Thomas had to work every day except the day after Thanksgiving so I drove up to my parents house on Wednesday of that week with Butter Cat in tow. I went back to Orem with Thomas for Thanksgiving dinner with his family and then we both came back up to my parents house for the weekend. There were some ups and downs during the weekend... Butter did okay in the new environment until the little nieces came over, scaring him to spits. It was not fun worrying about a stressed, mad kitty. Quite a few of my family members (including myself) got sick over the weekend, we had a few small catastrophes, and I locked my keys in my car while it was running. Not a good combination. However, I loved being with my family and I didn't even touch my homework all weekend! Hooray! Instead, my sister and I worked on homemade advent calendars like the one my mom had all our growing up years. I love it!
I have been busy rehearsing and performing these last few weeks. I had two big performances in the Senior Showcase at BYU in a modern piece, two performances with my tap ensemble, and two with my clogging team, all in the last couple of weeks! Thomas danced in Christmas Around the World for the fifth time while I worked on the technical crew. This was definitely a new experience for me... I'll admit I cried a little as I watched from the light booth. I was the coordinator of all four spotlights used throughout the show, which was a stressful job! Thomas did a wonderful job in all his dances, as usual, and I was proud of him!
We have gone to several Christmas parties in the last couple of weeks. We had a big party at our house (sorry neighbors!), went to a fun dinner party with my tap ensemble, had a holiday hearts tournament at our house, went to the folk dance formal dinner/dance, and went to an annual folk dance party. Another party we liked was with the folk dance faculty and teacher's assistants (of which I was one). We had a white elephant exchange and I got the nasty ugly square dance shirt that has been passed at that party for twenty years (Thomas is sporting it below). This means we have to find a way to give it away next year.
We have really been enjoying our time at home this week with no homework or other obligations! For Christmas we bought a really big flatscreen TV for our apartment to finally replace the crapper from 1985 that we have been using since we were married. Hooray! TV watching has improved, to say the least. We have finally had time to clean our dirty house and relax together. We are excited for Christmas! Below are a few pics of our adventures...
My newly made advent calendar, with ornaments to put on every day of December.
Thomas and some nephews and nieces at Thanksgiving
The Rawcliffe Thanksgiving... notice there are like 10 pies (and more outside!)
Senior Showcase performance
The nasty folk dance tradition... THE shirt.
The folk dance formal dinner/dance
