Our Christmas Eve

Gifts under the tree on Christmas Eve 2015.

We broke from tradition a bit this year. It has always been our practice to open gifts on Christmas morning. That's how it was in my family growing up, and that's how it was in Mark's family, so that became the established tradition in the Carter home when Mark and I had our children. I love the old home movies of tousle-headed, sleepy-eyed kids stumbling from their bedrooms into the living room, eyes growing wide with wonder as the proof of Santa's late-night visit appeared before their dazzled eyes.

Dylan sorts the presents into four piles, one for each of us.

On occasion, we might allow the opening of one gift on Christmas Eve. Usually, in the Butler family, it was a pair of new pajamas made by Grandma Haley so we could wear them to bed that very night. Usually, in the Carter family, it was either pajamas (from Walmart) or the new calendar I chose for each child every Christmas. Never anything terribly exciting. Those were reserved for Christmas morning.

Dylan poses with his stack of presents on Christmas Eve.

With a houseful of working adults this year, though, we had to rethink things a bit. On Christmas morning Jake had to work from 6:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Mark had to work from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. At first I was somewhat of a die-hard, telling everyone we'd be getting up at 5:30 a.m. so we could open our gifts together on Christmas morning, as we'd always done. After enduring a bit of muffled grumbling, however, I relented.

Jake with his pile of gifts.

Jake told me that he and his mom always had to work on Christmas Day, so their tradition was to wait and open gifts in the evening after they got home and had Christmas dinner. I considered that idea but decided against it, mainly because Walmart actually closes on Christmas Day, which meant Dylan would be home all day. For us, Christmas is a day to play with your new toys, watch your new videos, read your new books, and play your new games. I wanted Dylan to be able to enjoy his new gifts on Christmas Day. 

Mark enjoyed his first real Christmas since 2010.

So we all agreed to Option 2, and we opened our gifts on Christmas Eve. We still had to wait on work schedules, since Dylan worked until 8:30 on Christmas Eve, but by 9:30 we were all settled in the living room and ready to share our gifts.

We got a chuckle comparing my pile of 3 tiny gifts to the guys' huge piles!

However, they were all thoughtful, amazing gifts and I loved each one. 

Besides, I get my greatest fun from watching my family open their presents.

Dylan and Jake build their own mini-lightsabers.

We did not open every gift under the tree, just the ones we got for each other among the four of us. The gifts sent from Utah by Jacob and Danielle and those we received from Chris and Sarah we would wait and open together when Chris and Sarah joined us for Christmas dinner later on Christmas Day.

Success! Now they are both true Jedi!

It was fun opening our gifts on Christmas Eve, but it definitely had a different vibe. Even Dylan commented on how different it felt, not quite the same magical feeling as when we wake up on Christmas morning. For this year, though, I'm sure it was the better option than having four not-morning-people-type adults getting up before the crack of dawn and trying to act cheerful!

Dylan got this M&Ms dispenser for Christmas 6 years ago.

Every Christmas since then he gets a huge bag of M&Ms to fill it up.

As for the gifts we opened, I'll wait and share those in my next post about Christmas Day. As you may know, it's my tradition for each person to gather and display all their gifts together to be featured in a photo. That may seem silly now, but I started doing this back in the 1970s, and decades later it's fun to look at those old pictures and think, "Oh yeah, I remember when so-and-so gave me that! I loved that old gift!"

Dylan starts assembling one of his gifts, a K'Nex building set.

Christmas Day itself was pretty strange without the traditional gathering and opening of gifts to start it off. I got up at 7:30 to drive Mark to work. Then I washed dishes from dinner the night before (Mark had grilled steak and I'd made a big green salad for our quiet Christmas Eve dinner), and then I washed four loads of laundry before jumping in the shower. Meanwhile, Dylan slept late and then played his new video games all afternoon. Pretty much a typical day so far.

