Aperture 1.4 {focused blur}

Apparently singing is a very serious business in the Stringham Family

So the week before Christmas and all is well, at least this week.  And I was so excited to get to see both of the boys in Christmas concerts. Some how we have made it through 7 years of Grant's life without having any.  They didn't have them in the last school he went to.

  Both the boys have been practicing at home and I love hearing their little voices singing around the house.  Okay, maybe I shouldn't say little as Cole seems to think singing well means singing very loud.

So we went to the first Christmas concert which was Grant's they sang two songs, Jingle bells and Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. Happy Jolly songs right? Well Grant as his usual serious " wants to get it right" self was so focused on the words and singing that I'm not sure how much he enjoyed it.  Although afterwords he was all smiles and laughs so...  he's the one in blue, not blurred out.  ( which I did on purpose)

I thought for sure that our serious days were over as we attended Cole's, my happy go lucky guy concert next.  I was super frustrated at first because he was sitting directly behind a little girl so I could only see his little antlers.  But oh trust me, I could hear his voice rising above the rest.

Then the little girl got up to do her part during a song and here is what he looked like.

Singing his heart out!

 

And here he is as one of the two Rudolph's.  Playing Rudolph is very serious people!  He was playing the  Rudolph that didn't get to play Reindeer games.

Ah, the joys of being a parent. I love these boys so much.  And these pictures will make me smile forever, but I think their theater singing Daddy needs to give them some instruction on stage presence.  Or...at least on how to relax and have fun.

7 random things....

It's going around.  Margie Romney and Britney Mellon challenged me to share seven random things about myself. That's sort of hard.  I'm a pretty basic person and I've lead a pretty mellow life I think.

1. I am really loving music by Schuyler Fisk.  I saw this random movie call Reed Fish and she sings in it.  She is amazing.  Check her out:  http://www.schuylerfisk.com/ If you go under music you can hear her sing.  She has an amazing voice.

2. As long as we are talking about music...I love all the crooner Christmas music.  It's classic.  And for the  most part I am not a big fan of new Christmas music. Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald all the way.  However this year I am loving All that I want by the Weepies.  I love them in general but this song is so great.

3. Hmmmm my favorite deserts are always spice based not chocolate, I know it's a shocker.  Ginger snaps, Apple Betty, pumpkin pie anything with cinnamon or ginger and I'm a goner.

4. I've been watching a show on VH1 called the SHOT every week with my parents.  It's like America's next top model but for fashion photographers.  It's enjoyable for the most part. If you are interested in photography it's pretty interesting show.  I wish that they show more of the set up though.  Skip the first episode, it was a little...edgy.  But the rest is great.

5. I had never seen National Lampoons Christmas Vacation until this weekend and I'm sorry to all those reading this that love it but I'm just not a fan.  I think I'll stick with White Christmas...our family favorite. My sisters and I can sing you every word with the correct intonation in perfect harmony.  Sigh, I love that movie!

6.  Which beings me to the realization once again that I was simply born in the wrong time period.  I would have been great in the 40's. The clothing, the decor, the movies,  yeah....

7.  I grew up with my Mother and my Grandmother collect one type of ornament for the tree.  I guess you would call it a theme.  My Mom collects Santa ornaments. Our tree is full of vintage and modern glass Santa clauses and I've always love it.  I knew when I grew up I would pick one thing and decorate my tree with it.  I chose stars, I've always been slightly obsessed with the romantic quality of them.  So anywhere I go and I see a star ornament of any kind I  buy it.   Whether vintage, glitter, glass, paper,  whatever.  It's been fun.  I'm excited to put my own tree up next year and see how the collection has grown.

8. I'm adding an eight because I just thought of something that I want to be sure to have recorded. Cole has been a challenge lately and instead of yelling or getting upset when he misbehaves in public or at home I just simply say, "BB and G list Cole" and he immediately stops and says "no I'm going to make a good choice."  The BB and G list is the Bad Boys and Girls list at the north pole. Santa and I are close friends.  I even have his number programmed in my phone.  Oh yes, I did it and I don't even feel bad.  Now what will I do when Christmas is over for the year?

Well, there are eight very random slightly Christmas related things.  I've got to run and down load some photo's so I have room to take pictures of Grant's Christmas concert.  So excited to see it!

Plus I wanted to let everyone know that although still stressful things are getting better around here.  If only for the fact that Mark COMES HOME IN 7 DAYS!

Christmas Projects.

So there was much working on Christmas projects going on here for the last few weeks.  I figured I might as well do something while my computer was down.

  Sarah, Chloe, Emily, Kelly and I had a ornament exchange on Raclette Day. It was really fun.  I, following my usual over the top behavior, made a little more than an ornament. I ended up making little paper Christmas trees for each of them like the ones that I made for the December issue of CK last year. I love making Christmas Decor for other people because you get to use the color and styles that they like instead of your usual style.  I love thinking about what they each would like and making trees to match that.

