Holiday Happenings--A Sometimes-Musical Revue

Gingerbread House--Nazan Oguz called the day after we dropped off the gingerbread house to thank us. Her husband and sons were disappointed that she didn't wake them up when we came, but they loved the house. We didn't have time to explain all the details, but hopefully they know enough about Santa Claus that they understand why there is a little red candy man sitting in a box with runners on top of a roof...

Christmas -- All I have to say is, BLACK FRIDAY ROCKS!!! Jake is a master shopper, and he gave me some fantastic things (and I have to say that I got some pretty sweet deals for him, too). So far, no one seems to be a huge fan of my pointy brown pair of high heels, but (like Stacey and Clinton always say) they really do make me look taller and thinner than round-toed shoes. Jake never believed it until he saw it, and he was so impressed that he gave me my first pair! He even picked out a pair of doorbuster jeans at JCPenney that fit me better than any jeans I've had in years. Go figure. The best part of the day was watching Grant, though. The whole season was more fun with him around! He loved every sight, every smell, every sound, and every tasty treat. It was such a fun season that I was sad to see it end!
The week after Christmas was spent in Idaho with the Hayden clan. Grant was sick all week, but we still managed to have a great time. Highlights of Grant:

• One night he heard my dad snoring and he started growling in imitation of the noise.
• He had numerous blowouts every day that week, including a few that went from neck to feet. Gross. One even made it to his elbows.
  
• He threw up twice one night, then the next night (immediately following a bath after a blowout) he projectile vomited as my dad was snapping pictures of him. It came out his mouth and nose. Again, gross.
• He received his first kiss from a toddler girl walking around at my cousin Kirsten's wedding reception. He stood there in stunned silence, then turned and walked away. He only made it a few steps before falling on his hands and knees and starting to sob.

Voice Lesson--I haven't sung much since I moved to Utah, and I haven't had a voice lesson in at least four years, probably five. My mom encouraged me to call up my old voice teacher and have a lesson while I was home the last week of December. I was excited, but I was also petrified at the thought. I've gotten into some incredibly horrible habits, and thinking of having her hear me in my state of decay was not pleasant. I was putting off calling her, so luckily my mom sneakily called her for me and set it up, and I'm glad she did because it was amazing! Now, please note that I'm not saying that I was necessarily amazing, but the whole experience really was wonderful. Kim Mumford is the best vocal teacher I could ever dream of, and after some vocalises she let me loose on some musicals. It was incredibly liberating to be able to sing as loudly and freely as I wanted, and she was right that all the former training came back more quickly than I'd imagined. Besides, who could ever be sad while singing showtunes?! Yay!!

Whew! There's our holiday.