Getting in the Spirit

With no snow on the ground, it's hard to get into the Christmas spirit, but we're getting there. I've got my shopping all done. (I can't speak for Wes.) The kids are getting excited. Heather's counting the moments until her birthday and her birthday party which is going to be Tuesday after school.  We got a humongous tree which takes up two thirds of the living room and smells like a tom cat. We've made gingerbread cookies. It's even been snowing a little bit off and on today. We're getting there.

When I was in high school, I was in the school chorus. We were pretty good.  We were in many competitions around the state of Maine and won a lot of awards.  Not everyone appreciated our talent. One Christmas we visited nursing homes to sing carols. In the middle of an a capella version of Silent Night with 4 part harmony, one outspoken elderly resident crabbed, "This is terrible! I never heard anything like this! I don't have to sit here and listen to this!" and she spun her wheel chair toward the door and rolled herself away.  You might feel like you don't need to sit here and watch these videos, and I wouldn't blame you,  but for the die-hard aunts and grandparents among you, what would the Christmas season be without a middle school band performance of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"? (Wayne is in there somewhere.)

And then there's this. Wayne and Cole were playing around in the basement - Wayne playing piano and Cole singing. Cole was being goofy and silly, but he actually sounded pretty good. Then when I came around with my camera and tried to get them to recreate the performance, he clammed up.  You can't hear him, but at least you can hear Wayne playing the piano. He learned this a couple of years ago.