It's coming!

 

We had a long tech rehearsal yesterday - walked through entrances/exits and set/prop placement.  Only Wonka, the ticket winners and their parents were there for that rehearsal.  I had to sing, and I think I did a pretty good job.  I will have to sing again today in front of more people. We have a good time and there were lots of laughs. 

 

Today will be a long rehearsal too.  We will run through start to finish, but this time with ALL cast members there.  All 45 Oompa Loompas.  Whew. 

Katie has also been added in as a squirrel in the factory.  I've not seen costumes for those yet....but I'm sure it will be quite funny and cute. 

 

We wear costumes tomorrow night for our rehearsal, and full hair and make-up on Tuesday night.  Then we get a break from rehearsal on Wednesday night, with one more full dress rehearsal on Thursday night before opening night on Friday.  Wish me and my hair luck.   

Ruined morning

Ugh - a phone call with a bitchy woman has just about ruined my morning.  I'm taking over her project at school that she doesn't want to do anymore and I called her (at her request) to run through details.  Actually, this would be the 3rd time I called her this week....she hadn't returned my calls, but she picked up today.

Bitchy, snippy and rude to me the whole time.  I don't think I'll be calling her again with questions.  I was totally taken by surprise with the attitude because I thought she would have been relieved to have it off her plate.

Ahh well....let it go, right?  I'm not the reason for her bitchy attitude...it could be something else she'd going through today.  That's what a small part of my brain says.  I can barely hear it though because the other part of my brain is going off on her ass.

I'm getting a hair cut today....

Not only do I get a wonderful massage today.....I also am getting my haircut this afternoon.

The "hair" people in the musical asked if I would be willing to go shoulder-length so that we could do the hairstyle they had in mind for me and my character. Sure, no problem.

This is what they are hoping to do to my hair.

 

OR.....

 

 

Now aren't you all looking forward to pictures.....

Wednesday already....

This week seems to be going to fast.  I spose it has to do with the kids being off school on Monday and the fact that I don't have "Pebbles" this week.  She is in Mexico - I assume with her parents. :)

We are supposed to be getting a bunch of snow on Friday.  I had scheduled a massage for Friday - thanks to a gift certificate from John for my birthday last fall.  But I had to reschedule it for tomorrow in stead.  "First-world" problems, right?

I've spent the last 2 hours getting caught up on some volunteer work with a local breastfeeding group.  I feel like that's enough for today and will tackle more of it tomorrow.  There's always more.

I also need to make some phone calls regarding a new project that got thrown at me at the last PTO meeting at school.  There was no one to handle the "SchoolKidz" supply kits that parents can order at the end of the year for their children to have the following fall.  It's supposed to alleviate some of the "back to school" shopping that's done, and it's a fundraiser for the school.  I said I would take care of it, not knowing exactly what had been done so far this year.  The orders need to be collected with money and sent in by May so I need to get hopping on that now.  Then I will need to organize the orders when they come in before school starts.  A little work now, a little work later.

Then it's on the the NEXT volunteer stuff I have to get done today.  Since Lent started last Wednesday...yes, for all you heathens our there...Lent started last Wednesday. :)  During Lent, the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders at church get to choose a special project to do.  They can choose a Bible study group, a family service project or be part of a drama/play that is put on.  For most, the drama sounds like the most fun and we need actors, dancers, props/costume people, etc. so we are lucky that most of the kids pick that one. 
This year, I was asked to help direct the play.  Ok.  I would be helping Alex, who is a high school senior, very involved at school, on the debate team, in plays at school, and he's also "Charlie" in the church's musical.  He's just a TINY bit busy.  So they wanted me to help him so that he didn't need to do it all. 
The play we are doing was written by one of the church members and is a cute, short, fun story of a basketball team with "Jesus" as their coach.  But he is leaving soon and they will have to deal without him.  Sort of a "Last Supper" based basketball play. 
Anyway - the play, I can deal with.  I have parent "scene" leaders assigned to each and every scene who are responsible for rehearsing those scenes each week.  I have parents assigned to props and costumes as well and they are to organize what needs to be made each week.  What do Alex and I do?  Supervise, baby.

Oh, and one more thing.  Each week we gather for about 5-10 minutes as a large Group and I teach all 50 some kids about Lent.  They figured I would be more comfortable with this and have more time to prepare than Alex would.  So.....yeah.  As soon as this ignorant louse learns what it's all about.....I'll pass that on.  Seriously, I know very little.  Just the basics.....40 days....some desert.....some waiting.....some betrayal.....some followers.....and then it's Easter.  Good enough?  Yeah, I didn't think so. 