Santa fills the guys' stockings after midnight. There was no stocking for Mark,

so Santa filled a zip-lock bag for him!

Things began to feel a little more Christmas-ish around 1:00 on Christmas Day. But then, that's a story for another day!

A few gifts left under the tree to be opened on Christmas Day.

Gone Gone Gone

Dylan captured these shots of Ryker jumping through the snow.

December 13, 2015

Why is it so easy to get attached and so hard to let go? We only had our new puppy Ryker for two weeks, but in that time he became part of our family.

After the first week, Dylan decided he just wasn't ready for the challenge of raising a puppy. I resisted for a few days, but I finally had to admit the timing simply isn't right. With Dylan being a full-time student and working at Walmart most days, and the rest of us working full-time jobs, it was difficult to give Ryker as much attention as a young pup requires. And the loss of sleep was taking its toll on all of us.

Part of me would have liked to wait until the end of Christmas break. Possibly, after I was able to work with him for two more weeks, he'd have been more mature and well-trained enough for us to keep him. But, the truth is, it would have been even more difficult to say good-bye after a whole month together, for Ryker as well as for myself. And, the fact is, it's a whole lot easier to find a new home for a cuddly two-month-old puppy than a three-month-old. As it stands now, Dylan's friend Justin is very excited to welcome this adorable little guy into his life.

Here's my version of Ryker's romp through the snow (30 seconds).

(The flashes in the foreground are caused by snow blowing off the trees and roof.)

Ryker takes a nap in his little bed on the couch, his favorite spot.

December 15, 2015

Besides, Ryker is still very much a puppy, with a lot of energy and a desire to play hard, even when the humans in the house are busy at other tasks. And he still needs to chew and bite with those youthful pit bull jaws and sharp puppy teeth.  Our hands and arms are scarred while our socks and hems are pocked with tiny holes. Not to mention two phone chargers, an Xbox controller, and one of Mark's flip-flops that have bitten the dust. (I did warn everyone to put their stuff up out of the puppy's reach. Puppies are going to do what puppies do.) 

Come January 4th, when we return to school, Ryker will still be too young and it will still be too cold outside to banish him outdoors all day. I can't have the house destroyed during our absence, so Ryker would still be trapped in his playpen all day most days. I hope his situation in Justin's home will be better. 

Sometimes it's just hard to get comfy.

Both Sarah and I have shed tears over Ryker's going. Dylan has struggled with the decision, too. Sarah would have taken him, but there's really no room for more pets in their little apartment. I even toyed with keeping him myself, but there are still all the problems listed above, as well as the fact that I can't even keep up with everything on my plate these days, from the extra duties I've taken on in my job to the inability to simply handle household duties as I hobble around on my painful right leg. Taking on the sole responsibility of chasing after and training a puppy day after day just isn't realistic right now.

Ryker battles a vicious, crunchy-spiked, blue monster and single-handedly saves our home!

(53 seconds)

Still, we made a lot of progress in the two weeks he's been with us. I bought some Christmas bells to hang on our front door, specifically so he could learn to ring the bells whenever he wanted to go outside, rather than barking or scratching at the door. At first he rang the bells because they were something new and interesting to nip at and play with. However, he figured out within one day that someone opened the door for him any time he made the bell ring, and he quickly began nosing the bells for that purpose.

After he learned how to let us know he needed to go outside, the number of puppy puddles and poopy piles dramatically decreased. And those accidents that did occur were due to human failure, not a bad puppy. For instance, waking to a whining puppy at 5:00 a.m. and letting him out of the bedroom, but not taking him outside to do his business, means a cleanup on aisle one later on. Not that I'm naming names or anything... 

Ryker rings the bell to be let outside.

It took less than two hours on Saturday night to teach Ryker to "Sit!" He has a very healthy appetite, so he was motivated to figure out why I kept shoving his hind end down each time I gave the hand signal and said the word before he could eat the treat. I was sure I'd have to do a refresher course the next morning before I showed off his new skill to Dylan, but I was pleased that Ryker remembered exactly what to do as soon as I called Dylan in to see his new trick. He's one smart puppy!

December 22, 2015: Ryker demonstrates that he knows how to "Sit" for a treat!
(1 minute 18 seconds)

We will miss you, sweet little Ryker. We wish only the best for you in your new home, and may your new family give you all the love and attention you deserve!

Christmas Comfort

Remembering the Reason for the Season.

There are so many wonderful things to love about Christmas time. I love the tender reminders that God loved His children enough to send a Savior and exemplar, who began life as we all did, in the form of an innocent infant. I love the opportunities to celebrate and spend time with family and friends. I love the music. I love the upbeat greetings of total strangers we meet, so many sharing the same positive feelings engendered by the season. I even love the shopping crowds as we each struggle to find the gifts we hope will most please our loved ones, even though we know they'll love anything that comes from our hearts.

It always begins with the tree.

November 29, 2015

One of my favorite things about Christmas is inviting its spirit into our home with the little touches that bring cozy comfort and warm our hearts while we count down to Christmas Day. For us, it usually begins with choosing the Christmas tree, whether it comes pre-cut from Walmart or from  an hours-long search for the perfect fresh tree in the forest. This year, probably for the last time, we chose a forest tree. That was two weeks ago.

Then two strings of lights brighten up the tree.

I was wandering alone in the woods, not wanting to slow down everyone else with my gimpy knee, when I saw our tree in the distance. The trees I choose always seem to speak to me, saying, "I'm the one." Often, after it's cut, I wonder if I made the right choice. This time was no different. I looked at the nice trees chosen by Sarah and Chris and Brenda and thought maybe I'd made a mistake. Yet it always seems to turn out well.

The finished tree makes me happy. It reminds me of the trees of my youth. 

And there are only a few more gifts left on my list!

December 13, 2015

This year's tree was about a foot shorter than usual, and about two feet wider! I wasn't sure how it would fit into my tiny living room. It required a lot of trimming of branches to achieve even a close fit, but we did it. The long branches were less sturdy than I'd hoped, so we had to be slightly more selective about which ornaments to hang this year, but the tree holds all of our most treasured ones. 

And, for some reason, weeks before we hunted out our tree, I purchased two boxes of tinsel on impulse. I hadn't put tinsel on a Christmas tree since the mid-1960s, when my mom enlisted the aid of us kids to place the tinsel on the branches one piece at a time. Seeing the tinsel brought back so many memories that I decided to revive that tradition, at least for this one year.

The tree is made more special by the ornaments collected over the years.

Each one has special meaning, memories connected to loved ones.

As it turned out, the tinsel was perfect for this tree, helping to fill in the gaps between branches. And, what can I say, I love the retro look! I admit, I was torn regarding the best method to apply the tinsel. My mom was a firm believer in placing it on the tree one strand at a time, so I always thought that was just how it was done. Imagine my surprise when I learned, as a teenager, that one of my aunts applied it by standing back and tossing the tinsel at the tree, one handful at a time. And her tree always looked nice, too.

I decided to split the difference by putting the tinsel on the tree by draping it gently over the branches in small handfuls, five or six strands at a time. It still took several days to do the entire tree, and I think it could have used another box or two of tinsel, but I really like the result. I do love glitter and sparkle, and the fluttering tinsel reflects the shimmer of lights beautifully.

Of course, if I'd known we were going to have a new puppy in the house right before Christmas, I might have rethought the whole tinsel plan. I seem to spend a lot of time picking up tinsel from the floor and re-draping it over the branches!

My camera won't capture Christmas lights in the dark very well.

Dylan took this one with his nicer camera after we finished decorating.

Once the tree is done, the rest of the room must be enhanced with Christmas decorations, as well. Most of my little Christmas scenes go on my shelves year after year, so if you've ever been on my blog at Christmas time, much of this won't be new to you. But here they are again anyway!

