Every Girl Can Be A Princess

We've been hearing the sweet sounds of Tchaikovsky around here these days! It's Nutcracker time. After much thought and prayer, we switched dance schools last spring. This fall, for the first time, all four girls have danced together at the same studio. Mary Beth, Katie, and Karoline have been working hard on Nutcracker performances all fall.  Some time in early November, Katie asked Mike to lend a hand. Apparently, no one had volunteered to take on the role of Godfather Drosselmeier. Much to everyone's surprise, Mike readily agreed. Patrick's girlfriend, Hilary, was cast as Clara, a role she danced beautifully. Somehow, she persuaded Paddy to dance be the Prince, a role he --ahem-- didn't "dance" at all;-). It was Karoline's first Nutcracker and she was every part the angel. Katie was the queen of the quick change--she danced several roles. And Mary Beth shone as Snow Queen. It was great fun to see them all on stage!

Every Saturday in December, Mary Beth and Katie have been entertaining guests at the Ritz-Carlton Nutcracker teas. Then, on Sundays, Mary Beth has been Cinderella at the Princess Teas. Mike, Katie, Karoline, Sarah and I were blessed to join our friends Megan and Katie to watch Mary Beth perform at a tea. I can honestly say it was the most enjoyable hour of dance I've ever experienced. Such fun! 

There is one more performance left. Local peeps, the Princess Tea is coming to South Riding this Saturday at 3:00. There are very limited spaces available. Call (703) 327-9627 to make reservations. I hope we see you there.

(I love this picture. I'm pretty sure someone was telling Hilary how awesome she was and Paddy was saying, "What about me? I was awesome, too.")

(no braces)

(no teeth)

(note the nutcracker in the National Team jersey)

Please excuse the poor video quality. I was caught off guard and tried to capture a little bit of the Princess Tea. My sweet husband, The Director, is no doubt cringing at my production standards. Still, I keep playing this video over and over. My little girls can't get enough of it. When I remember Mary Beth at sixteen, this is the lovely image I hope comes to my mind.

Circle of Quiet

She came to me before Mass yesterday. She had heard about it in the dressing room the night before. A teacher was killed, they told her.

Face upturned, eyes searching, "How was a teacher killed?"

"There was a shooting in a school."

"Only one teacher died?"

"No, not just one."

"Did any children die?"

"Yes, they did."

"How old were they?"

I remembered the list I'd just read, the one with all the names of young victims, the one with birthdates beside the names. 2006. Over and over again. The year Karoline was born. I looked into her upturned face, those huge, innocent blue eyes. I could not give voice to the word.

Six.

Tomorrow, we will tell you all about our Nutcracker. Today, we join others in the circle of quiet.

Lord, Hear Our Prayer

There are no words. 

There is only the Word.

We weep

with those 

who weep

Romans: 12:15

How can we pray for you this week?

needle & thREAD

This was supposed to be the St. Lucy's Day edition of needle & thREAD. There were to be three flannel nightgowns here for happy pictures. Alas, I spent the weekend relearning slope-intercept and graphing inequalities. Saturday morning, fabric all smoothed out and newly-traced patterns pinned in place, I recognized that these nightgowns weren't going to happen before exams were taken. They might not even happen before Christmas. When I make them, I'm going to make them extra long. They can wear them in January and February and then again next year. 

I do have some things to show you, though. iPhone pictures are beginning to frustrate me. A camera is moving to the top of my list of things to research. Do you love yours? Tell me why.

The drapes for the main floor of the house are finished. Cari and I worked on the sewing room drapes this week and I finished them yesterday morning, early, early. Mike's been working ridiculously long days, splitting his time between here and Miami, so the rods aren't hung yet, but the drapes are so pretty!

I'm nearly finished with the great pillow expedition in the family room. I love the pop of color on some otherwise rather dull couches. 

One last pillow remains to be covered. I've been doing a little stitching sampler on a scrap of the drapery fabric. It will be the center of a log cabin square. This seemed a grand idea when I first conceived it. In reality, this fabric is so loosely woven that it frays if you look at it the wrong way. It's not fun to make patchwork with it. I'm determined to make just that one pillow, but my grand plans for lots of them were squashed pretty quickly. I do want to do just this one pillow, though. The needlework competes with my knitting time whenever I sit down these days. I want to finish Sarah's sweater by Patrick's graduation party (the day after the wedding). Knit? Stitch? Math? 

I haven't done much reading. Last week, Emily recommended Dirt and the Good Life. I have the book now, but haven't yet begun to read. After the math final...

So what's happening out there in needle and thread world? Are you working on Christmas presents? Racing to the finish with something special? Do tell.  

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Shop for Bracelets and Feed Orphans {and be entered for the Big Giveaway}

Give: 1 bracelet --> 1 child -->1 week of food

What started as a traveling surfer's promise to a child in an orphanage in Bali Indonesia became an international movement.

Please don't forget about us!

It was the plea of an older child as the surfer was leaving for the airport after an extended stay.

"Don't worry; I won't," came the answer, steady and sure.

And he didn't. And he hasn't.

Please take a moment or two to get to know this organization:  please go read. These are amazing folks who are working so hard on behalf of orphans in Bali. 

We did a lot of shopping at GIVE Bracelets last  year. The motto at GIVE is One Bracelet-> One Child-> One Week of Food.  By the time we finished Christmas shopping, we'd fed thirteen children. Thirteen bracelets! I've now seen every style, from the simple friendship bracelets to an absolutely beautiful silver bracelet. I've shopped (and helped my kids shop) for people from 13 to 40-something. 

And then, we did it again this year. I can't tell you what we bought and where it's going because there are still gifts to give. What I can tell you is that as people receive these gifts, they're as excited as we are. The bracelets are lovely and the gift bag spells out the real gift: because of where it was purchased, the bracelet given feeds a child in Bali for a week.

Styles vary widely, as do price points. It's been nice to shop where there is something for everyone. 

 

Here's an update from Charlie on the latest at Give:

The latest news is from the orphanage Charlie visited last year on the island of Timor. This orphanage has 28 children all with different levels of mental and/or physical disabilities. All eight of the children that needed surgeries have gotten them! Six more needed surgeries because of birth defects and with the money Charlie left on this trip, along with the funds Give has been sending, they all have been able to get the needed surgeries! Charlie received a package recently with photos of each of the children before and after their surgeries. Each child had a brand new school uniform. They are each being fed well by the goats and chickens that they now have for milk and eggs and they are drinking freely from a new water well that has been dug!

This video beautifully captures the spirit of Give 

Remember to keep this amazing company in your constant prayers as their mission helps so many children. Also, keep Charlie's wife in your prayers as she's expecting in a few weeks.

Now, on to how you can help:  Give Bracelets offers a wide variety of bracelets in difference price ranges to meet your needs. Whether it be mothers, grandmothers, daughters, teachers, girlfriends, wives, aunts or sisters there is an appropriate bracelet for all of them. They offer silver, cuff, wrap and many other bracelets that are perfect for gifts! The best part about it is1 bracelet is 1 week of food for a child in need! 

AND THE GIVEAWAY

Give Bracelets has graciously offered $200 store credit to the winner of this giveaway. Winner to be announced Thursday evening. All you have to do is like Give Bracelets on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, or Subscribe on YouTube. If you don't do social media, just pass the link along to a friend or two;-). Then leave a comment below.   

The Giveaway winner is Marisa:-)