"The Nutcracker Ballet"

We got to attend the Nut Cracker Ballet the day before Thanksgiving and what a perfect way to ring in the holidays. Yes the holidays have officially begun for us, we're in full blown scale already. The house is a total mess from decorating and it truly looks like a bomb blew up but eventually it will come together and with the lights down low hopefully no one will notice how tacky it all really is. We all loved the ballet! The familiar music makes you want to conduct the orchestra like you know what you're doing. The customs were beautiful, the scenery is incredible and the talent of the dancers leaves me speechless. It's been a fun tradition of ours and I'm so glad my boys enjoy it too, although Sam didn't accompany us and Seth did a great job of catching some Zzzs. I think he only came so he could get in on lunch afterwards. I told them no ballet no lunch. Carol-Annie came with us also and then we grabbed lunch at Costa Vida. Mike even got to sneak in for the second half of the ballet and he loves it as much as I do, maybe even more. Later that evening we attended the Christmas Tree Jubilee that raises money for disabled students in our school district. Samuel belongs to an organization in his high school that donated a tree to be sold at auction, then the proceeds go to the foundation. We were excited to see the tree and it was really quite pretty. I was rather impressed with Samuel for raising over $200 towards the tree. He tapped a flyer to an ice cream bucket and attended each performance of their school play and while people came and went they generously emptied their pockets. Pretty good idea Samuel and way to go and follow through! We came home and the kids watched Charlie Browns Thanksgiving while Mike-I chatted in our cavernous front room and I wished it was beautifully decorated as he wished we had a fire blazing in the hole of a fireplace we now have. Ahhhh Sigh..... someday. Hey wasn't my last entry just about being grateful? Love Allyson