcracker tickets.  Have you?  

There are two performances at the Cultural Activities Center in Temple; December 12 at 7pm and December 13th at 2pm.  

Then the next weekend, there will three performances:  December 18 and 19 at 7pm and December 20th at 2pm at Vive Les Arts.  

They usually do sell out so get your tickets early!  

Brrrrrr

Am I still in Central Texas?

  

Reading

From The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (page 11-12):

That's what I love about reading:  one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you onto another book, and another bit will lead you onto a third book.  It's geometrically progressive--all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment.

Salado Christmas Tree Farm

We've been going to this tree farm for a few years now.  It's always fun.  We get on the hayride, have hot chocolate and have popcorn after we pick our tree.  This year I picked a 9 foot tree.  It was about 6 inches too long.  Ben had to cut some off the bottom.  It's beautiful though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the tree in all it's glory with a few handmade ornaments.  We don't have lights on it yet so we won't put ornaments.  Usually, we put purple lights for Advent and then right before Christmas (the 23rd), place our white lights and ornaments.  However, with Ben leaving soon, the kids begged for ornaments early.  Of course, I relented.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Black Friday Nightmare

What does it say about someone who has a nightmare that the flyer for Joann's Crafts was wrong? That she was an hour late and all the flannel was gone?

No, she wasn't an hour late, but the nightmare seemed quite real.

Some Notes

I'm ripping seams on a party girl dress for Nutcracker.  We, Ballet Moms (BMs for short), have been working on this dress for weeks.  The party girl is tall and slim but the dress is for a younger girl.  There's just not enough fabric to make it longer.  So, after trying a few different ways, and discussing it with the teacher, I'm going to make a pattern and sew a new one.  The actual sewing won't take long but it will take a bit to get the pattern made.

I didn't get to the two loads of laundry I need to finish.  One is in the dryer and one is in the wash.  Tomorrow.  My mom wanted me to bring my laundry but I won't have room to bring home the clean laundry as I plan on shopping this weekend.  Not just for presents, but for supplies.  I need to make a Sam's Club run to buy paper supplies like toilet paper.  We have 4 girls living here; we go through a lot of toilet paper.  

I got some Christmas shopping done today.  I still have a whole lot to do.  Slowly, but surely, I'll get it done.  I hope to get a bunch of it knocked off on Friday.  I'm so excited!  I hope I remember to bring all my coupons.  Did you know Joann's has some awesome coupons?  That's where I'll be getting the fabric for the party girl dress.

I started to write a status blurb on Facebook but decided there was just too much I wanted to write.  This blog post comes from that.  

Attempt Number 4

I'll be using gel and hopefully, make it tighter.  It was killing my hands.  I think I'll also cut her hair a few inches so it's not so long.  She needed a haircut soon anyway.

What do you think?

On My To Do List

Learn how to french braid:

How You Know...

...it has not been one of your better mothering days:

In quick succession, your children say after you've herded them into the car (finally!) "Are you tired?" and "I bet your throat is dry after all that yelling."

7 Quick Takes Friday (volume 59)

 

~1~

Apparently, there are some crazy people out there who are close to finished with their Christmas shopping.  I'm barely started.  I don't even have lists!  How about you?

~2~

I've been so focused on ballet and the Nutcracker that I've neglected planning for Advent.  I've got a bit of a start with St. Nicholas.  I know that Sunday supersedes it, but we'll still do some things.  O Night Divine is an excellent resource for ideas as well as Catholic Cuisine.

~3~

A few of the ballet moms and I spent a great portion of Tuesday sewing.  We didn't finish one single bodice but did get a lot of them put together.  I know we'll finish them by performance time.  I want them to sparkle!  I also need to get started on the Waltz overskirt.  These should be relatively easy; it's the cutting that will be a bit challenging.

~4~

Black Friday is coming up.  Do you participate?  I LOVE it.  I am a person who never wakes before 7 unless absolutely necessary (something which should change so that I can get a workout in).  But, something about those bargains combined with the brisk cold air and shopping just makes it all a fun, fun thing.  But, we are back to that list thing.  I need to get going on that.

~5~ 

I'm addicted.  To Farmville.  It's so much fun.  I love watching my crops grow.  I try to time my crops so that I don't have to worry about harvesting except in the morning, noon or at night.  It doesn't stop me from getting on the computer but it does help.  Sister is the best at reminding me that a crop is ready for harvest.  All the girls love the animals.  Brother likes to look at everyone's avatars.

~6~

I need a new vacuum.  Not because mine is broken but I'm sick of changing out the hose each time I need it.  My dream vacuum is a dyson animal as I know it would suck up all the hair that gets trapped in our carpet.  We all have a lot of hair.  And, it's long.  The long hair gets into everything and is hard to vacuum up.  I know the Dyson would work.  And, they have the niftiest stair tool.  The stairs are the bane of my existence (the vacuuming one, anyway).  It hardly every gets done because it's too difficult.  I'll have to save up for one.

~7~

There are three weeks until the Nutcracker performances.  They will be performing in two different locations.  I like to watch all shows.  Yes, all 5 shows.  I thrive on this whole thing but will probably crash on the 21st.  I hope my children don't expect much from me and that I have my shopping done by then.

See more Quick Takes.

A Tiny Little Rant

Yesterday I had to take pictures of Ben.  Three shots.  One front, one side left, one side right.

Why?

He needed them for his recovery packet.  Think about what that means considering where he's headed.

Yep.

I had to take them.

Why would we pay anyone to do it?

Why didn't the Army do it for him?  Why put me through that?  

Sigh.

Less Than 40 Days...

until Christmas!  

To procrastinate even more, here's a fun quiz.

You Are Dependable and Trustworthy

You approach the holidays with drive and determination. You're usually the one who does all of the organizing and work. You love being in charge of Christmas dinner, decorating the tree, and picking out presents. You know that everything will be perfect, as long as you're the one behind the wheel. Of all the types, you're the most likely to search far and wide to find the best deal on the gifts you give. You're also the most likely to have a very detailed system for how you wrap and label presents.

The Wrapping Paper Test

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

ht:  Red Cardigan

Bah!

For a while now, Pumpkin has been yelling "Bah!" at her sisters whenever they have displeased her.  I finally asked her what that meant.  She replied, "You're poopy!"