Success

It's all over! The pressure is off and now its time to have some fun. Actually, to be honest, the last couple of days have actually been pretty fun. I've asked a couple of people why that is. Is it vanity? I hope not. I hope the good feeling comes from a more noble place. It's very rewarding to perform music well and to know that you have pleased an audience. But more importantly, I love music and it's enjoyable for me to have some control over its presentation.

The Christmas party on Friday night was really fun. I drove out with my accompanist and her husband to the Coeur d'Alene resort and it was completely gorgeous out there.

Even prettier with all of the twinkle lights on all of the trees.

They have Chrismtas lights everywhere, the boardwalk around the lake was lit up and it was so cold. Everything that Christmas music describes was right there. Frosty snowmen, frostbite nipping at noses and fires roasting. We went to the ballroom where the Christmas party was and there was a bit of a disaster. They couldn't get the electric piano to make any sound. After about 20 minutes, some A/V guy came and switched chords and they got it going. They didn't have a music stand for the piano music though so we had to rig one up with a bunch of books and a table cloth to camouflage it. We had dinner first and it was a nice buffet. We had assigned seating and I sat next to my accompanist and this nice, single guy who couldn't get a date. He's the son of the boss and I felt bad because they left a space next to him. So everyone kept asking him where his date was. I'm so glad I'm not doing that anymore. I hope people didn't think that I was his date. He's nice but he's about 5'5" and I was wearing heels. When we were standing in line for the buffet, I felt like I had Seth with me. Kind of wanted to help him along the line...put some food on his plate. After dinner, they had a life insurance (that's the business) pep talk and then me. I sang three very mellow songs in a row and I could tell that the crowd was pretty lulled. Not bored....just sort of settled in. I was kind of expecting everyone to be nibbling on their desserts but no....all eyes were on me. I did some schmoozing in between songs...nothing elaborate....just some set up. The last number I did was this very fun spiritual and it was so much more fun to sing in front of people than alone in my living room. Everyone started wiggling their legs and bouncing their shoulders and that is when performing is fun. We had a sing-a-long after that and everyone was smiling and enjoying themselves. Check that off my list.

Today was the Creche Choir concert and first presidency devotional. I had 63 people in the choir and everyone was coordinated. Women wore red tops and black skirts and the men wore long sleeved white shirts, red ties and black pants. They looked great. and they sounded even better. The chapel was standing room only. They had overflows set up in the primary room and the relief society room and they were standing room only too. And when people started spontaneously standing during the Hallelujah Chorus at the end, I could feel the response from the choir and they sang with that much more spirit and energy. Now, we will go and sing next week at the other stake event with pleasure because everyone wants to do it again. Even me!

My kids have been with babysitters both Friday and tonight because Jay has been on call both days. Really bad timing but they had fun with her. And it's been nice getting home to boys in bed rather than having to do it all by myself. So, Jay being on call hasn't even been that bad. Of course, I would have loved for him to come to both things but since that couldn't happen, I'm glad my boys were comfortable here and not making someone miserable at the church.

Now it's time to get the Christmas decor out and start doing something other than music. I'm looking forward to this week.

This picture is crooked but this is my trusty new red sweater...my performing outfit. I was presented with a corsage from the creche directors which is very pretty. Although it kept poking me all night.