Monday, December 6, 2010

A Busy Time of Year

Entertainment

Saturday  I went to Tuba Christmas which I understand they have all over the world. T raves about it and a colleague declares it her favorite day of the year.  She plays in it so I decided to go see what all the fuss was about.  It was quite nice although a bit cold to be watching to say nothing about playing!  I loved watching the little kids dancing to the carols and thoroughly enjoying the music!

Tuba Christmas!

Tuba Christmas - my friend, Sandra

Dancing to the music!
Then last night we went to a holiday party.  The food was great and the company even better. It was an early party - just right for me!


I bet you didn't know holiday wear came with reflective piping!



Does this come under entertainment?  As many of you know I watch tv series DVDs while I do my stretches.  This week I finished the seventh season of The West Wing! Boo Hoo!  I felt bereft as if I was losing some friends!  (How sad is it that I feel that way! I truly have no life.)  


But I have moved on and I am now watching Season 4 of Friday Night Lights.  Because it is only one season and a short one at that I should be able to handle parting with Coach Taylor and the gang when I finish.  I have a little thing for Tim Riggins which helps me not avoid my stretching when I am feeling tired!


Running
I had two good runs this weekend. During the week I went to the gym and used the treadmill.  One day I was afraid I wouldn't be able to because I thought the electricity might be off. But it would not have been safe to go outside.  The winds were unreal!  Many many many trees were blown over - huge ones.  Many people lost electricity and as of this morning quite a few were still out.  We didn't lose it at all which is amazing!  I digress - back to running. So this weekend T and I ran 6 miles Saturday and 5 Sunday.  I logged more than 25 miles this week which feels so good!


Christmas Decorations/Cards
We don't tend to put up our tree particularly early but today I got out my decorations to have around the house.  Bare with me as I have many pictures!  We always make our cards.  We used to be fairly creative but have gotten lazier busier less creative as time has gone on.  Now our cards are a collection of pictures but everyone seems to like them.  This will be our 13th year.  When I say I am not going to make them I get lots of protests.  One year I was sincere so Emily made the card (She put all the photos in  a Christmas tree and another year in presents) but it has since come back to me. 

These decorations are from when I was a kid!  I can remember
playing with them and they hold so much sentimental value!

I love this. Jameson made me it for me when
he was quite young.  My husband has had to repair
it for me. Can you see the dear expression on the reindeer?



Our first card - a sticker, rubber stamp and cut out photos
Liked this one, copied the idea from a friend
We always tell what the photos are from on the back


Favorite one ever- we used our bodies to spell NOEL. 
Some people didn't get that even though
the word NOEL is stamped all over the card.  The 
cat even got into the L.  I know others could have done it
with better cropping etc. but we were pretty pleased.

Our "lazier, less creative" more recent cards.
And yes if my Canadian friends are wondering
the bottom right picture is in Vancouver.
It's probably hard to see but the two middle right pictures were taken
many years apart. Our son was on Half Dome -farther right - many 
years after his father - to the left - and both had this picture taken. 
Jameson had honestly never seen the picture of
his father.  It is the same rock, pose the whole works. 
My husband LOVED it.  This is probably
his favorite card.


28 comments:

Char said...

I was just wondering about brass instruments in the cold. Specifically, has any tuba player had their lips frozen to the mouth-piece?

I really like the NOEL photo card! What a great idea!

Generation X (Slomohusky) said...

busy but the funnest time of year!

Tina @GottaRunNow said...

I like the Noel card, too! Fun Half Dome pics! Wishing I could send you some nice warm Texas temps!

Anne said...

Your cards are great...NOEL is really creative! How cool that your son had not seen your husband's pic and that they did the same thing...I love that kind of thing.

Yay for running...I'm so happy for you!!!

Ewa said...

Love your cards, very creative but the really good news is 25miles! Wow! Talk about a fast comeback. Now if only the weather wanted to cooperate.
It is getting harder and harder to find time to run with holidays and all. As much as I love this time of year I can't wait for January.

justme said...

love those cards.....my fav is the NOEL

also i love tim riggins. love him

Tricia said...

love them all, thanks for sharing

racing dawn said...

I could see that it spelled NOEL. :) Love Christmas cards - I'm horrible about getting them out but I love finding them in my mail box! That weekly mileage sure is increasing!!! Yay!

Darlene said...

Nice to see you're running again - Love the cards! I do picture ones every year too.

Liz said...

Those cards are lovely! So good to hear that the running is going well. It gives me hope too!

Amy said...

I know what you mean about being busy! Love your cards - wish I was more creative!

Fran said...

Love your cards, very personal!

It's so good to hear your running is going so well! I'm happy for you.

I've never heard or seen a Tuba Christmas in Holland but that doesn't say much, maybe we have it and I just don't know about it.

Cinthia said...

OMG, I LOVE watching TV DVD series. I don't own a TV so it's my guilty pleasure. I just finished the second season of "In Treatment," have you seen that? I am totally smitten with Paul.
I didn't know the fourth season of "Friday Night Lights" was out on DVD. Netflix, here I come!
P.S. Love that you wore running gear to a party. That is SO Alaskan!

Pahla said...

Goodness, even your "less creative" cards are fantastic! The reindeer your son made actually brought a little tear to my eye...I get more sentimental about the things my kids made the older they get.
SOOO happy to see that pic of you running and the reflective gear at the party cracked me up!

Johann said...

Certainly busy, nice post! Great that your running is coming along so well!

Marlene said...

I *LOVE* that "NOEL" card - classic!!!

chris mcpeake said...

great cards. Good week of running too. Congrats

Emz said...

The cards are the best.

Love those.

holiday wear with reflective piping - hilarious. You are so awesome.

Anonymous said...

The gifts my students make me are my most favorite. And all my ornaments from when I was little are the ones I still love best!

Heidi said...

WOW, your cards are incredible. I'm barely in the spirit to send out a group e-mail this year. :(

Giorgio said...

Your cards are really beautiful! Great Christmas post :)

LookingUpAgain said...

I love your cards! They are so creative!

Fruit Fly said...

So creative!! I really love the "NOEL" one best. That is my family name on my mother's side, so we are usually drawn to the Noel decorations. That is such a cute idea!

Alisa said...

I love the NOEL card that is awesome. Sad, my family doesn't have enough people to do that card =).

Lots of crazy things happening in my life this decemeber so I don't think we'll be doing cards--even though I love them and wanted to do them to update everyone with our new address, oh well.

Katie A. said...

This is the first year I don't feel like doing Christmas cards. I just don't have the time! But you have some good ideas! Hmmmm....maybe I'll have to rethink that!
Nice work on the runs!!! Yayyy!

Chris K said...

25 miles. Whoa. That is awesome. Hmmmmh, looking a little cold in your neck of the woods :-) It was 70 during my lunch run today.

Detroit Runner(Jeff) said...

The tuba thing looks like a lot of fun!

Lindsay said...

i like the noel card too! well they're all great :) always fun and wayyy better than store bought!