Entertainment center shelves are adorned with Christmas treasures.

My Willow Tree Nativity is my favorite, but this comes in second place.

I bargained for this hand-painted Mexican Nativity in Nogales, Mexico, in the 1980s.

I love to see José, Maria, and Jesus in traditional Mexican garb!

I only fill the candy jar at Christmas time, with Skittles.

I can't use M&Ms or I'd eat them all myself!

I added two new trees and more mini-gifts to my Christmas Tree Forest this year.

The red-and-white-striped peppermint tree is new to my Christmas Tree Forest, above, and so is the largest ceramic tree with the little bulbs. Mark's Grandma Helen, who raised him, had that exact same tree (the big ceramic one), which she kept on the headboard of Mark's waterbed between Christmases. When you plug it in, the bulbs and star topper light up, which is very pretty in a darkened room. I never saw it again after Mark and I divorced in 2006, of course, and when Helen died in March 2011 the tree disappeared, probably claimed by a relative.

Then, a month ago, I saw this tree in a Hallmark sale pamphlet. I showed it to Mark. "Remember this tree?" I asked excitedly. He wasn't quite as enthusiastic as I was (men), but he agreed that it would be nice to have for its sentimental value. While Dylan was too young to have memories of the tree, Sarah and Jacob both remembered it from their great-grandma's house. So a few days later I was able to purchase it at the local Hallmark for 30% off.

Those of us who were kids in the 1960s remember these characters

from the annual TV presentation of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

We looked forward to it every year!

A tiny little Nativity called "Christmas in a Nutshell." Both it and

the clothespin angel were made long ago by my sister-in-law Dana.

I love to relax in the soft glow of colored lights and soak in the ambiance created by these memories on my tree and shelves every year at Christmas time. These subtle reminders of the joyous reason we celebrate Christmas make our home feel so warm and comforting. It's my favorite place to be, especially when we're surrounded by family and friends. That's what Christmas is supposed to feel like.

Christmas scenes to enjoy.

The New Puppy

Dylan and his new pup, 8-week-old Ryker, on December 9, 2015.

I decided about 4 years ago that I did not want any more pets to be responsible for. I plan to retire in May 2017, and then I want to be free to travel, whether I travel alone or whether I have a permanent "significant other" in my life by then. Having to make plans for the care of a cat or dog in my absence does not fit into my plans, and I'll never be one to enjoy traveling with animals. I can't "get away from it all" if I have to take it all with me!

Don't get me wrong, I love animals. As a teen, my dog Belle slept in my bed. I was the worst about always begging for a new puppy or kitten. I loved horseback riding and dreamed of having my own horse someday. And I've always been a cat person. Since I was a toddler, we've nearly always had at least one cat in the home. At one point, as a mother of young children, I had five cats! They are great mousers for those of us living the rural life.

I also believe that having pets to tend can help children learn responsibility, as well as to love and care for needy creatures smaller and weaker than themselves. My children were active in 4-H Club for a long time, and over the years we've had dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, fish, sea monkeys (triopps), a turtle (who unfortunately died young), and we even fostered guinea pigs and a chinchilla over various school breaks. Pets have provided great experiences for my kids.

Nonetheless, I was ready for a new chapter in my life, unencumbered by the extra responsibility for little creatures dependent upon me for their every need. I made it clear to my kids that once our final surviving cat--raggedy 10-year-old Gimli--passes away, this home will become a pet-free zone!

Not that it stopped them from begging, of course. Both of my sons have pleaded with me continuously to relent and let them get a puppy. Well, since their stepdad and I split up two years ago, anyway.

Mary and Ryker on the night he joined our family.

