so it's been a little while

but it's also been a busy week. this weekend was the first of many holiday-event filled weekends. it's gone well, and it's hard to believe that it's almost monday again. where does the time go?

i have a full colorguard of 8 girls. we have learned drop spins, speed spins, flutters, push spins and attempted push spin/speed spin tosses. i will come up with a routine over winter break (i'm thinking to some aretha franklin "respect") and will teach it in january. SO exciting. i love doing this!

fun times on friday night at our faculty holiday party. we did a white elephant gift exchange, where justin and i brought a pack of wicker paper plate holders and an old bottle of cologne and returned with a ratcheting corkscrew and three bottles of old lady perfume. maybe we broke even. i'm thinking the three bottles of perfume sticks around just to go back next year. popular gift of the night--a stuffed chicken that sings the chicken dance when you squeeze his wing. go figure :)

yesterday, dad came up for lunch--some B's barbeque and Carolina basketball. it was nice to have him visit and see my apartment and meet the cats. also great to let him and justin sit around and talk during the game while i knitted--you get these two going on music and they can talk for hours. then, justin and i headed to fayetteville for dinner at huske hardware and singing christmas tree at snyder. as always, a wonderful show and now i really feel like it's the Christmas season!

and this afternoon--the holiday banquet at church. should be a great time...i'll let you know how it goes later. though i think it will be tough to top nathan and rob's young adults version of "hey ya." that was SO awesome.

did you know that the third and fourth verses of many Christmas carols are really meaningful?

(away in a manger)
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay
close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in your tender care,
and take us to heaven, to live with you there.

(Oh Little Town of Bethlehem)
Oh holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today
We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us, our lord Emanuel.

(in the bleak midwinter)
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas....