Nativity

Today at church, Sadie and Josie and I sang the Thank You For Your Blessings song. On stage, in front of everyone, WITH my guitar. It was a big step for me... performing and playing at the same time (and I use the word "playing" in the loosest sense possible). I guess it sounded okay. A few times I just stopped strumming because I knew I had the wrong chord... Jesse said no one noticed because no one there plays the guitar. Including me. :) Anyway, I was so proud of the girls... they sang their little hearts out, and they stood very still on the stage next to me with their arms by their sides and smiles on their faces, just like we practiced! I had told them I was nervous (about playing in front of people for the first time) beforehand, but I think it's important they know that Mommies get scared sometimes too, and you just have to face your fears and move ahead. Hopefully that was a little life lesson for them... that even though you might mess up, at least you try!

This afternoon Beth and Roy came over for soup and turkey sandwiches, and the women (or females, I should say, since Sadie and Josie helped too) put up the Christmas decorations while Grandpa and Daddy watched football. Seriously, how much football can a person watch, anyway!? I can watch it for about 10 minutes before I completely conk out. Anyway, we got the stuff put out, and later there was a "shift change" when Grandpa and Grandma left and Grammie and Grampie arrived. After that, we finished decorating the tree and Jesse put up my new nativity that he cut out for me with his handy dandy scrollsaw and that the kids and I painted. Adelaide said, "Oooh!" when she saw it, so I think she likes it too. Then while I crashed on the couch (decorating is hard work) Sadie and Josie and Adelaide and Grammie played dress up. First, Sadie came in as Cinderella, with the scary full-face mask on that I wore for Halloween when I was little. It's not supposed to be scary, but there's just something about it covering up her entire face with just her little eyes peeking out that gives me the willies! Her blue Cinderella dress comes up to the middle of her thighs now! That is because she is what we from the South call a "long-legged fraycus." Next, Josie came in with a long pink ballgown on and a pot full of daffodills which she informed me was her wedding bouquet. They sang "here comes the bride, big fat and wide" and she threw the bouquet (pot and all) to me. Last but not least, Adelaide made her dress up debut by toddling as fast as she could through the kitchen, up the stairs, and into the living room sporting a flaming red, super long, wild and crazy Ariel wig. She thought it was the best and kept saying "Hat! Hat!"

All in all, it was a good, productive day. Let's see what the rest of the week has in store. :)