Wednesday, December 17, 2008

13 Down 2 To Go

Performances, that is. Since the end of October members of our family have performed in at least 13 different events. We have one more on Saturday and I have a piano solo Sunday and then we are DONE!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAY!! Please don't be confused--we have really enjoyed ourselves and would do it all again if we had the opportunity. But surely you can understand that we are starting to show signs of exhaustion! Just getting to the performances is a challenge not to mention learning (and practicing) concert manners, having clean (which I keep explaining to my boys means not slept in) clothes that have no wrinkles, hair combed, pieces practiced and ready to perform,............ Of course not every family member had to attend all these events--we even let Et read a book in the hall for one of them. But making arrangements for babysitting adds another challenge and it is good for the kids to see each other so we have tried to take the whole family a few times.

I hope when you read this you don't get the wrong idea--because I have mentioned to a few friends that I am ready for them to be over and I get looks (and even responses) that suggest the following:
1. I should be grateful to have such a great musical gift (of course I am grateful--I'm just tired!!)
2. I should be grateful to have kids that can play so well. As if I'm not! But this comment also leads me to believe that people think my kids can just get up there and do great things because it's easier for them or something like that. The truth is we all practice A LOT to pull this stuff off! The kids work hard!! Right now there is at least 2.5 hours of practicing happening in this house every day by the three kids. When I have to practice there is even more. And we are tired right now--because we have been practicing SO MUCH! So we're a little tired--I think I've mentioned that.
3. I should just "enjoy every minute because someday they will be all grown up and then I won't get to do all this stuff with them". As if I don't enjoy them--I really do and I really have--which is why I love to go to all of these things. I hope when I "grow up" I remember that I never really found this comment very helpful in any situation. I like it when people just laugh with me--because at this stage laughter makes a BIG difference! And I am sure in the future I will need people to cry with me.

Here's what I am looking forward to next week starting Sunday after church:
1. LISTENING to Christmas music
2. Not having to go anywhere
3. Not having people at the house every day (no piano lessons for two weeks--a vacation is always nice)
4. Wearing sweats and/or pj's whenever I want--so can the kids. They can even wear clothes that they have slept in--for a couple of nights even! N can even just wear his underwear if he wants to--and no one will be here to be surprised or horrified by that (not to mention that I won't have to chase him down and forcibly dress him)--except I.--who is probably trying to ACT horrified.
5. Exercising--I haven't had time for that for a while
6. Reading with the kids--time to get back to Book of Mormon reading. And we are going to read The Candy Shop War over the break
7. Making cookies with the kids--at our convenience
8. Watching Christmas movies--my favorite is It's a Wonderful Life
9. Playing games with the family--right now we like Clue.
10. SLEEPING IN!!!!!

4 MORE DAYS AND COUNTING

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