By the time I made the no-more-pets decision, Sarah was married. I soon sent our dog Diego to live with her and Chris, because my then-husband Ed was abusing him. The last straw was when Diego, who was terrified of thunder, panicked during a storm one night and scratched at the front door to be let in, which enraged Ed so much that he punched Diego hard, straight in the muzzle, and then rammed his face into the metal door. That night I cried myself to sleep. I never want to see such a look of pain and fear on the face of a sweet, loving animal like Diego again. Even our two cats, brothers Gandalf and Gimli, fled Ed's abuse. Gimli returned, pretty beat up and worse for wear, several months after Ed moved out, but we never saw Gandalf again.

At this same time, Jacob was almost midway through his mission in Northern California. When he returned in November 2012, no one talked about getting another pet because none of us wanted to subject another innocent animal to Ed's violent temper. In fact, after spending his first three months at home knocking himself out trying to be his stepdad's friend, Jacob finally admitted defeat and fled himself, first to Winslow, then to Cottonwood, and then all the way back to California in his ongoing attempt to escape Ed's far-reaching verbal and emotional abuse.

Sarah gave Ryker his first bath on Friday night after Dylan's Polar Express play. 

Ryker was not a fan of the whole bath thing.

Fast-forward to July 2013. Ed assaulted Dylan and me (because he didn't approve of where I'd parked my car after church); I called 911; Ed was arrested; he accepted a plea agreement to avoid prosecution; and then he divorced me because "You don't call the police on family!" (But I guess it's okay to pick up your wife and throw her across the room...) In August, Jacob moved back home; in October he met Danielle; and eight months later they were married.

And meanwhile my boys kept begging for a new puppy. Jacob finally got his pup a few months after he and Danielle got married, when they adopted their little pooch, Lucky. But Dylan still felt bereft without a doggy of his own.

After his bath, Ryker was all sweet-smelling and fluffy.

The bath water was muddy-brown before the bath was over!

Despite all the pleading, I stood strong and kept saying NO for two years...right up until this past Wednesday. I was teaching my 5th period class when Dylan walked in and sat at my desk. I asked him why he wasn't in his class (he's a math aide during that period). He said he had permission to come talk to me about something, and had I seen the text he'd sent me? I hadn't; I had heard it chime when it arrived, but I'd been in the middle of 4th period's lesson and forgot to check the text when class ended.

Clearly, my mostly-freshman 5th-period class was far more interested in what my senior son wanted than in continuing the lesson, so I had him bring my cell phone to me. The text he'd sent me featured a cute black-and-white puppy and said, "Mom I'm getting a puppy. Look at how cute it is!!!" Within minutes he had my entire class begging me to let him have the adorable puppy. When your children and/or students sense that you're wavering, they start circling like sharks scenting blood in the water!

I told Dylan to go back to class and we'd talk about it after school. He tried to plead his case some more, but I told him firmly that I would not make this decision under pressure while at work. So he left and I continued teaching, but I think we both knew I'd relinquished the fight. That puppy was going to be ours.

Sarah and Dylan rub Ryker dry. Dylan was still wearing his stage makeup.

I did try to talk Dylan out of it. I reminded him of crying, yapping puppies and sleepless nights; frequent trips into the chilly outdoors and accidents on my carpets to be cleaned up; chewed up shoes and frustrating hours of behavior training; and the ongoing costs of dog food and veterinarian visits. But Dylan insisted he was up to the job, would cover all costs and handle all clean-ups. And so I gave in.

The new puppy came from Dylan's friend Angelique, whose dog had delivered a large litter of puppies on October 16th. She remembered the date because it was the night our arch rivals, Show Low High, had slaughtered us on the football field. Now her family was trying to find homes for the pups, and Dylan was more than willing to be part of the solution. That very same night, with my permission, Dylan met Angelique at the school and followed her to her home on the nearby Apache reservation to pick up the puppy with one blue-ringed eye, which he had selected from Angelique's pictures. Her family encouraged him to take two pups, but he was wise enough not to press his luck!

All warm and dry after his bath, Ryker cuddles up with Mark on the couch.

