Christmas Miscellaneous

We have to give an update on tree-topper tradition. None of the kids won this year! Mom must have been tired of all that "bickering". *wink* Actually, we received this ornament from our friends, Wolfgang and Lauren, who brought it back from Germany. Mom put the star together and decided it needed to be in the place of honor this year.

Hmm...will that make the tree-topper debate easier or harder next year?Another tradition we have in our family is the Christmas puzzle. Mom's parents bought this puzzle in the early 80's, and it has now been passed on to our family. It's quite cute and we enjoy putting it together each year.Competition is part of this tradition. I'm not sure who started it, but in 1984, someone recorded on the inside cover of the box the time it took them to complete the puzzle. Sorry, the picture is not a very good one. Can you see the time at the top? It took 5 people 1 hour and 17 minutes to complete the puzzle. We have done this puzzle so many times throughout the years that we have it down to an exact science. We know exactly where each piece belongs and in what order to put it all together. Our top record is 43 minutes and 40 seconds, and that is with only two people! We beat all the 3, 4, and 5 person times! Mom and I have not succeeded in breaking it yet, but we will one day. I came very close to topping the 1-person time this year, but I didn't quite make it. I'll probably try again before Christmas is over.

This is a miscellaneous post of Christmas things, so I'm going to switch subjects again.

Melody played her flute in the Dixon Municipal Band this summer, and she participated in the Christmas concert a couple weekends ago.

Melody and Jason both played in the municipal and college bands in their jr. high and highschool years, but they haven't participated for a few years. Mel enjoyed playing again this year, and she was first chair throughout the summer.
The Christmas concert is traditionally held in the Historic Dixon Theatre. It was decorated beautifully! I had forgotten the camera, so during the intermission, I made a quick trip home to get it.

It's hard to see Melody in the pictures, but she is to the right of the band director in the first "U". She is 3rd from the right. Some of the decorations...

The horn players did a little decorating of their own.

At first, I couldn't figure out what was blinking up on the stage, but then I saw the Christmas lights on the music stand. A few years ago, one of Mel's fellow flutists found tiny lights to put in their hair. It looked really pretty. Mel tried unsuccessfully to find some this year.

Christmas music is so much fun to play; we've already had five performances in the past month, but we're not tired of it yet!