{Paul Cardall}

 We love Christmas time.  I know shocker!!  We love the things that we only get to do at Christmas time.  Living where we do, we get to do things and see things that are pretty cool.  Last year the two older kids went to a concert at the Washington D.C. Temple visitor's center.  It was Jenny Oaks Baker, a fantastic violinist.  The kids loved it, so did I.  This year when the schedule came out for this season's concerts we found another one that we really wanted to go to.  It was Paul Cardall.  I love piano/instrumental music and Meysa is taking piano lessons, so I thought it would be the perfect thing.

We got to the visitor's center early and checked out the new renovations that they have been working on.  When we saw that people were getting in line we hopped  in as well and hoped to get a good seat.  We actually got seats in the 2nd row just off center.  The kids and I were excited to be so close.

After a few songs, Mr. Cardall commented on how many kids were in the audience.  Assuming that most of the kids were taking piano lessons he said he wanted to have a couple of them help him write a song on the spot.  The auditorium lights came up a little and he picked Meysa and Lauryn out of the audience.  As the girls were walking up he asked if either one played the piano.  Meysa said yes, she did.  Lauryn said no but she was going to start soon.  Mr. Cardall then asked Meysa if she had a song she would like to play....she said sure.  So she sat down in front of a full auditorium and played her Christmas recital piece, "Deck the Halls", perfectly and without hesitation!!  When she was done, the place erupted in applause.  Mr. Cardall said that what she did took guts, and that she did an amazing job.  The girls then got to the task of picking out a few notes for him to put together a song on the spot.  Of course the song he came up with was amazing.

When it was all over and Paul was bowing he had Meysa and Lauryn stand up again for another round of applause.  Meysa had people stopping her as we were leaving, telling her what a great job she did.  We stayed after just a bit in order to get a good picture with Paul for the record books.  It was a great night and one we won't soon forget.  I think Meysa has decided to stick with piano!!

 

{Holy Batman, Robin}

Random post.  As I was fixing Lauryn's hair this morning in the bathroom, she excitedly proclaimed..."It's Batman".  Confused I looked around the bathroom expecting to find one of the boy's Batman toys.  What I was not expecting was to find Batman embedded in Lauryn's smile!!  It was a fun and interesting way to start our day!!  

{Marshmallows}

I like trying new recipes.  I sometimes feel like I get in a rut with cooking or baking and sometimes it is nice to break out of that.  I know no better way to do just that, than by trying something new.  I found on Pinterest a recipe for homemade marshmallows that went along with some decadent hot chocolate (http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2006/04/15/basic-vanilla-marshmallows/).  Now if I am being honest I am not much of a marshmallow fan.  Just to eat them straight or even for that matter on s'mores, but I thought it would be fun to know how to make them...and to add them to some delicious hot chocolate, well I am game!!

The recipe was way easier than I initially thought it would be.  The one thing that you definitely need is a candy thermometer, but don't let that scare you off.  It was a super simple recipe and it turned out great.  I chose to dip them in chocolate to then add to some Hot chocolate packets for the kids teachers for Christmas.  The kids have tried one and they said they were awesome!!  I'd say that is a win-win.  I got to try a new recipe...that worked and the kids enjoyed the results!!

{Arlington}

Yesterday, Ryan and the youth of our church got a unique opportunity to go and give service at Arlington National Cemetery.  Every year at this time of year a large number of people turn out at Arlington to lay wreaths on each and every grave.  Our family had planned on going as a family but the kids and I ended up being sick (boo), so Ryan went by himself.  These are pictures that he took with his cell phone so we could at least see how neat it turned out to be.  We plan on going again next year with our kids.  Hopefully we are healthy and can experience it as a family!!  

{Goodies...Check}

The Holidays aren't the Holidays without goodies.  I haven't always made goodies to share with our friends and neighbors each year.  It is kinda hit and miss for me.  But this year I am on top of things for once and we will be delivering these goodie bags tonight as a family!!

Each year growing up we made Christmas candy, specifically my Grandma Brown's caramels.  The smell of them makes me think of Christmas.  It isn't really Christmas unless I make up a batch.  My own little family is split on whether they like caramels, so I usually make them to get it out of my system and then gift the majority of them to friends so I don't eat them all.

Meysa helped me wrap up a double batch of these wonderful little nuggets last night.  I remember doing that with my mom too.  Perhaps caramels will come to mean Christmas to Meysa as well.  Next year I will teach her how to make them, not just wrap them.  Passing the tradition onto yet another generation.