Annah put the colored lights and garlands on the upstairs Christmas tree last week, and lights in the kids' rooms. Caeden and Sylvia finished decorating the tree with all our favorite ornaments. We just love the glow of the lights at night! Annah and Caeden like to have the lights on while they fall asleep, but Sylvia does not--She says it keeps her awake. So, I turn them off when I go to bed.
It did take me a while, but I finally got our real tree decorated too. It looks basically the same every year, but I love it. The past couple years I have waited too long to look for tinsel icicles, but went to Walmart and looked and looked until I found them tucked in one box among the Christmas decorations. They were only $.78/box, so I bought 10 boxes and will have enough for the tree for the next 4 years too! I know I'm weird, but I think the tinsel really makes the tree come alive because it moves when people are in the room (just from the breeze of people moving around) and the reflection of the lights. I think the tinsel icicles complete our Christmas tree.
On Wednesday evening, Sylvia played on the String Project recital. She played Chanson Triste, which is a Tchaikovsky piece written in tenor clef. (Click this link if you want an explanation of tenor clef. I didn't even know what it was until I learned it while studying music in college!)
Sylvia's teacher has been telling the other cellists how great she has been doing, and I think Sylvia may have felt a bit of pressure from them. She played with great expression, but did have a memory slip-up. She stopped and asked her teacher where to start, got back on track and finished well. She was pretty upset, but her teacher came up to her right away after the recital and told her, "You played so beautifully!" Another lady (I'm not sure if she was a musician, a parent of someone else who played, or why she was attending the recital.) also told Sylvia that she really enjoyed her performance because she played with such expression, and she could tell from the moment she sat down that she really loves to play.
I am really proud of Sylvia for playing such a difficult piece, for learning and making great progress on her instrument, for continuing after a mistake, and most of all for making beautiful music (not just playing notes).
We found out Friday afternoon that she was chosen to play her piece again on the honors recital in January. She was surprised, but is really excited to have another chance to perform the piece.
We really like having the house decorated for Christmas. This year I added lights to the garland on the mantel.
Jeremy brought home leftover Dunkin' Donuts coffee the same night I bought egg nog. It's going to be a gooooooood coffee week!
I saw this collage on Facebook and just cracked up and had to share it! We love Monsters Inc, and always laugh at the character Roz and mimic her voice. The thought of Trump as Roz is just too hilarious... "I'm watching you Wazowski, always watching!"
This evening, I dropped Annah off at 4:30 for her violin lesson, Sylvia off at the CPA at 4:45 for rehearsal before her concert, and Caeden and I went back to wait for Annah to finish her lesson. We read in the car, and he was not happy when I surprised him with a selfie.
We went to get Jeremy at work, and he took us to El Porton (BEST Mexican food in town!!!!) for supper. As he sat down, an eagle landed on his head!
It drives Jeremy crazy hanging in its traditional spot on the kitchen door, but the cookie sheet advent calendar I made 8 years ago is up and counting us down to Christmas.
Caeden was scheduled to wrestle in the Fisher tournament today, but had a really upset stomach last night and was white as a ghost during Sylvia's concert. He still wasn't feeling well this morning when Jeremy was getting ready to go coach his team in the tournament, so he stayed home. He finished his book and tried to take it easy all day.
Caeden and Sylvia and I tried the new game that Krampa and Gram gave the kids for Christmas. We played a Christmas song version, and decided Spontuneous is pretty fun.
I bought a spritz maker a few days ago to make some for the church Christmas open house, and Sylvia spent a few hours today making Spritz cookies to take to her friends at school.
Now that his first concert is over, it's time to get the drumsticks out!
