Adventure at Midnight!

What were you doing last night at midnight? While you were wasting time sleeping, Jared, Kristen, and I were being guided on an adventure with Brielle! Much like that time when we visited her house (see previous blog- Pretending With Brielle), Brielle went into pretend mode and away we went on high adventure. And what was she doing up at midnight, you ask? Here's how it happened: Kristen, Jared and I watched a movie, and Brielle came out during it. She knew she was supposed to be in bed asleep, but when asked why she wasn't asleep, she said she tried, "but it just isn't working so very well." So, when the movie ended around midnight, I think she realized she had to be extremely cute and entertaining or she'd be whisked off to bed. So she kicked it in high gear, and suddenly we were on an adventure of a lifetime. First she packed a picnic in the pretend picnic basket, filling it with ice cream, cupcakes, and other delicious foods. She put it in the "back" then told us to come in from playing in the "back ard" (yard) and buckled us in our seats. She climbed up on the chair and first drove us to the store because, "Oh, dear, we forgot the drinks" She told us to stay in the car and she ran in the store bought the drinks and came back out. Where are we going, Brielle? "Well, first we're going to the jungle for a picnic, then we're going to Mystery Island (pronouced Mister Island). She drove us along until suddenly she slammed on the brakes and exclaimed, "Oh, no, we forgot your shoes! We've got to go back and get them!." That was my favorite part. She was SO intense! She then drove crazy and fast back to get our shoes, and ran in and got them, then pretended to put them on us. At one point, I tried to sneak food out of the picnic basket, but got in big trouble. "We don't have our picnic until we get to the jungle, Grandma!" Before we could finish the adventure, all three adults were completely out of gas, so she had to finish her adventure in dreamland! How I love this creative, and imaginative child!!! I wonder where we'll go on our next adventure? I'll keep you "posted."

White Christmas in Dixie?

Can you believe it? The kids are out of school for a snow day, the world is covered in white! Could we possibly have a white Christmas? I doubt it . .. the sun is already peeking through the clouds and I can hear the drip, drip, drip of melting snow. But right now, it's a beautiful winter wonderland!

Merry Christmas!!!

Copy and paste the following in your browser for our Merry Christmas to you! http://www.glenn.tapley.us/MC.swf

Keynotes

A big part of my "Christmassing" every year is singing with the Keynotes. We sing for functions and parties in the community and church, but our favorite is singing for local rest homes and assisted living centers. We always go to six or seven each season and do our program for them. We've had so many wonderful and funny experiences. When we're reminiscing, someone always comments, "Someone should write a book." But, so far, . . .no book. So I decided I'd write a blog about ones I can remember. That's pretty close to a book, isn't it? Just this week, we were singing at The Meadows, and were about 2/3 through our 40 minute program, when a lady in the front loudly asked the man she was sitting next to, "Are they going to sing?" Alzheimer's, I guess. Several years ago, we were singing at a rest home, and one of the ladies (no longer singing with us) started one of our songs with a solo. She was about half-way through her solo when a lady in a wheelchair in the back loudly exclaimed, "I guess you think that's pretty!" The nurse came and wheeled her out of there so fast! We came out of a ward building after singing for an adult Christmas party, to find Kaylin's car gone! She had a bad habit of leaving her keys in the car. We called the police and were waiting out front when an elderly and very confused gentleman came driving up in her car. He had come out of the party, thought it was his car and got in and drove off. He was furious when the garage door opener wouldn't open his garage, so came back for help! We've had some very touching, sweet experiences, too. We were performing a love song in one of our spring programs at a local rest home, when a man, there with his crippled and ill wife, literally plucked her out of her wheelchair and "danced with her around the room". Her little feet were on his- just like we all used to do with our Daddys. It was so sweet and touching. By the end of the song, we all had tears streaming down our faces. There are two men like that at Kolob Care- each with their wives there. They are ALWAYS there and so devoted and loving with their wives. One is constantly stroking her arm, pushing the hair back on her forehead and kissing her, whispering things to her. Again, it's hard to sing when you're choked up! At that same rest home a couple of years ago, we were singing "I'll Be Home For Christmas" when nearly everyone started crying. One woman was literally wailing out loud. We decided that song was not a good choice for rest homes. We consider it a privilege to bring maybe a moment's worth of joy to these fine people in the sunset of their lives. Our concert in the tabernacle will be Sunday, December 21st at 7:00pm. If you're in the area, we'd love to have you come! Just keep your "I guess you think that's pretties" to yourself! Ken came to hear us sing at the Meadows on Wednesday and took some pictures. You can see the lady who asked if we were going to sing right there in front. This was taken during our "bell song." Last year, I was excited to order bells to add to our Christmas programs. I ordered them, then arranged three of our songs to add bells to them and took them to our first practice in September. After that practice, I dumped two of the bell numbers, and we focused on only the easiest one. I had NO idea how hard it would be to play bells and sing at the same time. This year, I was more realistic and just ordered one "bell song" with the parts already written. We started in September and have practiced it every week, and have yet to perform it perfectly! Maybe at the tabernacle!

Who Are You? and What Have You Done With My Husband?

 

To call Ken "Scrooge" would be overstating it, I'm sure, because he isn't evil and mean, but he certainly has never been big on "Christmas spirit" He loves to be with the family and he loves the music, but I think that's about it . . oh, and the cherry chocolates. But this year, for the very first time, we've been alone over Thanksgiving weekend- which is when we, or I should when the kids and I always decorate the house. His usual contributions to Christmas (besides earning the money to pay for it) are to bring the artificial tree out of the basement, buy me presents, and sometimes, sometimes, put lights out front- every few years or so. I told him he would just have to help this year since we're fresh out of kids at home. And I'll be danged, he has! He hauled most of the stuff out of the basement, then set up the tree by himself and carefully "fluffed" all the limbs. Then he put all the bows on the tree, then about 20 or so ornaments, after which he was just worn out. He said, "If we put any more on this tree, it's just going to look gawdy." So I excused him to watch tv( something he does once a month or so) and told him I'd finish. The next day, he strung the lights through the village (not an easy job- very tedious) and got all of the stuff on timers. Then on Saturday, I came home from shopping and found a strange man on a ladder in front of my house, putting up lights! I got out of the car and asked, "Who are you and what have you done with my husband?" I couldn't believe it! Then, tonight, to top it off, he went to the store and bought "bush" lights and came home and put them out- completely his idea! His Christmas spirit just seems to be growing, and I'm loving it! I'm hoping it's a permanent change! Our new blue "bush" lights. He's holding a rose! We've had a very mild fall and still have roses, tomatoes and other flowers!

Happy Birthday, Dear Shonna!!!

Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Shonna!! Happy birthday to you!!!