Kelly's was a love Elsie paper tree with fringe and Sarah's was pink and green made from wrapping paper from Paper Source and little vintage pearls from an old necklace:

I didn't get to talk to Emily about what she would like so I went with a more traditional plate to be safe.  I'm a very big fan of a red and green Christmas:

I think my biggest surprise was Chloe's blue tree.  I combined it with some Brown and old dictionary pages and I LOVE it.  I love how they all turned out but I think I might make one of these for my self for January. 

And here they are all together:

It's a really fun project to work on and so easy to do.  It just takes:

A foam cone. ( from the floral section of a craft store)

A dowel

A pot to put them in ( or the green tree and the blue tree came all put together from Roberts)

Lot's of modge Podge and a brush

Paper,glitter, rhinestones, stamps, whatever you want to decorate your tree.

All I did was cut or tear up piece of paper and modge podge them onto the cone.  Then I cover a wooden dowel with ribbon and stick it in the cone.  I don't glue it so I can take it apart to store it.

Really simple and really fun to make.

The next thing I worked on was for a little gift exchange that a few of us had going on from CKU's.  We each made a Christmas home decor item.  It was Becky, Ali, Ana, Carrie, Jessica and I.  I had Ana's name which is so fun! I asked her what style she liked and she said a mix of Candy colors and Doctor Suess.  What could be more fun than that.  So I made this Garland:

  Here it is on my Dad's shed.  ( He built that all by himself right down to the design and the stain glass windows.  Pretty amazing, huh?)

I used mostly love Elsie with a little bit of K and Company thrown in.  As a base for it I used a Basic Grey chipboard album.  I love the shape of it.  Then I covered it in the paper added letters in a Doctor Suess font that you can find by googling Doctor Suess.  I think it's called Grinch something. I printed it out and hand cut it.  ( I so need a wishblade) Then added modge podge and hot pink glitter from Martha Stewart. Lastly I hung it on a piece tinsel that looked vintage to me.  Again pretty easy and you could change the paper and font to fit any style.

Well that's it for now.  Ali had my name!  I received her gift a few days ago and I love it!  I'll post a picture tomorrow!

The day after Raclette day or how I got a little bit of Christmas back...

Yes, I was a little bit down yesterday.  I thank you all for your kind words.  I'm not really over my sad, overwhelmed, stressed out period but a few events yesterday reminded me that Christmas can still be joyful while my life crumbles around me ( I'm being dramatic, it's not really crumbling)

  Anyway yesterday I woke up to the cold and my Mom saying, Candice...wake up look outside."  Ummmm...it was early so I rolled over and asked what the big deal was.  She told me that the neighbors were outside cleaning off my car from the half foot of snow that had fallen the night before.  What?  I said.  Who is?  She told me it was our neighbors across the street.

  Here's the thing, last week we had a huge snow storm also.  And while I love the snow, I don't love cleaning it off my car in the early morning while trying to get to church on time in my dress and heels carrying two little boy's from the side walk across the gutter of ice water to the car.  I have a mini van and I'm short so I can't even reach the middle of my window with the scraper and while trying to jump up on my toes to reach the middle I slipped and fell, flat on my rearend.  And I sat there for several seconds stunned until I began laughing and sobbing at the same time.  I just kept saying over and over in my mind if Mark was here he wouldn't have even let me come outside until he had the car cleaned off and heater on.  ( yes he is a true gentleman like that) and so I was crying at how miserable I am without him and laughing at how inept I am at taking over his jobs.  Me the feminist. lol. 

At that very moment my neighbors came out to leave for church.  At this point I should tell you a little about my neighbors.  They are very stern looking couple.  And always a little intimidating to me I'm sure they thought that I was insane sitting there in the icy snow laughing tears running down my face.  I mean really who wouldn't? But nothing was said.  I got up and finished cleaning my car off.  They got in their car and drove to church.  I saw them when I got there 20 minuets late and dripping.  Dragging the boys through the door and into their seats.  Yeah, I'm awesome like that.

  Back to yesterday another Sunday morning another huge storm, and my neighbor got up early yesterday to clean off my car for me.  He saw my struggle the week before and without saying anything or making a big deal of it he got up early to help me. He could of assumed that I could do it on my own or that my Dad could help me or that someone else could deal with it...but he didn't.  He saw a person in need.  He saw someone struggle and so in his own silent way he did something about it. 

  A man who a week ago I would have stated didn't really care who I was brought Christmas back to me. And I am more grateful for that small act of kindness than I can even say.  Seeing someone in need and serving them.  Isn't that what life should be all about?  It's so easy to get caught up in our own problems and so this week I'm going to try to look around and see what I can do to help people around me with their burdens and their struggles.