And we discovered that the streak on Ryker's face is actually white rather than gray!

And so the new puppy I'd sworn to never welcome was welcomed into our home after all. At first, Dylan considered naming the pup Miracle, since it seemed like a Christmas miracle that Mom finally said "Yes" to a puppy. Then his friend Jake suggested the name Ryker, and that's the name that stuck. Ryker quickly captured our hearts, an affectionately chubby little butterball who was just one day short of eight weeks old. It was love at first sight for all of us.

It was also much tougher than my son expected. Despite my warnings, Dylan had still believed having a puppy was all about cuteness and cuddles and fun. Then on Friday morning, after two sleepless nights, Dylan told me, "Mom, I'm starting to think getting this puppy was a mistake." "I warned you," I said. "I just feel like I don't know what I'm doing," he confessed. "Welcome to parenting," I said unsympathetically.

Ryker checks out Saturday morning's snow. He liked it!

I considered our options. Ryker was still tiny enough and young enough to be adopted by another family. Sarah was already head-over-heels in love and would have taken him in a heartbeat. Despite Dylan's efforts to stay on top of things, I wasn't enjoying the soiling of my carpets. And one morning we found little bits of black rubber in the living room: part of the sole of Mark's flip-flop.

Still, I felt oddly reluctant to part with the puppy now that we'd begun to bond. Not to mention the financial investment. We'd purchased Ryker his own $70 playpen to keep him safe when we were all away at work and school for hours. He adjusted to it very quickly. He is young, but he's a smart little guy.

In the end, though, the deciding factor was Dylan and the life lessons of pet ownership. You don't make a commitment and then just walk away when it turns out to be tougher than you'd anticipated. If you do, you miss out on the reward that comes at the end of a job well done. And you run the risk of becoming a self-absorbed quitter who seeks immediate satisfaction rather than the deeper contentment that comes with seeing a commitment through to the end, no matter how difficult the trials along the way.

And thus, Ryker has stayed. It's only been 4 days, but accidents on my carpet have already become rare. Dylan has been wonderfully responsible about cleaning up all messes. Everyone is more aware about keeping things up off the floor that we don't want chewed. Dylan understands that a puppy chewing and biting is normal and healthy (especially when he's part pit bull), and all one has to do when one is tired of those sharp little teeth gnawing on one's hand is to offer a chew toy as an alternative to one's tender flesh. Sleepless nights will fade away as the puppy matures, sleeping longer and developing better bladder control. And Ryker is a very intelligent, energetic young pup with an extremely sweet, trusting personality. He will learn quickly.

In the end, after all the puppy piddles and sharp little puppy teeth and chewed shoes and middle-of-the-night yipping and hyper-vigilance required to raise a baby of any breed, Dylan will know the joy of a well-trained dog who loves his master unconditionally, with complete and utter loyalty. And that's what it's all about.

Back inside the warm house, Ryker grabs a bite to eat.

December 12, 2015

And there's the famous blue eye, as of this afternoon.

December 13, 2015

My Son the Elf

Dylan the Christmas Elf on December 11, 2015

Yep, that's my son Dylan in the big red onesie, the tall one in the middle, about an hour before he appeared on stage on the opening night of the high school's production of The Polar Express last night. He played the part of one of Santa's elves in the second half. I think he looks kind of like a giant Elf on the Shelf...

The play begins with an elderly lady telling a group of children about her sister,

who began to question the existence of Santa before the Polar Express came along.

Acting isn't really Dylan's thing. He took Theater because it was the only elective that fit his schedule that period. He's had a lot of experience over the years as a stage hand and production tech, and even as a bass musician in orchestra, but he's never been interested in being the one out on stage acting a part. Yet he found himself having a an unexpectedly good time, getting caught up in the fun of the experience. He still has no interest in pursuing acting of any kind, but he says he's glad he'll have this experience to look back on when he remembers his senior year.

