[drm] handbells & Christmas celebrations

For me, December is a mega-month of musical & dramatic Christmas presentations.  I LOVE this!!!  I just wish there were more hours in the day to fit in all of the rehearsals & performances that I want to be a part of.

For the third year in a row, I have been a part of the handbell choir at my parents' church.  Aside from playing in Sunday church services periodically we always have a fairly busy Christmas schedule.  AND we carry out the fairly busy Christmas schedule donned in our Dickens' Era best.  Petticoats, large hats, bustles, & high-collared shirts are among the 31-piece outfits.

Rachel & I and our hobo gloves...together we had 5 missing fingers; good thing the weather wasn't cold that day!

I was very excited to be a part of our church's really, REaLLY big Christmas show.  I auditioned for a dancing role and was selected [I would try and claim amazing dancing skills here but the truth is I think they started asking people to audition as they needed lots of people!]  I really enjoyed the practices and learning all of the dances to songs like Mariah Carey's 'Joy to the World' [one of my top fave Christmas albums!!!] and doubly enjoyed the workout!  Unfortunately I had to [gracefully] bow out towards the end as my life was [and still is] here & there.  With a new job and commuting to church  & said new job it was almost impossible for me to juggle it all.  I am thankful to the coordinator, Ashley, who was very understanding and helped me feel okay with backing down.  I really missed out but know that I did the right thing.

The magical workshop filled with all of my
favorite colors & lots of shiny things!!

While I was unemployed, I got the opportunity to work in the costume shop in preparation for the show.  Over 600 costumes were created, designed, & 'blinged' for the show!  I really enjoyed my time there in the shop & thanks the fabulous, wonderfully talented, & incredibly patient Brooke I learned my way around the sewing machine.  I had used Mom's before on several occasions but always required a refresher course on basic things like location of the pedal, light, power & how to thread the thing.  Now I can sit down at a variety of models [they, like cars, have different makes & models.  Who knew?!] and figure [most] everything out.

I also learned several sewing terms: this here
is a type of finish ribbon who's proper
name I have already forgotten!?

Jeff, Emily, Jake, & I were able to make one of the six shows on the weekend of her graduation.  I was dancing in my seat for the entirety of the show!

Jeff gave me a new camera for Christmas [!!!] and it has this really cool panorama feature.  [You will be seeing a lot of panoramas from here on out!]  Below is a panorama of the sanctuary during the final parade.  So fun!

After the show, Jeff took the 4 of us out for a celebratory dinner: Emily's graduation & my new job!  We went to a wonderful, local Italian place [a personal favorite genre of food] and very much enjoyed atmosphere & live music.

Jake & Emily

Jeff & Ellen

What types of shows & events did you get to be a part of or see this Christmas season?  I haven't seen The Nutcracker in years and hope to see that one year in the near future!!!