My girls and I have tickets to the Trans Siberian Orchestra Concert tonight in Jackson. Third Row!!!! I realized I haven't posted anything about this awesome event here at blogger, so here is what I posted back in 2005. All the excitement still holds true!

Trans Siberian Orchestra
November 11, 2005

Black dresses and tuxedos.
“Flight of the Bumblebee”.
Creative lighting.
Stringed instruments.
Awesome lasers.
“Beethoven’s Fifth”.
Intense pyrotechnics.
Electric guitars.
Unbelievable drums.
Maestro keyboardists.
“Carol of the Bells”.

What could all these possibly have in common?

These eclectic components come together brilliantly in the most incredible show I’ve ever seen. They are Trans Siberian Orchestra (TSO), and they were in Jackson last night. Kyle, Cassie, and I experienced it from the twenty-fourth row. (This year from the 3rd!)

“Christmas Eve in Sarajevo” (a.k.a. “Carol of the Bells”) is what grips and draws me to TSO. Their rendition is like no other and continually gives me chill bumps. I think it’s because I’ve walked the streets of Sarajevo and seen first hand the massive destruction of the Bosnian war on buildings and lives. I can’t begin to describe TSO’s interpretation. I invite you to listen for yourself. “Christmas Eve in Sarajevo”. Hopefully this will open for you. If not, go to http://www.trans-siberianorchestra.com/, click on “multimedia”, and scroll down to “Christmas Eve in Sarajevo”. To discover the source of the title you must go to “Discography” and find “Christmas Eve and Other Stories”.

You’ll discover it’s a rock opera. (Is that an oxymoron??)

What a night!

Christmas Scenes

Just sharing some scenes of Christmas around our house:

Here are the snowflake cookies we baked celebrating the first snow of the season. (But not of the year! Two snowfalls in one year in Mississippi! Who'd have thought it!)

Oliver LOVES the tree skirt that sports handprints of my kids through the years.

My two favorite girls in the whole world in front of our "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree!

Remember how to make the origami stars I posted several days ago? (If you don't, click here.) Well, yesterday I made some out of the Sunday comics. Even my girls think these are cute. (Be extra careful if you make these out of comics, the paper is thinner and more prone to tear.)

More scenes later!

Pictures of the Snow!

It's been such a great day. Words can't describe the joyful feeling I get from watching snow fall. My girls and I enjoyed it immensely. The electricity went out which only added to the festive feeling since we could sit around enjoying the fire. We drank hot cocoa and will soon bake snowflake shaped sugar cookies. (Now that the power is back on.) Here are some snapshots of "our" winter wonderland:

Our backyard as the snow started.

Our backyard a little later.

No hanging out clothes today!

Our front yard after it had snowed a while.

Candace captured this cardinal.

I loved watching the birds come to the feeder.

Candace had a friend come over. We took a little excursion.

Candace trying to get me with a snowball. Her friend is smart and took off a little farther.

We stopped by the community cemetery.

Our dog Sam had to be included.

It was a beautiful day!

Drum roll please.....

IT...IS...SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Hope to have pictures later today!)

Making Gift Bags

I have quite a few "Happy" gifts to give this year. You know the kind - tokens of love for friends, family, Sunday school classes, party favors, etc. Wrapping can get expensive, even if the paper, bags, and bows come from the $-Tree. I know this idea isn't new, but I thought I'd share what I'm doing this year.

Take a regular paper bag. (This is a lunch bag. I hope to get some white ones later.)

Measure and mark 4 and 6 inches from the top and draw lines on both sides of the bag.

Gently begin rolling down the top edge all the way around. This is the tricky part. Do it slowly. There may be some tearing, but it shouldn't show when you are finished.

Keep rolling it down until the top edge meets the 4 inch line. Make sure the fold is crisp. (Sorry I didn't get this picture turned around.)

Now do the same thing with your new top edge. This time meet the 6 inch mark.

Walah!

Decorate any way you want using paints, markers, crayons, whatever! The possibilities are endless! Punch holes and add ribbon handles in the color and style of your choice. A little tissue paper will complete the look.

Aren't they adorable?

Go Saints!

March, 2008, Cassie decided to purchase the perfect gift for Raymond...tickets to a Saints game. (When she saw the price she decided it would be the perfect Birthday-Father's Day-Christmas gift.) Her plan was to buy a pair of tickets for her and Raymond, but Kyle really, really wanted to go. Since Cassie wasn't willing to buy his, he paid for his own. Even way back in March the rival game between the Saints and the Atlanta Falcons was nearly sold out, and she couldn't purchase just three tickets. They only came in sets of two. I paid for the fourth one and was reimbursed by my MIL who wanted to go too.

We held that wonderful secret until Father's Day when Cassie presented her perfect gift. Raymond was speechless and in disbelief. It was, indeed, the perfect gift for him. Then came the long wait from June to December 7th. During that time Mawmaw had her terrible accident. There was no way she would make the game. She graciously gave her ticket to me.

Yesterday was the big day!

Kyle, Raymond, Cassie, and me before we left at 7:00 AM. (#25 Reggie Bush, #26 Deuce McAllister, Cassie and I in "Souther Belle" shirts that say, "Southern Belles Love Their Saints!")

Louisianna Super Dome!

Pictures don't do it justice. It's breath-taking to view the field for the first time.

Awwww...brother and sister love each other...at least when Mom makes them smile. :-)

Part of my favorite team...the Jeffcoats!

It was an awesome day, and the Saints won 29 - 25!