  The other thing that really made me stop and think was the talk that was given in church yesterday.  It was about how it's the small things that add up that bring us closer to our Heavenly Father. The girl speaking told a story about a man who spent the day taking his son fishing in his journal that night he wrote something like, "spent the day fishing with Johnny, didn't accomplish anything.  Wasted day."  and the son went home and wrote, "Went fishing with my Dad, the best day of my life."  That story really hit home with me.  My goal this past week was to spend time with both my children and so we spent hours playing in the snow, building snowmen, making gingerbread houses, and building a Martha Stewart Christmas village together. And I must admit to feeling like I didn't accomplish as much, but the truth is hopefully they remember I that I loved spending time with them when they grow up and not that I forgot to pick them up early from school. One can always hope right?

And last but not least last night I got to spend sometime celebrating our new holiday...Raclette Day ( I don't even know if I am spelling that right.) with some of my favorite people and closest friends.

Chloe lived in Switzerland on her mission and so she hosted a little dinner party made of the food they eat there at Christmas.  It was delicious and so much fun talking and laughing the night away. I will write much more about the actual event later!

Here are a few pictures that Kelly and her magnificent camera timer skills caught.  Love them.  Don't we look like a very fun family? Ha. How can I be sad with these amazing people in my life?

Well, okay so as I said I'm not quite over my sad stage.  But I'm trying.  I'm trying to remember what's most important and what really matters instead of worrying about our future so much I can focus on my blessings now.  Thank you everyone!  Really.  I wish and hope for Christmas to find all of you too!  One little act at a time.

Humbug!

Hmmmm....this last week.  What can I say except that it was the worst first week of December ever.  Let me say this, if any one loves Christmas it's me.  I LOVE the entire month of December. I look forward to it all year and I hate January because, well, it means that Christmas is over. I love the decor, the snow, the way people are thinking of all the nice things they can do for others.  I love the magic it holds.  I love that I started dating Mark at Christmas and it holds such good memories. So basically, let me say it again.  I love the whole month of December...until this year.  This year, I hate December. 

   Last week my computer died as I stated.  I thought it was fixable.  But it isn't. And then I thought I'd at least be able to download my old hard drive onto my new computer so all would not be lost but apparently the computer guy's that tried to fix it messed up the hard drive in the process so it's not working too.  Awesome. I love it when I loose everything.  Well, not everything because I do try to back up my photographs every month.  But my music, my work records, everything I've ever written...gone. So it's December, my husband is a sort of working actor and now I have to provide Christmas to my boys and buy a new computer.  Not so good on the budget. 

  And this month hasn't just been bad to me.  My sister and her husband and baby have been in two accidents. Two!  In one week.  In both cars.  So she is stressed and not having such a great month either.

  And the worst news of all was a low blow to everyone in our family. We took our sweet dog, Hobbes into the groomers to get his hair cut and they cut open a cist that he had on his leg accidentally.  They said it was pretty bad and rushed him over to their vet who called my Dad in to tell him that our dog has cancer.  He isn't sure how long he has left.  But Hobbes isn't showing any pain yet so we were able to bring him home to live out his life with lot's of petting and playing and sleeping in the warm house.  We've had him for ten years this Christmas. He was a present from Santa Claus.   I'm hoping he lives to a while longer. Especially until we move out.  Grant cried for like six months when his pet goldfish died so I can't even imagine what it would be like if he was there when Hobbes passes away.

Anyway, needless to say I've been feeling pretty sorry for myself lately.  Being a single working parent is hard no matter what help you have.  I always feel like I am failing at something and I'm struggling to find a balance between work and parenting.  It never seems like enough on any front.

I mean let's be honest, when the school calls to tell you that it was a special early day ( Grant forgot to give me the note about it) and your son's been standing out in the snow for half an hour waiting for you to pick him up...your not winning any parenting awards. Yeah, I'm not even sure why I'm telling the world that except that I felt terrible and realistically that is my life right now.  Rushing from one thing from another trying not to fail miserably.

Where are you Christmas? And why do you hate me this year?

   

I'm Back...

And I have lots of pictures but...no computer. It died a very sad death.  One night it was working and then the next morning I couldn't even get it to turn on.  I took it in to be repaired and they don't even know if it can be fixed.  So, not what you want to hear from the computer guys when you are handing over your life in a little box called a computer.  Great! 

  So no pictures.  But the visit with Mark was great.  He is Bob Cratchet in A Christmas Carol so it was fun to see him in the play.  He does a great job and I am always amazed at his talent every time I see him play a new role. We went to all our favorite places in Louisville and I took lots of pictures for work.  I also got to see my friends Shannon and Kelly.  It was nice to be back again!

  Coming home to the boys was great too.  Minus the horrible, horrible trip home.  It was such a bad three flights that I won't even go into the details.  Really not a good 12 hours.  But I came home to cold weather and a morning later snow!  I love snow. We played outside on Saturday for hours and built a fabulous snow man. Then last night with the aid of Chloe, Sarah and some extra help from my Mom we all built gingerbread houses. The boys had a great time but I think they LOVED the fact that they got to stay up late more than the house building. They added so much candy to the roof that we had to hold it up with toothpicks for supports.

Well, that is about it for now.  If and when I get my computer back I'll add some photo's and some new Christmas projects I have been working on. I love Christmas!