Sigh...another Nutcracker comes to an end

It was Pajama Day backstage for the very last performance of 2007. The entire party scene is pictured here, except for one of our Claras who is probably behind the lens. The girls in braids were party boys, those in ringlets, you guessed it, were party girls. Of course Jefferson is loving all the attention from the women. Not a bad sport for a young man, eh?

Why DO They Call Them "Wisdom" Teeth?

The last thing she remembers is one of the oral surgeons imitating a Canadian hockey player's accent. Ah, the joys of Versed and surgery... The last thing I wanted to see was her eyes rolling to the back of her head in the hospital lobby as she passed out! Marina had a "rare" reaction to the anesthesia - her blood pressure bottomed out. I waited until she came to, put her in a wheel chair and took her back to the surgery wing. I quietly entered and whispered to the receptionist, but the unconscious, green pallored teen in the wheel chair kind of gave us away. I didn't want to freak out any waiting patients or parents! Two hours later, I stopped by a pharmacy and filled her Percocet, antibiotics and Motrin. I told her to take the Percocet with the fruit shake since she had already taken a Motrin. On the ride home from Boston, Marina kept mentioning..."I thought you said this would make me HAPPY! The pain is going away, but I'm NOT happy!" When we got home and I handed her the antibiotic and she said, "Oh. I have to take this AGAIN already?" ...um... laughter from Mom ... Love that placebo effect. Now I know why she wasn't "happy"!!!

Gingerbread House Night

You can't catch me! I'm the Gingerbread Man!

We made a gingerbread house - OK it was a kit, but it was a blast. Alex bravely joined us for the fun, Marina made us all laugh, Sasha was still in curls from the show, and last but not least, Anelise. Lise has been ill, but after missing two shows, happily turned the corner today and joined the human race once again. We are delighted to have her on her feet and so will the Nutcracker audience the day after Christmas! !

Here is the no-mess way to make a gingerbread house:
htttp://www.janbrett.com/trim_a_jan_brett_gingerbread_baby_house.htm

This is how "the pres" has his done:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/holiday/2005/photoessays/essay1/peindex.html

A REAL Gingerbread house:

http://www.thegingerbreadhouse.net/Pages/photo_gallery.htm

OK Disney has to do everything big...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akGfi53mH2k

And then for those with quirky humor like me....a "gingerbread House" aka Dr. House
http://buzzsugar.com/872001

Merry Christmas everyone!

A New BYU Cougar

YAY!

Marina is going to BYU! She received her acceptance letter yesterday. One minor problem, they spelled her name wrong. Is this an omen? Last night I got my U of U digs into her by announcing that she is officially a "Zoobie" and her school's nickname is "The Zoo." She was laughing and couldn't believe the rivalry between BYU and the U of U. (I didn't have the heart to tell her that she is wearing the U's colors in this photo.) Hey, what else is a loyal Ute gonna do?

Congrats Marina, it's not easy to get into BYU.

Ode to Nutcracker

It's a week before Christmas and all through my house,
a feeling of panic ensues for me, not my spouse.
The stockings are hung by the chimney with care,
I wonder how I will keep them from being bare.
So dash away, dash away, off to the stores,
To the top of the list - why is this such a chore?
Then off to The Nutcracker stage door tonight,
I will escape into fairyland exiting with delight.
My girls are so merry, so delightful and quick,
In an instant I forgot all about St. Nick...

Merry Christmas to all and to all...

Hey! when is the next show?

Left to right: Anelise and Sasha