Making Way For Winter

This Autumn has been absolutely spectacular. I'm always a little bit sad to see the last few leaves falling from the trees as the sun seems to hibernate behind the clouds and the cold air comes barreling down from the North. I have to remind myself that the leaves aren't just leaving, they're graciously stepping aside to make way for something new. They've had their moment in the sun. Now where the leaves were just a few days ago, there are magical fairy lights. Where there was grass, there is frost, lending that magical clean look of Winter to the yard. Now there is hot cocoa. Apple cider. Christmas carols, cookies, wish lists and candy canes. A fire in the fireplace and decorations on the tree. Stockings 'hung by the chimney with care'. We'll miss the leaves when they are gone, but we know they'll be back soon with their little blossom friends and those warm rays of sunshine.  For now, though, it's time to make way for the season of Joy.

Favorite Fantasy Scenes

Seleia's little drama troupe had so much fun performing in Favorite Fantasy Scenes, a story that wove together excerpts from The Neverending Story, The Hobbit, Peter Pan, Alice In Wonderland, and A Midsummer Night's Dream to tell about the importance of reading and imagination in our lives. Of how these stories mean something important and have much to teach us. I wish I could have gotten more pictures of the performance! Very tricky to do while videotaping with the other hand, though...

In The Neverending Story Seleia played "Bully #3", taunting Bastien about his book report ("Lets have a read-a-thon." She shouted sarcastically, among other things). In The Hobbit She was the dwarf Sorin ("What does he know of sorrow!!?") and she was hilarious as a Lost Boy in Peter Pan. "My mother had wrote my name on the picnic basket I was lost in.  Slightly Soiled, that;s my name!" My favorite of all, though, was her performance as the Queen of Hearts. "YOU ALARM ME! I feel faint! Give me a ham sandwich! ANOTHER! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!" (The picture with the lovely camera flash in the mirror...they were performing in the Looking Glass Hall at Northwest Children's Theater... is Seleia on a pedestal as the Queen herself. These pictures just cannot do it justice!) They all did a fantastic job!  And, yes....we're very proud, Seleia!

Little Bear and the Mermaid

Yes, I've finally managed to get the performance pictures off of Seleia's camera! If you can't tell, I'm just a bit proud of Miss Elora Kay for her reprisal of the role of Else Holmelund Minarik's Little Bear in Little Bear and the Mermaid in the Storybook Theater at Northwest Children's Theater.

"Guess what? Father Bear is coming home today! He has been fishing out on the ocean. Far out on the ocean. What if maybe he saw a mermaid? He is bringing me a lovely surprise, maybe she is coming home with him!"

She was joined by Owl, Cat, Hen, Duck, Emily, and Lucy too as they journeyed to Little Bear's home and meet a mermaid....maybe. Quite a few wonderful friends came to watch as she acted her little heart out, said her lines with enthusiasm, and had a great time doing it. And she liked the red roses her Daddy got her...just a little bit. :)

O Christmas Tree!

 

I love, love, love this time of year! The excitement level in this house when it comes time to find the perfect tree is positively contagious.  This year it was fun to have Dashiell in on the action as we traipsed through the trees for an hour or so before finding the perfect Christmas tree to bring home. (We went a little shorter this year. Its only 11 feet.) We've yet to trim it (hopefully tonight) but the lights are up and blinking and the house smells like pine and I love it. Ho ho ho!