Still here

I know it's been forever, and really, my main writing endeavor right now is the Christmas letter. But I wanted to say hi to everyone. I hope you all had a very Happy Thanksgiving. Our's was laid back, but fun. Last Tuesday I went down and picked up Mayhem #1 for the weekend. She brought home a ton of stuff, but some of it was staying home so I guess that's ok. After the stop at the bathroom, she was going to come out and sit in the living room. I told her she had to go to her room. Mayhem #2 was sitting on her bed waiting for her. Hilarity and craziness was heard coming from the bedroom. Wednesday, we ran a few errands and wound up at the mall. Mayhem #1 still doesn't have a Christmas job, despite all the applications she filled out in October. We found a seasonal shop in the mall that was hiring so she filled out an application. Maybe she'll have something when she comes back in two weeks. Wednesday afternoon, the girls made the pies. Mayhem #1 made the pumpkin and Mayhem #2 made the chocolate. Mayhem #2 got tired of stirring, but it was a great pie. The pumpkin was good too. Mr. Mayhem and I went to Boston Market that evening and picked up the ham, potatoes, and sweet potatoes I had ordered. Ok, so I cheated a little. We did make other things too, but I didn't have to kill myself this year.

On Thursday, we were puttering around getting showers, having breakfast, and finishing the house cleaning. I looked at the clock and said, "Someone should be at Mom's house picking her up right now." I gave her a quick call and said I was on my way. Who did you think would be dressed and ready to go? Dinner was only a little later than I had planned, but it was good. We found a football game for Mr. Mayhem to sleep through while Mom and I looked over some paper work she wanted me to see. Mr. Mayhem woke up for pie. I took Mom home and told her the girls and I would be over on Friday to help with grocery shopping and house cleaning.

The girls did the house cleaning while I took Mom grocery shopping. It took us a little longer than usual because her last blood test said her cholesterol was high so we had to shop a little more carefully. After she took us to lunch at McDonalds (not exactly good for the cholesterol), the girls and I did a little shopping. One nephew is all take care of and some of Mayhem #2's friends. We had to buy a gift card at Barnes & Noble for the basket our Sunday School class was making for the auction. It's part of the church's foreign mission board campaign every year. It's called Lottie moon Christmas and the church has a banquet and the auction. Our class and several others decided to buy gift cards for the basket. We have one to Barnes & Noble, Gap, WalMart, and Garden Ridge. We have a few more coming. Guess who gets to make the basket? Moi...I think I have all I need.

The handbells played at church Sunday and it was another family affair. Mayhem #1 stepped in and picked my accidental bell and one of Mr. Mayhem's too. Oh to be so talented. I think the extra practicing one of the new girls and I have been doing made a big difference. I think I only missed one note in the two songs we played. I was so excited. Next month we're actually playing, "Carol of the Bells" on the handbells. Please pray.

Mr. Mayhem took Mayhem #1 back a little earlier than usual because she needed to go to the haunted art building and work on a charcoal drawing. The freeway was so backed up, they took an alternate route to get down there, and he called and asked me to find him another way home. I looked it up on the atlas and called him back with the road numbers and towns he would encounter. He said it was a good thing it was him and not me. He said the road was narrow with no lights except the oncoming cars. I can't see very well in that situation. He got home a couple of hours later than he should've. At one point he called me about all the grass fires that were all around him. The wind was blowing like 60 mph all day yesterday. Luckily, no homes were damaged.

Be our guest

In the weirdness of Texas weather, we skipped fall and start winter today. The high was in the 60’s around midnight and it will be down to 35 tonight. We’ve been having weather in the 80’s, 20 degrees above normal. I guess maybe that was fall since it wasn’t 100+. Still haven’t had rain in about two months. I just brought in all the houseplants that have been residing on the back patio. I hate bringing them in because they get in my way. One of them is five feet tall. Another of them is really from Mr. Mayhem’s old job, so maybe he’ll take it back next week once he starts his new job in the old location.

We survived the musical, and surprisingly, it turned out pretty good. The dress rehearsal on Wed. was the most horrendous thing I had ever seen. I was prepared for the performance to be a fiasco. All three shows had a few glitches, but you expect that. I had to work the box office all three nights, but I ran in to my seat before I missed anything. On Friday, a little girl about 15 or 18 months was in my seat. I politely said that that was my seat, and the mom said no it was her seat. I said, "No ma’am. It’s my seat and here’s my ticket." The guy who had bought most of that row said I was right and the little girl moved. Actually, they shouldn’t have been in the seat next to me either because I knew that that reserved seat should’ve been empty. The little girl is restless and mauling all the other people around so mom pulls out some little packages of crackers for her and all the other kids on the row. There are signs that clearly state, NO FOOD OR DRINKS IN THE AUDITORIUM. Obviously, that didn’t apply to them. Then the little girl bumped her head on one of the seats and started crying. So mom picks her up and starts nursing her. And the girl is kicking me at the same time. Look, I nursed my girls, but never in public. Finally, they got smart enough to take the girl out or at least to the back where she wouldn’t bother anyone.

On Saturday, it was a little tough putting make up on Mayhem #2 because Mayhem #1 is sitting at the table making her laugh. Mr. Mayhem's microphone wasn’t working through half of the opening narration that night, but there was nothing he could do. My mom, sister-in-law, and nephew, along with Mayhem #1, that Mr. Mayhem had fetched that morning, came that night. I kept getting tickled every time Mayhem #1 would laugh at the lines. Part of what made it all so funny for her was the fact that she knew the actors. Some of the kids seemed type cast, while others were as different as night and day from their characters.

Mr. Mayhem is glad he doesn’t have to wear make up and tights anymore. Doesn’t that sound bizarre?