the pageant

A church we were involved with in the past has hosted a Christmas pageant for many many years. It’s very professionally done and always amazing. I used to go before I met hubs. And then he and I used to go together until we had little ones, since it was hard to get a sitter for them. And then life and church moves and the like happened, and we haven’t been since 2000. Hubs even worked on the crew in 1999 and 2000. Anyway, we have a long history with this group but haven’t seen most of them in years.

So we decided tonight to go to the pageant since this is pageant weekend, as it’s affectionately called. This is the first pageant Boo has seen. She was entertained and moved by it. We recognized people in the crew and on stage, since we’ve had history with many of them. We even had the opportunity to chat with some old friends before and afterwards. What a sweet time.

Anyway, it was a beautiful evening. It always starts out with something current with many songs of the holiday. Bright costumes, dance numbers and lots of fun. And then there is a shift to Biblical scenes including Jesus’ ministry on earth, His death on the cross and the nativity. Very moving experience every time.

This year they also included cardboard testimonies (similar to these). I think that was my favorite part. I recognized some of the faces and knew some of their stories. But many others I did not and it was very moving. Very real and that’s what made it all the more special.

So I feel a little lighter in spirit right now… not feeling quite as Grinch-like as usual. Feeling expectant of the holidays… not the presents and the fun… but looking forward to celebrating Jesus’ birth and anticipating all He has in store this Christmas season.

Christmas tree ‘09

Every year we usually put up our tree right after Thanksgiving.  When I was a kid, it seemed like we were the last family I knew to put up the tree and that drove me nuts, so now that it’s up to me, we do it early. I love it. 

When we were first married, I wanted a blue and mauve tree, since my house was ‘country blue and mauve’. (I have since been liberated, thankyouverymuch, but hey, it was a long time ago!)  Anyway, I wanted non traditional colors on my tree and there were none to be had.  At least none that I could get MY hands on.  So I made my own. They weren’t all that fancy and I’ve since thrown them out, but I have the pictures. It was ‘cute’.  And I guess at the time, that’s what I was going for.  A friend and I were discussing this yesterday, and I was telling her how Hobby Lobby carries every color of ornament you can imagine now and how I must have just been ahead of the times.  She was as well, since she had a stunning mauve and crystal tree before she had kids.  NOW her tree is traditional red and gold etc. (But she still has the other stuff.)  I used to decorate that tree with her on a Friday night back in the day. And then usually spend another Friday night together with her hanging out putting it all away when the season is over.  NOW she decorates it with her family and I usually end up helping her put it all away sometime in January.  LOL

This year seemed a bit like the passing of the torch.  Instead of me doing most of it and directing Boo as to where things go, we just told her to have at it and every now and then we would point out a ‘hole’ and she hurried to fill it. She did a great job and it turned out really pretty.  Every year hubs would pick Boo up and let her put the angel on top of the tree.  This year she stood on the arm of the couch and did it herself.  I’m sure hubs is glad she did it that way!  She’s grown! LOL

There are lots of special dated ornaments on the tree. Things both kids picked out through the years. Things we picked on vacations etc.  Here are a few….

There are several kitty ornaments… of course.

And some mice.  Most of my mice didn’t even make the tree this year. I’m thinking about getting a smaller tabletop tree and doing it just in mice… just for me.  : )

And some vacation ones… of course Disney!

And this year was DC…well that ornament is of Mount Vernon, but it still counts.  : )

Here’s the whole thing.  Yes we have a ‘skinny tree’… but we love it.  We don’t have to move any furniture and it fits nicely in a corner where we can all enjoy it.  This is our second skinny tree and this one doesn’t shine the lights as brightly, so I’m not as pleased with it overall.

And then there’s the kitty enjoying our work.  : )

the rest of the story/trip

After we finished eating at Goldie’s, we hit the road again and made it into hub’s hometown by dinnertime. We checked into our hotel and went over to see his folks for a while. We made plans for the following morning to have brunch and headed on back to the hotel.

The next morning, I decided we’d go to Kmart… I know that sounds silly… but we don’t have one.. and it was just for kicks. I got Boo a cute top on clearance and we left. We also took a bit of a site seeing detour and drove through the national cemetery that’s in hub’s hometown.

After our five minute drive through of the cemetery, we headed over to hub’s folks house, since it was still way too early for brunch. Boo told me she had a headache, so I passed her a Walmart brand Tylenol and didn’t think that much more of it. Shortly after, something made me turn around and she was NOT lookin’ good. And then it hit me, she was so out of it because she was about to throw up. RED ALERT. We were just coming to a corner, and I started unlocking doors and trying to get out of the van almost before it stopped. Of course I was very coherent during this time…pullover, pullover, pullover…openthedoor, openthedoor, openthedoor. And then getout, getout, getout. I have this ‘thing’ about not wanting throw up in my van. But I was able to get her out in time to um..ya know.

I got her back in the van, we both freshened up a tad, and we headed back to the hotel while calling to cancel brunch. Hubs went to Target for gatorade, hand sanitizing soap, chicken noodle soup.. ya know.. the sick staples. And I put Boo back to bed and we both waited. On ya know.

And ya know what…nothing happened. And she and I wached a movie on the Disney channel and then we all went back to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. And she was fine. Go figure. (we think she had a reaction to the H1N1 vaccine that she got less than 48 hours prior, but really have no way of knowing for sure.) But needless to say, we were thrilled that she felt fine.

