Where have I been the last week.

After all this time NOT blogging, I should have a wealth of topics.  Blogs should come easy. The ideas should be flying out the ends of my fingers with such force and speed that they would be typing the words themselves.

NOT.

I have had a pretty amazing week.  10 days, actually.

Last weekend, I canned some stuff for the first time.  Saturday, I made bread and butter pickles, because they are T-mans favorites.  I searched far and wide and found pickling cucumbers, which Mallory and I washed and sliced.  Bentley made the seasoning.  We used a mix for the seasonings.  I figured this was a smart and safe move, since this was  the first time I'd made pickles, but I'm not so sure now.  The pickles turned out pretty good, but I would have liked for them to be sweeter.  Sunday, I also made peach butter.  It is delicious.  With these things made, I can officially say, I have started my Christmas shopping.

Tuesday,  I took BigB to her voice lesson. It was a GREAT lesson, the best one yet. Billy Goat and Chickenandcow lady showed up, and the lesson was even more fun than usual.  I felt there was fantastic momentum when we left the lesson, but alas, I think Conrad Birdie stole all of it.  The practice just has not been there this week.

Speaking of Conrad Birdie, this was the last week of rehearsals for MOjo and BigB.  They are in a community theater performance of Bye Bye Birdie.  The show is a hoot.  We spent basically every night at the theater, rehearsing.   And while I can complain about this adnauseam, doing this show has been F-U-N.  They've had a blast, and are so enjoying performing. They've made new friends, learned a little, and just overall enjoyed themselves.  Despite the distance, and late nights, and frustrations, they will do this again.   Heck, I even think I'd like to do it.

Thursday, kicked off the Choir year. I love the choir.  Love it.  The girls are the actual members. They get a lot from this -- from hard work, to seeing something come together over time (aka -- NOT instant gratification), to learning how to be a member of a team, to great friendships.  But, even though the kids are the members, and I have been a mere volunteer, I think I've gotten as much, and maybe more, from the choir than they have.  There is a group of incredibly talented and creative people associated with the choir. Some are the staff members, and some are a group of parents that help with the "stuff" with this choir.  Those people have become my friends, and I  feel at home with this group. Probably more so than I have with any group of people, ever.

Thursday evening, I got to hang out with my favorite Billy Goat, Caprino.  I got to hear her ideas and thoughts about her future.  I got to see her act silly.  I also got to see her stress out a little.  Actually, it was co-stressing with me as I was driving through a nightmarish storm.  This was the highlight of the week.   I took her to see BBB. It was actually the final dress rehearsal that was run as a full show. I am looking forward to the next time we can get together. I chickened out on doing the chicken dance.  The situation was not right. We shall dance and sing, and possibly cluck, together somewhere sometime soon.

Friday was a repeat on the choir stuff (te kids are amazing), and back to the theater for opening night - which was sold out.  There was a cast party after the opening, which we skipped.  I was too tired.  Oh, and we got to hang out with another amazing kid from choir who is is also in BBB.

Saturday.  I slept. and  slept.  And then, just for good measure, I slept some more. Not much got accomplished Saturday,  MOjo got her phone, and her very own number.  She is styling now.   (My reasons and justification for my 10 year old  having a phone might be a blog post of its own.) We went -- you guessed it! -- to the theater.  I helped with intermission, and then we went to Ruby Tuesdays with a bunch of cast members.  It was fun.  I sat w ith the Choir Czar and her hubby, as well as their good friend, and one of the choir parents.

Sunday - church!  There was a guest vocalist.  She sang the contemporary Christian stuff we always have.  She sang it well.  (I say that and wonder what my creative music folks would think.)   I googled her, and she has a couple of home videos of her singing in church  They did nothing compare to her live performance.  Her name is Jillian Wolf.

After the show, we went with the cast to a Mexican Place..  It was pretty good, and the girls had a great time. The we headed home.

But once again, I am exhausted and must sleep.