Today is going to be Wicked awesome!

Happy Anniversary to my awesome hubs who got us tickets to see Wicked today at the Opera House! When the tickets first arrived 3 months ago, it seemed like a lifetime away. I'm so excited.

It's our 18th anniversary. All year I had been thinking it was our 19th, and next year would be the big two oh. Wrong. 2013 will be 20 years. Basic math skills, I has them.

18 years and two great kids is nothing to sneeze at though! I may complain and whine from time to time, but my life is pretty blessed :)

NHS Christmas concert

This week Emma performed for three nights at her school's annual Christmas concert. We went on the middle night, the night she performed with both her regular choir and her Freshman select choir. The whole family went to support her and hear her sing.

The show was amazing. Northville High is #1 in the state in choir for a reason! It was two hours of beautiful holiday music. And because Emma likes surprises, she didn't tell us that she was going to have 4 solos. We were more than surprised!

(I apologize for the picture quality. Terrible!)

At the end of the concert all of the bands went onstage to sing the Hallelujah chorus, and everyone in the audience stood and sang along. It was very moving.

We are so proud of our songstress. She practiced every free minute and is so brave to sing on the stage in front of hundreds of people. Love you!!

On the 14th of December, my true love gave to me...

...an unexpected furry gift!

He's 8 weeks old and completely adorable. We are still trying to figure out what to name him. Lola is very funny with him; equal parts of wanting to play with him and bite him. By MOnday I'm sure they will be the best of friends.

It's all about the presents

The acquisition of gifts for family and friends has begun in earnest.

This year, as well as every other year in recent memory, the people who are easy to shop for are very easy to shop for; the people who are hard to shop for are very hard to shop for.

Add in 2 December birthdays and an anniversary (ours), and gift giving can become downright stressful.

I'm about 75% finished with my shopping. It's just those tricky, hard to buy for people that are throwing me for a loop.

Online shopping has been my friend this year, and many of my gifts have come delivered by the happy brown truck. Last week, I averaged 2 packages a day. I've placed several more orders, so I'm expecting next week will be busy as well.

I was very surprised an happy to receive a chocolatey package from my friend Jen yesterday. She was extolling the virtues of Vosges bars, and I may have said that I would cut a bitch for one of their bars. She sent three:)

Next up: Christmas cards. I am falling behind this year!

Hello, December

Two of Lola's favorite (non-people) things:

warm laundry and sunbeams.

When I'm carrying the laundry basket

she will race me to the bedroom and jump on the bed in anticipation

of freshly laundered, warm clothes to snuggle in.

I always pretend to be irritated,

but who doesn't love warm clothes from the dryer?

And the only sunbeams that come into our house in the afternoon

happen to fall right across our bed. Conveniently.

Spoiled rotten.

Novemblur

I have posted one time in November. That is an all time low for me!

I have taken even fewer photographs. I don't know why I don't think to take more. I have to get better at that again! I used to love to take pictures.

Anywho, here's a run down of what we've been doing this month:

• November is a big birthday month. Evan, my Mom, my Stepmom, and my Mother-in-law all have birthdays in November. We ate lots of cake.
• We hosted Thanksgiving. I cleaned house for 2 days and Bart did 99% of the cooking. It was a nice day. Food was delicious and everyone was happy.
• Evan played futsál every weekend.
• I continue to go to the chiropractor several times a week. My back is feeling pretty good...now if I can just get my neck to co-operate then I will be great!
• Leaves. Lots and lots of leaves. At our house. My dad's house. My mom's house.
• My etsy store has been busy! I have been knitting pretty constantly to have items in stock.

Add in all the other everyday stuff a mom does, and it's been busy around here, but not too crazy. I like November for it's pared down schedule.

Less than a month to Christmas. Holy Cow!

five good things: October 2011

Ack! Once again November has snuck up on me. A whole week flew by and I'm staring at the second week of November. Seriously? STOP MOVING SO FAST!

And I haven't felt like posting anything in forever, so now I have tons of things circling thru my mind that I will never get around to saying.

So here is my list of 5 good things from October!

1. The end of the soccer season. This is not actually true. Practices started right back up this week. However, I no longer am driving to Canton a few times a week, nor are there any regular games scheduled for either kid. Evan's team is playing futsal, while Emma's team is not doing anything as of this moment. She will be training and conditioning for high school tryouts over the winter. I suddenly have free time again!

2. My Chiropractor. 2 weeks ago, Sunday morning, I woke up fine. An hour later, after vegging on the couch reading, I was unable to move my legs. Monday morning was no better, so I called a local chiropractor to see if I could get an adjustment. They took tons of X-rays, which showed all sorts of painful things going on in my body.

Luckily I am able to reverse many of them and eliminate my pain. I love this doctor. I should have gone years ago, with all the headaches and neck pain I have. I am a believer!

3. Lunch with friends! I was lucky enough to find time to meet up with three friends this month...Lisa, Judy & Kirsty. I want to try to meet up with someone every week this month, if I can.

4. Emma made the Freshman Select Choir. She was very nervous and didn't think she stood a chance, but was chosen over many girls with vocal training and who perform other places. We couldn't be prouder of her, and can't wait to attend her first concert!

5. October TV. It's no secret that I love TV. It's a big part of our lives. Two of my very favorite shows returned this month, Dexter and The Walking Dead. And just in case you weren't clear that we like freaky tv shows, we've added in American Horror Story, which is the weirdest of them all! Sooooo good it's scary. Disturbing. I love it.

6. Michigan State besting U of M. Again. Enough said :)

7. Fall splendor. October was a gorgeous month, with lots of warm days and cool nights. Fall is my favorite season...I just wish it would last a little longer. This October has probably been the best weather wise in many years. Almost makes the onslaught of winter tolerable. Almost.