Nutcracker on Ice Photos

Last week, we had Nutcracker on Ice photos for the show taken. Craziness. Borrowing this and that while costumes are in the final stages of being sewn, having a lesson and hockey practice. H not liking her "Toy Shoppe, Street Kid" costume because it isn't purple like it was supposed to be...etc. etc. I love my H but she has a stubborn streak that makes a donkey resemble a dove. I will say when I saw the color of the outfit, I thought "Ick" but I wasn't going to let her know that. However, when I see the pictures, the colors really work on her.

Back to my stress level...I was frazzled...so, a 3 year old provided me with the biggest belly laugh ever...she was playing with her mom's phone and found a picture she decided to show to the Costume Director...it was her mom in lingerie, a picture meant for her husband's eyes only...said Husband is traveling a lot these days. The mom has a tremendous sense of humor but I think she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. Fortunately, for the Costume Director, it really wasn't any different than a Victoria's Secret ad so her eyes weren't scarred.

My next laugh came when a devout hockey mom, meaning that she actually PLAYS hockey (used to play on Harvard's team) was there for her son who wanted to tryout figure skating. She felt she deserved the mom of the year award for doing this for him...Her son ran off the ice and said "MOM! Can I be in the Nutcracker next year!" Mom's reply? "I guess this is how my mom felt when I told her I wanted to play hockey."

Okay, so here is the link for the pictures. (we ran out of time for Hannah's "Party Scene" and "Flower" outfits. I will take pictures and post when they do their dress rehearsal in a few weeks)

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/33209088_JbKxmF#!i=2892977509&k=L3j6L2W

I was shooting pictures of pretty TN along the drive to Knoxville, double rainbows...serene water...and occasionally the back seat. You can see M in full form as H sleeps. Later, I looked back and M was sleeping and H was sleeping with her head in his lap. I thought "How sweet. I need a picture of this." .I grabbed my phone, entered, the pass code, opened the app and in those few seconds, M woke up, saw H with her head on his lap and SHOVED. That is the picture I got.

My Favorite Youngest Daugher

We took a little picture on a Powder Room stop in Pittsburgh, TN. I discovered TN has many PA named towns...it could be very confusing if one were to fall asleep and wake up in Philadelphia, thinking you were headed to TN but thinking it was PA due to a wrong turn by the driver.

H is growing up so fast. I predict she will be taller than me by next year...she is already wearing my shoes.

Lunch with My Favorite Son

M is not a big fan of the school lunch (who can blame him with the lack of seasoning, it resembles paste and cardboard.)

He had been begging me to bring him a Firehouse sub because he had grown weary of the brown bag. I was busy busy busy trying to get stuff done that I haven't been getting done with all the kids' extracurricular activities.

Finally, I was free at 12:15. Time to have lunch with my favorite son and provide his favorite ham and provolone. One happy little guy is showing off his Alabama shirt (he switched his allegiance from Auburn to Bama after finding out that Cam Newton should really be in prison for his thefts in Florida) One smart little guy seeing that character trumps fame. H is still a War Eagle fan. We are a house divided.

Travel Hockey

Some pictures from Travel Hockey (this past weekend was Knoxville, I still have to load those pictures but here are some from previous trips)

These are from Columbus, Ohio. M and I did a little morning workout which included a plank contest, we had lunch with our wonderful friends, the Dearys, and dinner with the Durants. M&M spent their time playing with their mothers' phones. There is an app called "Aircraft." They love it. I decompressed with a glass of Cab. I had no idea what I ordered but it was by a vineyard called "Newton." It was good but since I know absolutely nothing about wine...it might not be up to snuff for my wine friends who have a ton of knowledge hidden in their palette.

Why???

Every year, my mother-in-law manages to send the loudest, most obnoxious gifts to the kids. Guaranteed to drive me crazy, fortunately, my kids can make me laugh...M annoying me with the obnoxious thump thump of the balloon, turning the tables on my about to lose my mind scream...into a laugh.

Happy Halloween

Of course, it rained...but that did not deter my trick or treaters...H and Co. went as The Three Musketeers...I'm not sure what M was but, of course, it was soldier/pilot
related...LOTS of leftover candy, want some?