The Polar Express carries a group of children to the North Pole.

The silly antics of an overgrown elf definitely pushed Dylan out of his comfort zone. He tends to be a bit more reserved, like his mother, so acting goofy before an audience goes against his nature. But he managed to pull it off and have fun at the same time. It didn't help that he missed the last two rehearsals due to his work schedule, and they made some last-minute changes in his absence, so he had to follow the other elves' cues and just wing it at times.

A clip from the second half of The Polar Express, presented by Blue Ridge High School.
Dylan is at left, the tallest elf in the crowd!

It was a great night and a great production, followed by cookies and hot chocolate in the lobby. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend gathering up your children and seeing the Saturday matinee at 3:00 today. Tickets are only $5.00! It's short and sweet (about 1 hour long) and the youngsters will love to see Santa Claus!

Dylan the Elf with stage makeup, glitter, and naturally pointed ears.

After the play ended, as families visited in the lobby and enjoyed the refreshments, children clustered around Santa (portrayed by our principal, Jay Cox) and shared their Christmas lists with him. To Dylan's surprise, one little girl cozied up to him and spilled out her Christmas wishes. Dylan said he stayed in character and gave her his full attention, promising to put in a good word to Santa for her. It made her very happy!

Santa Jacob, December 2015

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. After all, the Christmas Spirit runs strong in our family. Don't forget, my other son Jacob has been Santa for a variety of venues since he was just 18 years old (he's 24 now), most recently this month at the Walmart where he works in Utah. As soon as his new supervisors learned of his talent, they put him right to work!

Wearing the uniform with pride.

Christmas joy, brought to you by those Carter boys!

Santa Jacob on the job in Utah.

Christmas Concert

December 5, 2015: Sarah waiting for the concert to start.

I didn't realize her neighbor's bow was blocking her face until I got home!

This afternoon we drove to Snowflake to see Sarah's annual Christmas concert with the White Mountain Symphony Orchestra, one of my two favorite concerts of the year (the other being their patriotic concert). This was the first concert with their new conductor, Dr. Ted Vives, since the retirement of Maestra Theresa Dick. In fact, a couple of Christmas medleys composed by Dr. Vives were featured in tonight's performance.

My favorite number at tonight's concert: A medley of tunes from The Polar Express.

My favorite number of the concert was a Polar Express medley right before intermission. The soloist, Karen McByrd-Bell, was amazing. With her bluesy voice, I could imagine her singing jazz in a speakeasy of the 1930s or '40s.

During intermission, Mark, Chris, and Jake went to  take a stretch (Dylan had to work) while Chris's mom Brenda and I visited. When Mark returned at the end of intermission, I asked where Chris and Jake had disappeared to, and he said, "Over there," nodding toward the backstage door. There they were, animatedly conversing with Ms. McByrd-Bell and hugging her.

When the guys rejoined us, I said, "Aren't you a couple of star-struck stage-door Johnnies!" (Say that three times fast...) Jake said he just had to tell her how amazing her voice was and how her performance nearly made him cry.

Aliberto's Mexican food at the Show Low location after the concert.

Poor Sarah has been really sick with a cold for two whole weeks. She started to get better but relapsed on Tuesday, so she took a few days off work. Nonetheless, she loves her orchestra and dragged herself to rehearsal on Thursday night and the rehearsal and concert today. She said she managed to make it though the concert with only one coughing fit. By the time the two-hour concert ended, having been at the arts center for about 5 hours, she was feeling beat down and starved.

My dinner of enchiladas and beans and rice. The tamarind drink was nasty!

So we stopped for dinner at Aliberto's, which she said made her feel better, but to me it appeared that the poor thing needed to go home, drink some fluids, and put herself to bed! I hope she feels better soon. We mommies don't like to see our babies sick.

But it was an awesome concert. Great job, baby girl!

Chris and Sarah in Aliberto's.