Music is ringing inside my head

Music is ringing inside my head

over and over and over again

my friend,

there's no end

to the music...

These are some of the words from a song by Carole King, I think. Loved that song! I need to go find it.. And all my piano students' pieces are ringing over and over again in my head. My recital was last night. All the kiddos were AMAZING, FANTASTIC, INCREDIBLE, FABULOUS,...you get the picture. They all had on their Sunday Christmas best. They gave me hugs. I hugged them back. I wanted to hug all the parents, incredible parents! and g-parents. The students were so proud. I was so proud. Everyone was proud. Everyone cheered, and I mean REALLY cheered for everyone else. I had just as much fun watching the parents as I did the kids. I had tears in my eyes the whole time. I couldn't believe how hard they had all worked and that all that hard worked paid BIG TIME! I love you my kiddos! Thank you for doing such a great job!

And Santa came. Who knew? He, K, I mean she, played Sleighride with me. I love that Santa. She's my first cuz and we have been the best of friends forEVER! We lined her up with one of Ron's best friends so we have been great couple friends for..well, a really long time. She lives to serve other people. Love you Krissy!

And my sweet Ron and Curtis came to support me. Really? What 17 yr old goes to their mom's piano recital? Icing on the cake, I sat at the piano and played for Curtis while he sang and sang when we got home. Perfect night if you ask me.

So, grab those CD's, crank up the stereo...keep the music playing and playing and playing.

I had my Christmas last night!

Mistletoe and holly berries

Wow-ah! Time to trim the tree. Get it out first, go chop it down, go to the grocery store...where ever, how ever we get our greenery. I have bins and boxes and more bins and more boxes of holiday cheeriness. I've collected so much over the years. I've gotten rid of a lot as well, but I still have too much. And I'm too tired.

As I was trying to make my house festive today, I dang well burst into tears. How, how in the world am I going to get the energy to get it done? And do I really need to? I still have harvest holiday on my porch, but I can't see it so it's not there. So I sat down, turned up the oxy and tried to get hold of myself.

What is with me? I have this internal ideal that says everything has to be the best. I am Jean Nelson's daughter in law you know. She was the queen of Christmas. She could stay up all night cooking, decorating, whatever, and go teach her 4th grade class the next day. She LOVED Christmas everything. People ask me if I am the house with the incredible porch. I say no, that's Emily's house. And my sister in laws. And I worked at Nordstrom and OC Tanner. They REALLY knew how to deck their halls. Of course they had unlimited help and budgets but I still think I can get the same look minus the budget or the bodies. I have stolen a few ideas.

But really. We all know it doesn't matter. Christmas isn't about all the glitz and glitter and holly berries.

On the other hand, is there anything better than laying under the fake Christmas tree with the fake snow in front of the fake fire reading a great fake book (on my kindle)? I say no. So, time to get moving. Let's get this done!