So, yeah, didn't happen...

Remember this? Yeah, didn't happen. Didn't think it would, but I really wanted to try. Oh well.

All is not lost, though. I am still going to try to recapture the last week in pictures and words. Here goes:

December 4th
Got a late start to a birthday party. Tried desperately not to get stressed about it. Managed to succeed pretty well until I got lost on the way there. Showed up an hour late.

Inhale.

Exhale.

The kids had a great time. It was a circus theme, complete with this cake:
Left the circus party to join another party, but discovered on the way that the second party had been cancelled. No loss. We headed home instead. Turned into our alley, drove to our garage and attempted to park in the garage. Got stuck. Backed up and tried again. Got stuck. Back up. STUCK.

Finally, a neighbor took pity on me and spent a good 20 minutes shoveling and pushing to get me freed from my snowy constraints. When I was mobile again, I drove away down the alley and proceeded to get stuck again trying to turn onto the street. Three more men, 20 more minutes, many curse words and a prayer or two were all that was needed to free me a second time.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Spent the rest of the day in the house.

December 5th
With final dress rehearsals breathing down my neck, I skipped great grandma's tree-decorating party and finished up the costumes. Joe and the kids were able to enjoy a few hours of family and evergreens without the costume grinch. They were happy.


December 6th
First of the final dress rehearsals. Still a few costumes/alterations outstanding, but nothing that would impede the show. Elliot and Betsy were great sports again and made it possible (and easy) for me to help. Such good kids.


McDonalds for dinner.


December 7th
Ah... a break from the costume madness. With only a few last-minute alterations to sew, I was able to clean up a lot of the mess in my living room. Still not back to normal, but SO. MUCH. BETTER. (Also worked on a cute present for a little one for the holidays. I promise to show it off soon.)


Made beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes and salad for dinner. I thought I owed my family a nice meal since we've been eating crap for weeks (see December 6th).


December 8th
More dress rehearsal... More costumes... More kids... More broadway...


What more can I say?


December 9th
Today's the day of the first performance. The little thespians stay after school, run through the play a final time, have a pizza party in the cafeteria and then dress for their first performance. I skipped the run through and pizza party. I needed the break but, more importantly, my kids would have needed therapy if I'd forced them to stay at school another day.


In fact, as it turned out, my oldest needed a trip to the principal's office. It seems that all these practices and time at school have been too much for him and he was misbehaving in class. Thankfully, the end is near.


So I arrived at school in time to help the performers with hair and make-up. To put it nicely, the energy was amazing - the kids were literally climbing the walls they were so excited.