Home day

Thanks to President's Day, the kids have a day off school. They didn't get to sleep in, however, because we had to be up and out the door this morning by 7 to take Hans to the vet up north (a bit) to get neutered. It's a one day procedure and they are supposed to call us this afternoon when it's time to come pick him up. They were really vague on the time so we are hanging out at home today. Supposedly the procedure is easier on male animals versus female animals so he should bounce back a bit quicker than Molly. I remember it taking her a long time to heal and she had that cone thing on for a full 2 weeks.

Hans has been used to taking it easy the last few days though.  He somehow hurt his paw last Thursday.  Banged it against the table or chairs in the morning when he was running around all crazy.  When we went out to the bus stop he was limping pretty bad so we skipped our walk.  By that evening he wasn't putting any weight on it.  I had talked to the vet (our normal vets) and they had said we could bring him in if we wanted to, but we thought we'd wait and see how it was after a couple days.  Today is really the first day I've seen him put some weight on it.  This morning at the vet he was walking pretty well.  I think taking it easy for the next week will be good timing. 

Will finished up floor hockey last week.  I'm still waiting to get a copy of the team picture that was taken.  He liked his teammates and turns out some of them are heading to the same school as Will next year. 

The musical is in it's final push.  This Wednesday night is our final regular rehearsal, then we have dress rehearsals every night starting next Sunday.  Showtime is Friday, March 1st through Sunday March 3rd.  Ticket info is available here. I have to get my hair cut for it....they want to do a 50's type flip, and right now it's too long for that.  I need a haircut anyway. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Willy Wonka commercial

Here is a little video put together by the press team at church to drum up excitement for the upcoming musical. You can see me....if you look fast. :) (Around 1:21 and 1:32) Katie didn't make it into this one, but there will be more pictures to come.

Girl Scouts vs Boy Scouts

The Boy Scouts organization are making some very controversial, and, in my opinion - bad, decisions lately.  I had someone question my choice to have Katie in Girl Scouts because since they SOUND the same, they must BE the same.  I tried to explain how different they were and it sort of fell on deaf ears.  Just to be sure, I looked into it, and I was relieved to find that I was right.  Sorry Will, you won't be joining Boy Scouts anytime soon.

They were both started around the same time, but by different people and for different reasons.  They each make their own choices regarding policies.  For example, when I was in high school there was an issue with some girls not wanting to say "serve God" as part of the Girl Scout promise.  It was put before the powers that be and they said - Hey, you're right!  Not everyone has to believe in God, say what you want....insert another name for a power you DO believe in - Allah, Buddha, Mother Nature, etc.  Meanwhile the Boy Scouts still require a faith - you can't be an atheist, or gay.....especially gay, boy they do NOT like that. 

Because of this belief that everyone be included, the Girl Scouts have been identified as a liberal group with surprisingly radical policies.  (Oh, yeah, they teach girls reproduction facts as well - oh the horror!)  Another Group was started in the 90's called the American Heritage Girls which almost mirrors the Boy Scouts in it's backward thinking. 

The Atlantic had a good article about it - give it a read.

More snow!

We got more snow over the last 3-4 days.  Only like and inch each time, but enough to shovel.  It was very light snow, so didn't take very long.  Normally, I may not have even bothered shoveling it, but you REALLY appreciate cleared sidewalks when you are walking a dog.  I guess I shoveled knowing that I was doing the dog people a favor.  However, we have one neighbor who walks their dog at 5:30 in the morning...I have seen them walk by some mornings when I am letting Hans out...in my jammies.  I scurry back to bed and they are off on their walk.

We had musical rehearsal again yesterday.  I had to sing on stage for the first time. At other rehearsals, we've all just stood around the piano and sang, music in hand.  But yesterday we were required to be "off-script" and working on blocking the song (figuring out movements) while singing.  No one's ears melted.  I thought I did a really good job of being loud and clear, although there are 2 spots that are giving me fits so I have to pluck them out on the piano and get the notes in my head.  I'm such a control freak about some things that I guess I like the fact that you have to let most of those things go when you are up on stage.  You can't worry about what you look like, sound like, etc there's no more time for that - you just have to go for it, good or bad and deal with it. 

The great thing about the musical is getting to know the people you are on stage with.  I've become good friends with the fellow "terrible mom" who has the daughter turned into a giant blueberry. :)    She was looking for a triathlon to get started with and I suggested the YWCA one I did last year - she signed up and is really excited about training for it.  I told her that I have a group of friends who sometimes get together to run or swim in training for that as well and maybe she'd like to join us.  Her and I may also do a 10k together in April/May.

Well, I'm off to get the laundry finished, kitchen cleaned and coffee drank.  Oh, by the way - Katie is once again selling Girl Scout cookies this year.  They are $4 a box....let me know if you want any.