Come to find out, the grands know who lives in the house we um ‘visited’. Awkwaaaard. Sorry ‘bout that.

The next morning we decided to run by Target and get a gingerbread house for Boo and her cousin to put together…with the help of hubs. Cousin had never done one and they had a good time.

It is being propped up on the left side there… it was sliding apart. Probably should have waited for the cement icing to dry before decorating, but we the kids were in a hurry. We added the sign at the end. It’s not going to win any ribbons, but the kids had fun and that’s what counts. We left it there and she can pop off the candy and eat it til Christmas.

The next morning, it was time to come back home. We were all tired, but ready to get back. We made it back in time to get the mail and this one…

…and then we were all home sweet home. : )

Goldie’s

So I left you hanging yesterday with us eating lunch at an icon.  Well, there is a restaurant that holds a special place on the hub’s side of the family. 

It’s called Goldie’s.  There are several locations in Tulsa, but this is the favorite one of the family.  Hub’s parents ate there in their early marriage days until they moved away.  And we used to eat there when we would visit family in Tulsa.  Now that those family members are no longer with us, trips to Goldie’s are few and far between. But we made it into town at the right time to have us a great diner burger….

…. and eat pickles from the pickle bar! 

Our waitress was an older lady that called everybody honey or shoog and seemed to know every face that came in the door.  There are counter service stools that run the length of the place, and then a row of booths that run the length of the windows on the other side. And then a bigger ‘dining room’ at the end.  And nothing has changed in all the years we’ve eaten there.  The walls have ‘vintage’ gold colored ceramic tiles on them and everything is very just a little worn.

It was like being in our own episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!

Hubs has great memories of making pickle sandwiches out of crackers and silly things like that with his siblings when they were young and he passed that knowledge on to Miss Boo while we were there.  Fun.

We actually got a Goldie’s in one of the suburbs near us, a few months before we lost Bub. We used to eat there with him, and of course, he loved it just like we do.  The day of Bub’s memorial, we were asked where we would like to eat for dinner that night, and hubs and I both called out Goldie’s. 

We had eaten there so often we became known as regulars.  They had gotten to know our little man and missed him with us when we ate there in the months to come.  Unfortunately the place folded, which is not uncommon for things in the well-to-do area they tried to make a go of it in.  We drive past where Goldie’s used to be sometimes.  It’s a very elegant fine dining establishment now.  But we’ve never been in.  It just wouldn’t be the same.

over the river and through the woods…

…. to Grandmother’s house we go!

We decided last Friday morning (a week ago) before Boo went to school that we would go to Missouri to visit hub’s folks THE NEXT DAY. Yes, we are gluttons for punishment to pack and try to pull off something like that in one day.

But I got everything ready and we were able to swing it.

We drive through Oklahoma on the way….making the over the river and through the woods part a little incorrect. It’s more like cows and casinos… with a little lake thrown in every now and then, but I guess that doesn’t have the same ring to it, does it?! My apologies if you live in the wonderful state of Oklahoma, as I’m sure there are some lovely things there, but for those of us just traveling through, it’s just a whole lotta nothing. And did I mention it’s pretty flat as well? And kinda desolate? Makes for a thrilling all day drive. Just sayin’.

I could do a whole post on getting ready to hit the road Saturday morning. We had to take the cat to the vet to board. And she was beginning to catch wind of this fact while we were moving suitcases into the living room Saturday morning. Usually I snatch her up and put her in the bathroom while we get ready so we don’t have to get her out from under the bed. But I messed up and she didn’t make it into the bathroom. But she did make it under the deepest recesses of the bed. Did I mention it’s king sized? We pretty much had to take the bed apart in order to get her out. But we finally succeeded and we were able to get on the road…. thirty minutes late!

I started to take a picture of her under the bed, but figured I’d better leave well enough alone and move on with poking and prodding to get her out of there. Hubs mentioned that this would make excellent blog fodder, and it looks like he’s correct, since I’ve just decided this is enough for one post! LOL

Next post… lunch at a family icon in Tulsa!

another nerd ad

This commercial makes me giggle every. single. time. I see it.  Hope you enjoy!

Have a great weekend, y’all!

same time last year

I was getting myself some tea this morning and decided to drink it out of a special mug.  This one. 

Yes, there’s Mickey.  You can barely see him.. he’s so tiny.  But he’s not the only one on the mug.  Here, let me zoom in a little bit…

There’s Walt too.  Standing there on the left with his hands in his pockets looking down at Mickey on Main Street.  Isn’t that just the cutest thing ever?!  Drinking out of this mug got me to thinking.

Last year on this day, I was feverishly washing and packing.  We were heading to Disney in a couple of days, bright and early.  OK, it wasn’t that bright. It was actually still dark out when we left, but you know what I mean. 

We were excited! 

This year.  Not so much.  We aren’t doing a single thing.  We’re all very tired and stressed out from work and school and we’re staying home.  It’s a little sad.  Last year, we had all these plans… where we would stay… what we would eat… which park on what day. So many things to see, do and experience. 

And then this year. Not so much. 

It will be the normal, quiet holiday it always is for us.  But my thoughts may be far away this coming week. 

*You can check out all my diary entries from our trip under the ‘travel’ label on my blog.